Sara Arber
Encyclopedia
Sara Arber is a British
sociologist
and Professor at University of Surrey
. Professor Arber has previously held the position of President of British Sociological Association
(1999–2001) and Vice President of the European Sociological Association
(2005–2007). She is well known for her work on gender
and ageing
, inequalities in health
and has pioneered research in the new field of sociology of sleep.
and raised in Thames Ditton
, Sara graduated from London School of Economics
with a First in Sociology 1972. She went onto postgraduate study at University of London
and University of Michigan
before joining Sociology department of Surrey as a Lecturer in 1974. Being made professor
in 1994 she acted as Head of Department 1996-2002 and Head of School of Human Sciences 2001-2004. She has served on various committees of the Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC) since 1984 where she is currently member of the Grants Assessment Panel. As well as Presidency of the British Sociological Association
she has also acted as President of the International Sociological Association
Research Committee
on Sociology of Ageing (2006–2010).
prize for best book on Ageing in 1996 and Gender and Ageing: Changing Roles and Relationships. In 2000 she established and is Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender (CRAG) at University of Surrey.
, neuroendocrinology
, engineering
, nursing
and medicine
. The SomNIA research, due to be completed in 2011, covers various aspects of quality of sleep particularly amongst older people in care. Part of this research which was led by Professor Arber was a survey of the sleeping habits of 14,000 households finding that one in 10 people are using medication to assist in getting to sleep, and women having more problems getting to sleep than men.
She also is researching "The biomedical and sociological effects of sleep restriction" for EU Marie Curie
research project focused on the effects of lack of sleep on health and wellbeing.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sociologist
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and Professor at University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
. Professor Arber has previously held the position of President of British Sociological Association
British Sociological Association
The British Sociological Association is a scholarly and professional society for sociologists in the United Kingdom, and was founded in 1951. They publish the academic journals Sociology, Work, Employment and Society and Cultural Sociology as well as their membership newsletter...
(1999–2001) and Vice President of the European Sociological Association
European Sociological Association
The European Sociological Association is an academic association of sociologists and a non-profit Europe-wide association made up of over 700 members.-History:...
(2005–2007). She is well known for her work on gender
Sociology of gender
Sociology of gender is a prominent subfield of sociology. Since 1950 an increasing part of the academic literature, and of the public discourse uses gender for the perceived or projected masculinity or femininity of a person...
and ageing
Gerontology
Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging...
, inequalities in health
Sociology of health and illness
The Sociology of Health and Illness examines the interaction between society and health. The objective of this topic is to see how social life has an impact on morbidity and mortality rate, and vice versa...
and has pioneered research in the new field of sociology of sleep.
Career
Born in 1949 in ChingfordChingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
and raised in Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
, Sara graduated from London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
with a First in Sociology 1972. She went onto postgraduate study at University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
before joining Sociology department of Surrey as a Lecturer in 1974. Being made professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in 1994 she acted as Head of Department 1996-2002 and Head of School of Human Sciences 2001-2004. She has served on various committees of the Economic and Social Research Council
Economic and Social Research Council
The Economic and Social Research Council is one of the seven Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It receives most of its funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and provides funding and support for research and training work in social and economic issues, such as...
(ESRC) since 1984 where she is currently member of the Grants Assessment Panel. As well as Presidency of the British Sociological Association
British Sociological Association
The British Sociological Association is a scholarly and professional society for sociologists in the United Kingdom, and was founded in 1951. They publish the academic journals Sociology, Work, Employment and Society and Cultural Sociology as well as their membership newsletter...
she has also acted as President of the International Sociological Association
International Sociological Association
International Sociological Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific purposes in the field of sociology and social sciences...
Research Committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
on Sociology of Ageing (2006–2010).
Ageing and gender
One of Sara Arber's main areas of research has been in the field of the Sociology of Ageing and how gender identities develop in later life. Much of the seminal work in this discipline was developed together in Jay Ginn, such as Connecting Gender and Ageing in 1995 which won Age ConcernAge Concern
Age Concern was the banner title used by a number of charitable organisations specifically concerned with the needs and interests of all older people based chiefly in the four countries of the United Kingdom....
prize for best book on Ageing in 1996 and Gender and Ageing: Changing Roles and Relationships. In 2000 she established and is Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender (CRAG) at University of Surrey.
Sleep
Sara has been pioneering empirical research on the sociology of sleep since 2001. Current research is being done through SomnIA (Sleep in Ageing), a four year collaborative research project including researchers from sociology, psychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, neuroendocrinology
Neuroendocrinology
Neuroendocrinology is the study of the extensive interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, including the biological features of the cells that participate, and how they functionally communicate...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. The SomNIA research, due to be completed in 2011, covers various aspects of quality of sleep particularly amongst older people in care. Part of this research which was led by Professor Arber was a survey of the sleeping habits of 14,000 households finding that one in 10 people are using medication to assist in getting to sleep, and women having more problems getting to sleep than men.
She also is researching "The biomedical and sociological effects of sleep restriction" for EU Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
research project focused on the effects of lack of sleep on health and wellbeing.