Dr. Bencie Woll

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Bencie Woll. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Bencie Woll is a linguist with training in obtaining a BA in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in Theoretical Linguistics from the University of Essex, and a PhD from the University of Bristol. She has been involved in sign language research for 40 years, starting her work at the University of Bristol where she co-founded the Centre for Deaf Studies, pioneering research in linguistics related to British Sign Language (BSL) and Deaf Studies. In 2005, she moved to City University London to take the first Chair in Sign Language and Deaf Studies in the UK, before joining University College London (UCL) in 2005 as a Professor of Sign Language and Deaf Studies until her retirement in 2019. In 2006, together with colleagues from UCL and City, she founded the Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL), serving as its Director until 2016. Woll was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2012 and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2016. In 2024, she was awarded an MBE for her services to higher education for Deaf people. She currently holds an honorary professorship at UCL.

Research Interests

Experience

Honorary Professor

2019-01-01 — 2100-01-01

University College London • London, United Kingdom

Holds honorary title at University College London.

Professor, Chair Sign Language Deaf Studies

2005-08-01 — 2018-12-31

University College London • London, United Kingdom

Served as a professor and chaired the Department of Sign Language Deaf Studies.

Senior Lecturer & Director

1995-09-01 — 2005-07-31

City University London • London, United Kingdom

Served as a senior lecturer and director in the Department of Language & Communication Sciences.

Lecturer & Director

1994-12-01 — 1995-08-31

University of Bristol • Bristol, United Kingdom

Lecturer and director of the Access Deaf Students Initiative.

Research Assistant, Associate, Fellow

1973-01-01 — 1991-12-31

University of Bristol • Bristol, United Kingdom

Worked at the School of Education & Centre for Deaf Studies.

Awards

#

MBE for Services to Higher Education for Deaf People