Law School scholar named nation's top criminologist
Professor Gail Mason.
received the at the 鈥檚 annual dinner last night, held in Perth as part of the ANZOC 2019 conference.
The ANZSOC Distinguished Criminologist Award is the society鈥檚 highest honour and is presented each year to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding, significant and sustained contribution to criminology in areas including teaching and scholarship and involvement in criminology in public life.
Professor Mason鈥檚 research centres on crime, social justice and exclusion. She is co-ordinator of the聽聽and was the Chief Investigator on the Australian Research Council-funded聽Hate Crime Law and Justice Project.
Professor Mason has been responsible for a number of research firsts in Australian criminology, and most recently .
She has performed editorial roles for peer-reviewed journals including and .
Professor Mason has also performed leadership roles, including as the Director of the (2008-2012) and Vice-President of ANZSOC (2012-2013). She currently sits on the Corrective Services NSW Ethics Committee.
Professor Mason said receiving the award was a tremendous and unexpected honour.
鈥淭here is a remarkable cohort of criminologists in Australia and New Zealand producing world-class scholarship and doing much to lead and promote the discipline. I feel privileged to be a part of this community,鈥� she said. 聽
鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to receive the recognition that this award delivers. I hope I can build on this to enhance the impact of my work on hate crime and hate speech in Australia and beyond.鈥�
Head of School and Dean of the University of Sydney Law School congratulated Professor Mason on the award.
鈥淭his success reflects the high calibre of Professor Mason鈥檚 work and her commitment to finding real-world solutions to the problems faced by some of society鈥檚 most marginalised and vulnerable people,鈥� Professor Bronitt said.
ANZSOC is devoted to promoting criminological study, research and practice in Australia and New Zealand and bringing together persons engaged in all aspects of the field. The聽membership of the society reflects the diversity of those involved in the field, including practitioners, academics, policymakers and students.
Professor Mason is the second scholar to be recognised with the Distinguished Criminologist Award. was honoured with the award in 2016.
Sydney Law School's was also recognised by ANZSOC this year, receiving an honourable mention in the Christine M Adler Book Award category for her book聽.听
