25 September 2015: University of Canberra Professor Linda Botterill has been elected to the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) in recognition of her distinguished research career in Australian public policy.
Professor Botterill, who joined the University five years ago and is the head of the school of government and policy, said receiving news of her election as an ASSA Fellow was incredibly exciting.
"It's a privilege and an honour to be accepted into the Academy and to find myself among a list of fellows such as Professors Don Aitkin AO, John Dryzek, Bruce Chapman AM and Marian Sawer," Professor Botterill said.
"For me this fellowship will be an opportunity to meet and share ideas with some of Australia's foremost thinkers from a broad range of disciplines within the social sciences, people I may not necessarily have come across in my own field."
Membership of the ASSA is determined by a vote among its current fellows and follows an extensive nomination process.
Professor Botterill's work includes considerable research and analysis of Australian politics and public policy, particularly around drought policy.
"Some of my past research has been on Australia's drought policy, the wheat industry and the National Party. Currently, I'm working on an ARC Discovery Project, which is examining land use conflict in rural Australia.
"I'm also writing a new book which addresses taking a values-approach to politics and public policy which is moving me into some areas of political psychology, which is gaining increasing attention in Australia at the moment," she said.
Professor Botterill will be inducted alongside 30 other new fellows at ASSA's Annual Symposium and General Meeting in mid-November.
She will also deliver the Presidential Address during the Australian Political Studies Association conference on Monday 28 September at 5:00pm.
