Royal Historical Society Fellowship

Recently, I received a long awaited letter notifying me that I was elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (UK). The Council elected me a Fellow in recognition of my contribution to historical scholarship. Founded in 1868, the Royal Historical Society (RHS) is a successful learned society, membership organisation and charity with a 150 year history. Today, the RHS is the UK’s foremost society working for historians and history.

It is very exciting to be recognised and now have opportunities to be eligible to vote in Council elections, to seek election to the RHS Council, and to apply for positions on the editorial boards of the RHS various publications. I can also use the letters FRHistS after my name!

History by Frederick Dielman (1896)

This recognition is ‘especially special’ given my shift in focus away from academia in the last few years. ‘Fortress Australia’ weathered the global pandemic reasonably well, we have a significantly lower death rates than most countries, however, this came at a cost, which further undermined and casualised the higher education sector by significantly limiting international students enrolments and by extension casual teaching opportunities.

Having said that, I look forward to taking up the upcoming ARC-funded research fellowship (albeit part-time) next month!