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New appointment to NERC

13 December 2007

Ian Pearson, Science & Innovation Minister, has announced a new appointment to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

NERC funds world-class science, in universities and its own research centres, that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It is tackling the 21st century's major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss and natural hazards. It leads in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences.

Council members have corporate responsibility for all NERC's actions and those of its staff. They decide issues such as corporate strategy, key strategic objectives and targets, and major decisions involving the use of financial and other resources.

Professor Robert (Bob) Watson, joins the Council in his capacity as Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). His appointment runs from 1 December 2007 for a period of four years. He replaces Professor Sir Howard Dalton, who retired at the end of September.

Professor Watson's career has evolved from being a research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, to a US Federal Government program manager/director at the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), to a scientific/policy advisor in the US Office of Science & Technology Policy at the White House, to a scientific advisor, manager and chief scientist at the World Bank, then chair of environmental sciences at the University of East Anglia, director for strategic direction for the Tyndall Centre, and chief scientific advisor to Defra.

His main areas of expertise include managing and co-ordinating national and international environmental programmes, research programmes and assessments; establishing science and environmental policies - specifically advising governments and civil society on the policy implications of scientific information and policy options for action; and communicating scientific, technical and economic information to policymakers.

Ed Wallis, Chairman of NERC, said, "Bob is a real asset to the Council. His expertise in managing environmental programmes, establishing policies and advising governments will complement the skills we have within the current membership, and will help us with the decisions needed to take forward our science and business strategies."

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. Appointments to NERC are made in accordance with the requirements of the Code of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. As well as his role as Chief Scientific Advisor to Defra, Professor Watson is the Director of the International Assessment of Agriculture, Science & Technology for Development.

2. Professor Watson's appointment to the NERC Council is unpaid.

Press release: 52/07