Heather Ellis | Lightnews

Dr Heather Ellis

@heatherlwellis.bsky.social

4.6K followers 2.6K following 130 posts

SFHEA, FRHistS | Historian of education & knowledge Uni of Sheffield https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/education/people/academic/heather-ellis | Co-Investigator @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social https://www.theschoolmealsproject.co.uk
| Co-Editor History of Education .. more

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Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Oct 23

📢 Our first full-team article from the School Meals Project is now published 🎉

🍽️ "The UK School Meals Service, 1944–Present: A Sensory and Emotional Experience"

📖 Read it here: lnkd.in/eiWQT4fN

#histed @sheffielduni.bsky.social @ichre-ioe.bsky.social @wlvuni.bsky.social @histedsocuk.bsky.social

The UK School Meals Service 1944–Present: A Sensory and Emotional Experience

This article explores the sensory and emotional dimensions of the UK School Meals Service (SMS) since 1944, arguing that the lived experiences of pupils, teachers, parents, catering staff, and poli...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Heather Ellis

Stephanie Olsen @stephanieolsen.bsky.social · 11d

Thanks @heatherlwellis.bsky.social for bringing this to my attention and to you and Mark for being such excellent co-editors.

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · 11d

Some nice comments on our double SI @stephanieolsen.bsky.social and Mark Freeman!

'the recent special issue of History of Education (2023), which represents a significant initiative to redefine and expand the field by challenging its traditionally Eurocentric focus.' #histed
doi.org/10.4000/1489i

Reposted by Heather Ellis

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 13d

What changes were made to REF2029 as part of last December's 'unpausing'; and what are the likely implications - positive and negative - for History and the wider humanities?

New on the RHS blog: bit.ly/3ZIfe0P

#Skystorians @artsandhums.bsky.social

Opening screen of Royal Historical Society blog post: 'With December’s restart, what next for REF2029 and for History?'

Full abstract: On 10 December 2025, Research England announced the ‘unpausing’ of REF2029 and, with it, completion of a three-month review of the terms and principles of the next assessment exercise.

The messaging that accompanied December’s announcement was clear: a more pragmatic, less burdensome REF template is ‘back on track’, with attention soon to move to the work of criteria setting by subject panels.

However, December marked more than resumption after a temporary halt. The updates announced are extensive and include significant changes to the structure and content of REF2029.

Here, we summarise and review the key headlines. This post also considers the implications of these changes, with reference to History and the wider humanities. These include positives, notably changes to the portability of books and to impact case studies.

But there are also concerns, most notably in relation to the new-look environment element and changes to the form and weighting of its assessment. These put at risk the central REF principle of ‘rewarding excellence wherever it is found’.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Heather Ellis, Frances Andrews

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 15d

Early career historians, studying for an MA or PhD in #history or a cognate subject, are invited to join the Royal Historical Society as Postgraduate Members bit.ly/4kknnCb

Applications are welcome at any time: next closing dates: 9 March and 11 May 2026 #Skystorians 1/2

Apply for Postgraduate Membership - RHS

Closing dates for next applications: Mondays 9 March and 11 May 2026 The Society's Postgraduate Membership is for those studying History, or a cognate subject, at a higher level (from Masters to PhD...

bit.ly

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · 16d

Excited to see the first in a series of articles (& future virtual special issue) of @hisjournalha.bsky.social coming out of the 'Communities of Knowledge-Making' workshop I organised w. Martha Vandrei at @brlsi.bsky.social in June 2024. Congratulations Julia!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

‘Mere Amateurs’? Elementary Teachers and the Making of Scientific Authority in the British Child Study Movement

This article offers new perspectives on the relationship between elementary teaching, scientific expertise and the professionalization of the human sciences. Previous scholarship has demonstrated the...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · 23d

We were really grateful to have had the opportunity to talk about the project at @ihrlifecycles.bsky.social!

