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New Chairman for NERC's Science & Innovation Strategy Board

04 April 2012

Professor Philip England has been announced as the next Chairman of the Science & Innovation Strategy Board (SISB) for the Natural Environment Research Council. He succeeded Professor Duncan Wingham on 1 April 2012.

Making the announcement, NERC Chairman Ed Wallis said, "We are delighted to welcome Professor England as the new Chair of the Board. He has strong links with NERC, including being a former member of SISB, and an active participant in the development of the current NERC strategy and the Earth systems science theme.

"His depth of scientific expertise, considerable experience of science funding mechanisms and recent experiences in the strategic development of Oxford University leave him well qualified to advise NERC on the key scientific issues at this important time for NERC."

Philip England is Professor of Geology at Oxford University and, until recently, Head of Department of Earth Sciences. His research focuses on understanding the tectonics of the continents.

Professor England said, "As a key source of advice to NERC's Council on science and innovation matters, SISB is extremely important to the maintenance and delivery of NERC's science strategy. In the current economic and political climate it is important that the advice NERC receives is robust and appropriate. NERC funds world class science and I am looking forward to ensuring that this continues, as well as contributing to the delivery of NERC's strategic priorities."

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. The Natural Environment Research Council funds world-class science, in universities and its own research centres, that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It is tackling major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards. NERC receives around £320m a year from the government's science budget, which is used to provide independent research and training in the environmental sciences.

2. Philip England is Professor of Geology at the University of Oxford. He is a geophysicist whose research centres upon the evolution, deformation and metamorphism of the continents and the development of island arcs. He graduated with a degree in physics from the University of Bristol in 1972. He then moved to University of Oxford to undertake research in geophysics, receiving his DPhil in 1976. Since 2000 he has held the position of Professor of Geology at the University of Oxford. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1999.

3. The Science & Innovation Strategy Board supports NERC Council by providing advice on science and innovation matters and is responsible, amongst other things, for:

• Developing NERC's science strategy.
• Advising on the balance of the science portfolio.
• Advising on the strategic priority of funding new programmes and initiatives.
• Assessing and advising on what is going on in UK environmental science, including research and training opportunities, challenges, monitoring and survey, managing scientific data and making the most of NERC research and training investments.

Press release: 03/12