New Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland

The new Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland will be Professor Muffy Calder, First Minister Alex Salmond announced yesterday.

Professor Calder, currently Professor of Computing Science and Dean of Research at the University of Glasgow’s College of Science and Engineering, has been appointed following an open competition. The Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland is an overarching role, championing science as a key driver of the economy, and ensuring the Scottish Government uses science effectively in all policy-making.

The First Minister said:

"Excellence in science is critical to Scotland’s prosperity and well-being. I am delighted that we have been able to appoint a scientist of Professor Calder’s stature and experience to provide advice and support to Ministers and the Scottish Government."

The Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Professor Anton Muscatelli added:

"Professor Muffy Calder is an outstanding scientist and brilliant communicator, and she is an excellent choice as Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland."

Professor Calder said:

"I’m pleased to be taking up the post of Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland at a crucial time for the country. The world faces many scientific challenges in areas such as environment, software systems, and health and wellbeing.

"In Scotland some of the world’s best scientists and engineers are working to tackle these problems, and I am proud to be part of the country’s thriving scientific community. I look forward to ensuring our scientific research and industry continues to flourish, and that the Scottish Government gets the very best advice."

The Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland provides independent scientific advice to Ministers, champions Scotland’s world-leading research base and co-chairs the Scottish Science Advisory Council. In this role, Professor Calder will work alongside the Chief Health Scientist, Professor Andrew Morris, whose appointment was announced last week, and the new Rural and Environment Chief Scientific Adviser, once appointed.

Professor Calder will formally take up her post on 1st March.

Muffy Calder is Professor of Computing Science and Dean for Research in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Glasgow. She is a Royal Society Leverhulme Research Senior Fellow and Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award Holder. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and was awarded the OBE for service to Computer Science in 2011.

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