Harrisburg criminal justice professor named Fulbright Distinguished Scholar

Shaun Gabbidon, distinguished professor of criminal justice, has been awarded a Fulbright-University of Birmingham Distinguished Scholar Award

October 15, 2024

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Shaun Gabbidon, distinguished professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg, has been awarded a Fulbright-University of Birmingham Distinguished Scholar Award by the US-UK Fulbright Commission.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission works to advance knowledge, promote civic engagement and develop compassionate leaders through education exchange between the peoples of the United States and United Kingdom. A 1948 treaty between the U.S. and U.K. governments specifically established the U.S.-U.K. program, one of the first bilateral Fulbright commissions in the world.

While at the University of Birmingham during Spring 2025, Gabbidon will engage with the works of Jamaican-born British sociologist, cultural theorist and political activist Stuart Hall in the university's archives. He will also be conducting research studies related to his ongoing research on "Shopping while Black." The planned research will replicate studies he has completed in the United States and Canada aimed at investigating the extent and nature of racial/ethnic profiling in retail settings. Gabbidon also will be lecturing on race and justice issues throughout the U.K. and across Europe.

Reflecting on the opportunity, Gabbidon stated "I am thrilled to return to my country of birth to make scholarly contributions related to race and justice. My parents - like Stuart Hall - were part of the Windrush Generation of Jamaicans that migrated to the U.K. following World War II. During my visit, I plan to also explore this neglected aspect of U.K. history."

A recent recipient of Penn State's 2024 Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement for Social and Behavioral Sciences, Gabbidon is internationally known for his research and publications in the area of race and justice.

He has authored more than 100 scholarly publications, including 75 peer-reviewed articles and 13 books. Through books and research publications, Gabbidon continues to reshape how criminology and criminal justice are taught and researched.

In 2020, he was named one of the most influential criminologists of the last decade by Academic Influence, with a 2023 update ranking Gabbidon among the top 25 most influential criminologists. He is one of fewer than 10 criminologists to be named fellows of both the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Along with his doctoral degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Gabbidon holds a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Baltimore, and a bachelor of science degree in government administration with a specialty in criminal justice from Christopher Newport University.