David Lyon is a sociologist, married to a potter, Sue Lyon. They have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. David directed the Surveillance Studies Centre at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario for 20 years. Educated at the University of Bradford UK, Lyon has been studying surveillance since the mid-1980s. A pioneer in the field of Surveillance Studies, he has produced a steady stream of books, translated in to 18 languages, and is currently completing Surveillance: A Very Short Introduction. From the 1970s to the 1990s he researched secularization and has continued to consider how far today's surveillance is affected by secularity. His work has been recognized in Canada, Switzerland, the USA, and the UK with a number of fellowships, prizes, awards, and an honorary doctorate.