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · 24d

Great lunchtime seminar in London today hosted by @britishacademy.bsky.social sharing @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social findings w. policymakers, academics, charities & school leaders. Strong appetite for long historical view in #schoolmeals policy 🍽🍎🥦

@sheffielduni.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org #histed

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · 24d

Off to London today to share key findings from our @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social research with policymakers at a @britishacademy.bsky.social lunchtime seminar — what 120 years of UK #schoolmeals can teach today’s policy 🍎🍽

#histed @sheffielduni.bsky.social @ichre-ioe.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org

Reposted by Heather Ellis

Dr. Penelope K Hardy @pkhardy.bsky.social · 27d

New on H-Sci-Med-Tech:

Check out @heatherlwellis.bsky.social (@sheffielduni.bsky.social)’s review of @stephenrcase.bsky.social (Olivet Nazarene Uni)’s book _Creatures of Reason: John Herschel & the Invention of Science_ 2024 @upittpress.bsky.social

#hstm

Review available @hnetreviews.bsky.social

Reposted by Heather Ellis

H-Net Reviews @hnetreviews.bsky.social · 27d

New book review:
Ellis on Case, Stephen: _Creatures of Reason: John Herschel and the Invention of Science_. University of Pittsburgh Press, 2024. Published by H-Sci-Med-Tech.
Read here: networks.h-net.org/node/20138526

Case, Stephen. Creatures of Reason: John Herschel and the Invention of Science. : University of Pittsburgh Press, 2024. x + 278 pp. $60.00 (cloth), ISBN 9780822948384. Reviewed by Heather Ellis (University of Sheffield) Published on H-Sci-Med-Tech (January, 2026) Commissioned by Penelope K. Hardy (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse)

networks.h-net.org

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Dec 24

Early Christmas present! 🎁✨️

New paperback edition of the Bloomsbury Cultural History of Education series 🎄

(I edited Vol 5) 📚 #histed

@unishefplayer.bsky.social @histedsocuk.bsky.social @sheffielduni.bsky.social @sheffieldcems.bsky.social

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Gavin Miller, Justin Lewis , and 2 more Lesley A. Hall, Gavin Miller, Justin Lewis, Lyndsey Stonebridge, Heather Ellis

Ian Greaves @greavesian.bsky.social · Dec 23

Just up on the Telegraph, a thorough and thoughtful piece about the wrongheaded policy changes at WAC. Thanks to Kate Murphy, @illuminations.bsky.social, @unamccormack.bsky.social and @marklewisohn.bsky.social for giving up their time. Gift link here

www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/65a1031...

The BBC scandal of 2025 that went unnoticed

The Written Archives Centre has closed its doors to the public, despite being funded by the licence fee

www.telegraph.co.uk

Reposted by Suzana J. Camargo, John Horgan, Steve Peers , and 12 more Suzana J. Camargo, John Horgan, Steve Peers, Daniel Woolf, Bessma Momani, Martin Kreidl, Timothy Burke, Heather Ellis, Catherine J. Frieman, Juanjo Medina, Judith Freedman, Alessandro Arcangeli, Meredith Farkas, Pádua Fernandes, Bruce Buchan

Miles Klee 🦉 @milesklee.bsky.social · Dec 17

Academics and technologists are sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in scholarship as we know it: AI-generated citations of nonexistent papers that have infested real journals. Despite being fake, the sources are widely assumed to be authentic the more they appear in published literature.

AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals

Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.

www.rollingstone.com

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Dec 11

Thanks for inviting me to give the lecture! It was a really valuable and interesting day.

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 11

Yesterday we visited historians @ioe.bsky.social & @lshtm.bsky.social to learn more about their work and experience of researching / teaching in non-History departments bit.ly/3KC9xxJ

Our great thanks to all who attended and esp. to @heatherlwellis.bsky.social for her excellent lecture #Skystorians

Society visits historians at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UCL Institute of Education - RHS

On 10 December, members of the Society’s Council visited historians at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the UCL Institute of Education. This joint visit was an opportunity to lea...

bit.ly

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Dec 11

Thanks for joining Leif!

Reposted by Heather Ellis

Leif Hammer @leifhammer.bsky.social · Dec 11

Informative and intriguing lecture by @heatherlwellis.bsky.social yesterday on the history of the School Meals Service in Britain @royalhistsoc.org

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Heather Ellis

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 11

Society visits historians at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UCL Institute of Education - RHS

bit.ly

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Dec 10

Heading into London for this today.

