Scottish Science Advisory Council appointed as key post remains vacant

A council of scientific advisers has been appointed by the Scottish Government - despite the role of chief scientific adviser, who they are to support, remaining unfilled.

Seven leading scientists will join the Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC), the highest advisory body for science, engineering and technology. 

Professor Paul Boyle, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Leicester, is to be the new chair and will be joined by four academics from the University of Edinburgh and one each from the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.

RELATED CONTENT

Bright sparks- Do our governments value science?

Defending evidence- an interview with Professor Anne Glover

Boyle said it was “an exciting time” to join the council. 

“The independent scientific advice provided by the Council will be a vital part of the information that Ministers and policy officials across the Scottish Government will use to make robust decisions that will benefit Scotland’s future economy and society,” he said.

The SSAC has not met for over a year and it was hoped its composition would have been informed by the new chief scientific adviser, a post which has also been vacant since Muffy Calder (pictured) stepped down in December 2014. 

Science Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said: “We are currently recruiting for a new Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland who will work closely with the SSAC once appointed.”

The post was re-advertised at the end of last year. “We were disappointed we were not able to appoint anyone to the role,” said Education secretary Angela Constance at the time.

Former CSA Professor Anne Glover told Holyrood in November it does the Scottish Government “no credit” that the appointment has taken so long.

“I think it would be good if a new chief scientific adviser could be involved in the appointment of people on the SSAC because he or she will want to work closely with these people and they will have a view about who should be on that council, what they can offer and so on,” she said.