Geoff Ward (academic) explained

Geoff Ward
Term Start:2013
Term End:2021
Birth Name:Geoffrey Christopher Ward
Nationality:British
Module:

Geoffrey Christopher Ward, FRSA (born 1954) is a British academic specialising in American literature.[1] He became Principal of Homerton College, University of Cambridge in 2013[2] (succeeded in 2021 by Simon Woolley).[3] In 2020, the College announced that Ward would retire in September 2021 after eight years as Principal.[4] [5]

Early life and education

Ward was educated at Manchester Grammar School, and Clare College, Cambridge, where he read English Literature and graduated with a first-class degree in 1975. Later, in 2006, he graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), also from the University of Cambridge.[6]

Academic career

Ward formerly worked as lecturer then senior lecturer in English at the University of Liverpool. Following a year spent lecturing in Japan, he took up a Chair and the Headship of Department at the University of Dundee in 1995.[7]

His first book Statutes of Liberty: The New York School of Poets (1993: new edition, 2001) was followed by other books and articles, including The Writing of America: Literature and Cultural Identity from the Puritans to the Present (Polity, 2002), which he researched during a year spent in the USA as a Fellow of the Leverhulme Foundation.

In 2002, he was made a Deputy Principal at Dundee. He left four years later to serve as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and then Vice Principal at Royal Holloway, University of London. He joined Homerton College, Cambridge, as Principal in 2013,[8] [9] serving in the role until 2021.

In addition to his scholarly work, Ward has written and presented occasional broadcasts for BBC Radio 3, including on David Foster Wallace. A Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he has also been elected to an Honorary Fellowship at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

Personal life

In 1992, Ward married Marion Wynne-Davies.[10] Wynne-Davies is also a scholar of literature, and specialises in Renaissance literature.[11] Together, they have two sons.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Professor Geoff Ward. Royal Holloway, University of London. 11 February 2014.
  2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-ward-21213b167/?originalSubdomain=uk LinkedIn
  3. Web site: Lord Simon Woolley elected as next Principal of Homerton College . For staff . University of Cambridge . 12 April 2023 . en . 2 April 2021.
  4. Web site: Academic staff vacancies.
  5. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Professor Geoff Ward discusses his portrait . YouTube.
  6. Web site: Ward, Prof. Geoffrey Christopher, (born 18 Feb. 1954), Principal, Homerton College, Cambridge, since 2013 . Who's Who 2021 . Oxford University Press . 27 June 2021 . en . 1 December 2020.
  7. Web site: People: Professor Geoff Ward . Homerton College . University of Cambridge . 18 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140812204452/http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/geoffward . 12 August 2014.
  8. Web site: Clare Alumnus to become Principal of Homerton. Clare College, Cambridge. 11 February 2014.
  9. Web site: New Principal for Homerton College. University of Cambridge. 11 February 2014. 24 January 2013.
  10. Web site: Ward, Prof. Geoffrey Christopher, (born 18 Feb. 1954), Principal, Homerton College, Cambridge, since 2013 . . Oxford University Press . en . 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U281337 . 1 December 2019. 978-0-19-954088-4 .
  11. Web site: Prof Marion Wynne-Davies . University of Surrey . 19 September 2020.