Professor Donald MacKenzie

Professor MacKenzie has achieved high distinction in the social sciences, particularly on the sociology of financial markets and how the participants in those markets behave.  His work has won several international prizes and he has been published widely in a range of publications.   His research interests overlap with emerging areas in actuarial science and Professor MacKenzie has recently advised the IFoA on a research proposal for the Actuarial Research Centre, valued input that the IFoA hopes to utilise again in future. 

Professor MacKenzie began his career with an undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics and after his PhD published his first book, Statistics in Britain, 1865-1930: The Social Construction of Scientific Knowledge.  He broadened his field of research, becoming Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Edinburgh and became Professor in 1992.  

As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Fellow of the British Academy in 2004, Professor MacKenzie has been widely recognised as an eminent academic and he has held visiting positions in a variety of renowned institutions such as MIT, Harvard and Sciences Po (Paris).

His work on financial markets has led to the publication of a number of internationally recognised books.

Further information on Professor MacKenzie's work and experience can be found on the University of Edinburgh's website.