Fiona Skillen

Fiona Skillen is a Professor in the History department at Glasgow Caledonian University, where she conducts research primarily focused on Scottish sport history with special emphasis on women's participation. Her work spans multiple research projects, publications, and public engagement activities that have established her as a leading scholar in her field.

Professor Skillen's research interests form a distinctive fingerprint in academic literature, with key areas including Sport History (68%), Scottish studies (90%), Women's Sport (50%), Golf History, Interwar period studies, and Postwar Britain. Her work significantly contributes to understanding gender dynamics in historical sporting contexts, particularly how women navigated societal restrictions to participate in sports like football and golf.

Her recent publications show a strong trend toward recovering women's contributions to Scottish sports history, with multiple works focusing on women's football from the late 19th through early 20th centuries. She has also expanded into examining contemporary issues like hate crime in football fandom through innovative art-based research methods, demonstrating both historical depth and contemporary relevance in her scholarship.

Professor Skillen has received notable recognition for her work:

• Sporting Heritage Research Award (May 2022)
• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS) (February 2015)

Her research supervision and grant activity demonstrate strong mentorship capabilities. She is currently accepting PhD students and has led multiple funded projects including collaborations with the British Golf Museum. Her activities show extensive engagement with both academic communities (through conference participation and editorial work) and the public (through media appearances and exhibitions), reflecting a commitment to making historical research accessible beyond academia.

Professor Skillen maintains an active research profile with recent outputs spanning edited volumes, book chapters, journal articles, and encyclopedia entries. Her collaborative approach is evident in her work with colleagues across institutions and her involvement in European Commission-funded projects addressing broader social integration themes alongside her core sport history research.