Elizabeth Meehan

Elizabeth Marian Meehan (23 March 1947 – 6 January 2018) was a distinguished academic and the first female professor of politics on the island of Ireland.

Birth and education Elizabeth Marian Meehan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 23 March 1947, the eldest child of David Charles Meehan and Marian Byas, née Mackenzie. She attended Peebles High school for her secondary education. After completing secondary education, she enrolled in Edinburgh College of Art, but left to join the civil service in 1965. She spent eight years in the British Foreign Office before returning to higher education.

She graduated with first class honour in politics from the University of Sussex in 1976 and a D Phil from Oxford University in 1982. Her thesis was on the topic of equality of employment opportunities for women in the United Kingdom and the United States. In 1991 she was appointed professor of politics at Queen's University Belfast, making her the first female professor of politics on the island of Ireland. supported by the Irish Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Appointments and awards Elizabeth Meehan was the first woman to chair the Political Studies Association, from 1993 to 1996. She also held an honorary position in the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh.