Professor David Lyon named to UK academy

Queen’s University professor David Lyon (Sociology) was recently inducted as an academician into the Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS) in the United Kingdom. By Anne Craig, Communications Officer, Queen's News Centre

Sept 17, 2013: Queen’s University professor David Lyon (Sociology) was recently inducted as an academician into the Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS) in the United Kingdom. This year the learned society named 51 academics and practitioners – Dr. Lyon was the only Canadian.

Being named an academician means a peer group has reviewed the impact of the nominee within the social sciences and found it worthy of the honour.

“I extend my most sincere congratulations to Professor Lyon on this significant honour,” says Daniel Woolf, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. “This award is a further example of the recognition that his surveillance studies have garnered internationally.”

Surveillance Studies has been Dr. Lyon’s major research for 20 years. His interests include border and airport controls, social media, video camera surveillance and identification systems.
“Having participated in collaborative international research for over two decades, it's gratifying to be recognized for one’s contributions by peer groups well beyond Canada,” says Dr. Lyon. “I believe strongly that we have to learn from each other, especially in fast-changing fields like personal information handling, big data, and surveillance by government and corporate bodies. And although I came to Queen's from the UK many years ago, all the British colleagues with whom I now work are ones whom I have met since being here. They think of me as a Canadian professor.”

Academicians can earn the honour after contributing more to the social sciences than typically comes with the demands of their job. This contribution can be in the area of thought leadership, practitioner applications or policy development.

Professor Lyon is the Director of the Surveillance Studies Centre and is a past Canada Council Killam Research Fellow. In 2005 he was awarded a Queen’s research Chair and in 2008 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Sociological Association communication and information technology section, and an outstanding achievement award from the Canadian Sociological Association.