Professor Helen Bond: Congratulations!

I’ve just had news that my Edinburgh NT colleague, Helen Bond, has been awarded a personal chair, and I take this opportunity to offer public congratulations.  Her award takes effect in July, but it’s officially announced.  (Here staff page is here.)

In the UK, the title “Professor” is a big deal, reserved for those who have been given a professorial chair by their university.  Another Edinburgh NT colleague, Paul Foster (his staff page here), was given a chair last year (and is currently serving impressively as Head of the School of Divinity).  So, two professorial-level colleagues in NT now.  And it’s sometimes judged that the standards for being awarded a “personal” chair are more demanding that being appointed to an “established” chair, so both colleagues can take justifiable satisfaction in being given theirs.

As an Emeritus member of staff, I can take justifiable pride in my colleagues (including now Dr. Matthew Novenson, and Dr. Philippa Townsend) all of whom are productive in scholarship, conscientious teachers and supervisors, and reliable in fulfilling the many “administrative” tasks now expected of UK academics.  My personal pride is in having participated in hiring both Professor Bond and Professor Foster, and, as a former colleague in another university often said, “intelligence, like water, seeks its own level; appoint excellent people and they will do so too.”  That is the story now of the appointments of those brought on since my retirement, excellent people appointing excellent people.