Leading sociologist joins Essex as new PVC Research (Designate)

Professor Chris Greer will be helping to drive forward the research agenda at the University of Essex from spring 2020 when he joins as Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research (Designate).

University of Essex Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Forster said: “Chris is a leading sociologist with an international academic reputation in the fields of crime, media and criminal justice; sociology of media and communication; victimology; punishment and penalty; and criminological theory. 

“Chris also has a wealth of senior leadership experience based on a variety of roles that he has held at City, University of London as Associate Dean (Education), Head of the Department of Sociology – and he is currently Dean of Arts and Social Sciences. 

“We look forward to welcoming him to the University in his new role and anticipate he will have a significant impact working alongside our Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research Professor Christine Raines in the next 18 months as we prepare for the Research Excellence Framework and develop our new Research Strategy which will shape our research agenda over the next six years.”

“Essex represents for me everything that a University should be”

Professor Greer, who will succeed Professor Raines in 1 August 2021, said: “Committed to excellence in education and research for the benefit of individuals and communities, the University of Essex represents for me everything that a University should be. It transforms the lives of high potential students from all backgrounds and nationalities, and engages in world-class research, enterprise and knowledge exchange with real purpose and impact. 

“And all this is driven by an ethos of inclusion and meaningful partnership with local and global communities. I am excited to be joining a top University with values I share so completely, and look forward to working with colleagues at Essex to improve still further its already outstanding reputation for research.”

“We’re making significant step-change investments in our research capacity”

Professor Raines said: “I am really looking forward to working alongside Professor Greer to continue to grow our international reputation and standing as we move towards the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

“We’re making significant step-change investments in our research capacity and Chris’ appointment as our new Pro-Vice Chancellor Research (Designate) provides an excellent opportunity to further boost our links with business and to develop new global partnerships at the same time as bringing to fruition our new Research Strategy to be launched in 2020.”

“Chris joins us at an exciting time”

Professor Forster added: “Chris joins us at an exciting time, with the largest expansion of academic staff in the history of the University, income from research contracts again achieving a new record level, and Essex in the top three of all UK universities for the number of Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

“The recent award of ‘University Enterprise Zone’ status for Knowledge Gateway research and technology park at our Colchester Campus, provides national recognition of its strategic importance and further momentum to our aspirations to make it the location of choice in the eastern region for knowledge-based enterprises in science, technology and the creative sector.”

More about Professor Greer

Professor Greer completed his MSc and PhD at the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Queen's University Belfast, then worked at Northumbria University. He joined City, University of London as a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology in 2005. He was promoted to Professor of Criminology in 2013, and from 2014-2017 served as Head of the Department of Sociology. He was appointed Dean of Arts and Social Sciences in 2017.

In 2004 he Co-Founded Crime Media Culture: An International Journal (CMC), which promotes a cross-disciplinary understanding of the crime, media, culture nexus. After a decade Co-Editing CMC, Professor Greer stepped down in 2015 and became Associate Editor. He is also on the Editorial Board of Theoretical Criminology. 

Professor Greer has a diverse portfolio of externally funded research, including from the Economic and Social Research Council, Research England, UK Home Office, London Metropolitan Police Service and multiple local authorities.

He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.