James Hutton Institute

Last updated

The James Hutton Institute
Predecessor
Founded1 April 2011
Headquarters Dundee,
Scotland
Number of locations
2; Aberdeen and Dundee
Key people
Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive

Professor Deb Roberts, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Science

Alasdair Cox, Director of Operations

Professor Lesley Torrance, Director of Science

Hugh Darby, Director of Finance and Company Secretary
Subsidiaries
Website www.hutton.ac.uk

The James Hutton Institute is an interdisciplinary scientific research institute in Scotland established in 2011, through the merger of Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute. The institute, named after Scottish geologist James Hutton, one of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, combines existing Scottish expertise in agricultural research, soils and land use, and works in fields including food and energy security, biodiversity, and climate change. With more than 600 employees, the institute is among the largest research centres in the UK. [1] It is a registered charity under Scottish law. [2]

The institute has its main offices in Aberdeen and Dundee with farms and field research stations at Glensaugh and Balruddery. [3] The Dundee site also hosts the Plant Sciences department of the University of Dundee. [4]

The James Hutton Institute also formally contains Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) which has staff based in Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Ayr. BioSS undertakes research, consultancy and training in mathematics and statistics as applied to agriculture, the environment, food and health. [5] Strategic oversight of the development of BioSS is provided by a Strategic Planning Group composed of senior representatives from BioSS' principal stakeholders. [6]

BioSS and the James Hutton Institute are two of a family of six organisations termed the Main Research Providers for the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). [7]

In 2012, the institute announced that it was formally joining the Natural Capital Initiative, a leading UK partnership that brings together policymakers, scientists, business, industry to find the most effective ways safeguard important ecosystems and natural capital. [8]

Projects led by the institute to establish an International Barley Hub and an Advanced Plant Growth Centre in Dundee have been supported through the Tay Cities Deal with a £62m investment. [9]

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Duncan Drummond Cameron is a British microbiologist and Professor of Plant and Soil Biology at the University of Sheffield. His research considers multiomics approaches to understand the interactions between soil microbes and plant nutrition. Alongside his research, Cameron works in science policy, and was involved with the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Lorna Anne Dawson CBE FRSE is professor and head of soil forensics at the James Hutton Institute, Scotland, who is an Expert witness, Chartered Scientist, and registered expert with the National Crime Agency. She won the award of Soil Forensic Expert Witness of the Year in the Corporate INTL 2021 Global Awards for her forensic research solving major criminal cases, including the World's End pub murders. She had won a special Pride of Britain Award by The Daily Mirror in 2017, for her role in solving long standing criminal cases, and her science communications. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, with international academic recognition.

References

  1. "New centre to honour 'father of geology'". The Scotsman . 9 November 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. "The James Hutton Institute, Registered Charity no. SC041796". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  3. "FAQs". Hutton.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. "Plant Sciences". LifeSci.Dundee.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. "BioSS: Home Page". BioSS.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  6. Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland. "Corporate Plan 2012-2016" (PDF). BioSS.ac.uk. Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  7. The Scottish Government. "Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment - Main Research Providers". Gov.Scot. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. "James Hutton Institute joins the Natural Capital Initiative". Hutton.ac.uk. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  9. "Tay Cities Deal: James Hutton Institute hails £62 million investment as 'huge vote of confidence' for region". thecourier.co.uk. 23 November 2018.