Three Christ Church academics receive Recognition of Distinction

To qualify for a Recognition of Distinction an academic must play an active role in the life of the University and/or their college, with ‘an ongoing record of effective teaching for the University and for colleges,’ and must have ‘an ongoing research record characterised by a significant influence on the field of study, of a high order of excellence and international standing’.

Alexander Vasudevan becomes Professor of Urban Geography. He is a Tutor in Geography at Christ Church and served as the College’s Censor Theologiae. At the University’s School of Geography and the Environment, he teaches papers in Human Geography to undergraduates and students of the MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance. His widely published research explores critical approaches to cities and urban life, focusing on housing justice movements, spatial politics, and precarious urban living. Alex is committed to research that engages with a range of different publics and recently appeared at the Capítulo uno International Literary Festival in Madrid.

Responding to news of his award, Professor Vasudevan said: ‘I am delighted and honoured to be awarded the title of Professor of Urban Geography. This is a collective achievement, and I am grateful to friends, family, colleagues and collaborators. I look forward to continuing my work on housing and spatial justice while developing new projects on the geography of protest and social transformation.’

Yarin Gal becomes Professor of Machine Learning. He is a Tutor in Computer Science at Christ Church and leads the Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning Group (OATML) in the Department of Computer Science. His collaborative research, published in leading journals including Nature, has advanced the safety of open-source artificial intelligence and developed methods for predicting when large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Gemini are likely to ‘hallucinate’. He serves as a Research Director at the UK Government’s AI Security Institute. 

Yuji Nakatsukasa becomes Professor of Numerical Analysis. A Tutor in Mathematics at Christ Church, Professor Nakatsukasa’s research focuses on eigenvalue problems in numerical linear algebra and rational approximation theory. In 2023, he was among the first recipients of a Frontiers of Science Award at the inaugural International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS).

Professor Nakatsukasa was delighted to have his work recognised by the University: ‘I am deeply honoured to receive a Recognition of Distinction. When I began my academic journey, I never imagined I would one day become a professor at Oxford. 

‘I am constantly inspired by the opportunities that the University and College make possible, and I look forward to continuing being involved in the teaching and research within this remarkable institution. Computational mathematics is a truly exciting field, where beautiful theory meets useful algorithms that may potentially change the world, and I feel privileged to be working at its forefront.’

Christ Church warmly congratulates Professors Vasudevan, Gal, and Nakatsukasa on their richly deserved titles.