So glad to see @royalhistsoc.org focusing on historians working outside history departments. Such an important topic for our discipline!

Looking forward to talking about @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social later as an eg of this work #histed

@sheffielduni.bsky.social

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 9

Tomorrow we make our final Visit of 2025: to historians
@lshtm.bsky.social and @ioe.bsky.social.

Our focus is on working as a historian outside 'traditional' history departments - something that's increasingly common. The RHS welcomes historians to join us, wherever they work bit.ly/3KBcnTy 1/2

Slide inviting historians to Join the Royal Historical Society, with the closing dates 15 December 2025 and 9 March 2026.

Reposted by Heather Ellis, Kate Bradley

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 9

Tomorrow's visit includes a public lecture, by @heatherlwellis.bsky.social (School of Education, University of Sheffield), on: 'Hunger, Health and Hope: A History of School Meals in Britain' bit.ly/3K8Utrd

Booking to attend the lecture online remains open: 6pm Wednesday 10 Dec #Skystorians 2/2

Hunger, Health and Hope: A History of School Meals in Britain, ONLINE

Royal Historical Society public lecture at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UCL Institute of Education

bit.ly

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Heather Ellis, Kate Bradley

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 9

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Dec 3

Looking forward to this!
#schoolmeals
#histed @unisheffieldlib.bsky.social @ichre-ioe.bsky.social

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 3

Next week's visit includes a public lecture, by @heatherlwellis.bsky.social (School of Education, University of Sheffield), on: 'Hunger, Health and Hope: A History of School Meals in Britain' bit.ly/3K8Utrd

Booking to attend Heather's lecture online remains open: 6pm Wednesday 10 Dec #Skystorians

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Heather Ellis

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · Dec 3

Reposted by Heather Ellis

History of Education Society UK @histedsocuk.bsky.social · Nov 15

We are now starting our Celebration of Joyce Goodman talk in the Crystal Room.

We are lucky enough to have several speakers, starting with Janice de Sousa.

#HES2025 #histed

The Celebration of the life and legacy of professor Joyce Goodman talk in the Crystal room, Winchester hotel and spa

Reposted by Heather Ellis

History of Education Society UK @histedsocuk.bsky.social · Nov 14

Our first sessions are about to start!

We have so many great choices and a lovely variety of speakers.

#HES2025 #histed

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Nov 11

Pleased to see this published and just before the 2025 @histedsocuk.bsky.social conference in Winchester! #histed
@lottiehoare.bsky.social @stephanieolsen.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Memories of Writing and Editing with Joyce Goodman

Published in History of Education: Journal of the History of Education Society (Ahead of Print, 2025)

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Heather Ellis

Antoine Destemberg @adestemberg.bsky.social · Nov 2

It's out! Six volumes of a superb 'Cultural History of Higher Learning', from antiquity to the present day, written by 67 authors from all around the world. I am delighted to see this wonderful collective work published and to have had the opportunity to take part in it.

A Cultural History of Higher Learning

How has higher learning been shaped by people, ideas and knowledge? In a work that spans 2,500 years, 67 experts chart across the social and cultural dynamics o…

www.bloomsbury.com

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Oct 30

📢 Ed. with @capandgown.bsky.social A Cultural History of Higher Learning in the Age of Industry was published by Bloomsbury today! Many thanks to the series eds & all contributors

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cultural-...

#histed @sheffielduni.bsky.social @histedsocuk.bsky.social @ische-news.bsky.social

Dr Heather Ellis @heatherlwellis.bsky.social · Oct 21

In case you missed it... Our @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social Policy Briefing is now available! Details below

#histed @sheffielduni.bsky.social @histedsocuk.bsky.social @ische-news.bsky.social

ESRC School Meals 🍽 @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social · Oct 21

🍽 ICYMI Our Policy Briefing on the history & future of school meals is now available to read & share.

Drawing on over a century of evidence and new oral histories, we show how mealtimes are about much more than nutrition.

@sheffielduni.bsky.social @wlvuni.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social

#histed

Reposted by Heather Ellis

ESRC School Meals 🍽 @esrcschoolmeals.bsky.social · Oct 21

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