Mererid Hopwood

Mererid Hopwood is Professor of Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth University. Before that she had been Professor of Languages and the Curriculum Cymreig in the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

She has spent her career in the fields of languages, literature, education and the arts. She won the National Eisteddfod of Wales’ Chair, Crown and Prose Medal and Welsh Book of the Year prize for poetry in 2016 for her collection of poems, Nes Draw. She has been children’s poet laureate of Wales (Bardd Plant Cymru) and in 2018 won the Tir na n’Og prize for her writing for children. She was awarded the Hay Festival Poetry Medal in 2023.

Mererid has composed words for musicians, visual artists and dancers, and has taken part in literature festivals in Europe, Asia and South America. She has translated many works of literature into Welsh including plays from Spanish and German for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.

She is Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the Academi Gymreig, and Honorary President of the Waldo Williams Society. She is Secretary of the Academi Heddwch Cymru (Wales' peace institute).