Professor Andrew Steptoe awarded OBE for services to behavioural science

The ELSA collaboration is pleased to announce that its Director, Professor Andrew Steptoe, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to behavioural science.

Professor Steptoe has led the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing since 2010. Under his direction, ELSA has grown into one of the world’s leading studies of ageing, providing multidisciplinary data on the economic circumstances, health, wellbeing, and social lives of older people in England. Now in its 23rd year, the study has generated more than 1,600 peer reviewed publications and has informed policy and research in the UK and internationally.

Through ELSA, Professor Steptoe has advanced understanding of how social, behavioural, and emotional factors shape health across the life course. The study’s integration of epidemiology, economics, social science, and biomedical data has helped position behavioural science at the centre of evidence on ageing and prevention.

Alongside his leadership of ELSA, Professor Steptoe has served as Head of the Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health and as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care at University College London. Since 2018, he has been recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics, ranking in the top 1% globally by citations across two fields.

Professor Steptoe said:

“I am delighted to receive this honour in recognition of the importance of behavioural science to disease prevention and health promotion. Tackling health issues throughout the life course can benefit from understanding the role of social, behavioural and emotional factors, and I am proud to have been able to contribute to these developments.”

This award reflects not only Professor Steptoe’s individual contribution, but also the strength of the ELSA collaboration and the sustained commitment of its participants, research teams, and partners over more than two decades.