Gabriella was Professor of Language & Cognition in the School of Education, Communication & Society (ECS). A pioneering researcher, passionate teacher, warm-hearted colleague and outstanding mentor, Gabriella will be greatly missed by everyone in the school, the cognitive linguistics community and her many interdisciplinary collaborators and friends.

A founding member of the UK Cognitive Linguistics Association, Gabriella was a cognitive linguist who specialised in semantics and pragmatics, especially figurative language. Her work with the UK and US water industry continues to be cited and drawn upon by experts in making the complex subject of water quality risks accessible and relatable to diverse audiences; it was documented as one of King’s Impact Case Studies for REF2021. During the COVID pandemic, her projects producing linguistically and culturally tailored advice for minority groups with an oral language tradition received the inaugural Impact Prize Award from the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy.

Gabriella was promoted to Reader in 2016 and Professor in 2020. Always dedicated to contributing to the School, she served as Deputy Education Lead (2010-2016), Member of School Executive Committee (2016-2021), School Education Lead (2016-2017) and School Research Lead (2018-2021). As REF Unit of Assessment Lead (2018-2022), Gabriella also led the complex task of overseeing King’s Education submission to REF 2021 with her characteristic fairness and concern for inclusivity.

An online book of remembrance is available for colleagues to share their memories, photos and condolences.

Her family have asked anyone who would like to contribute to the memorial to donate to Myeloma UK in her name. This charity has been important to Gabriella and her family for many years and supports medical research and families affected by myeloma and plasma cell leukaemia.

A charity donation page has been set up for this purpose. Go to the website and in the memory name box, type in ‘Gabriella Rundblad Stevenson’.