Professor Dame Anne Glover has been elected as the next President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Following an extensive consultation of the RSE Fellowship, Dame Anne’s appointment will be confirmed at the Society's Annual Meeting in October. She will serve for three years from April 2018.
Professor Dame Anne Glover, who became an RSE Fellow in 2005, joined the University of Aberdeen in 1983 and pursued a distinguished career in microbiology, including the launch of a spin-out company based on her research.
While on secondment from the University, Professor Glover was appointed the first Chief Scientific Adviser to Scotland (2006-2011) and then the first Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission (2012-2014).
In March 2015 Professor Glover was appointed to the board of Scottish Enterprise, the economic development agency that provides enterprise, investment and innovation support within the context of the Scottish Government Economic Strategy.
Professor Glover rejoined the University in June 2015 to take up her Vice-Principal role, following a period of sabbatical at the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Berlin.
Dame Anne said: “It is an honour to be elected President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and to be taking over from Dame Jocelyn, who has worked tirelessly for the benefit of the RSE, academia and Scottish society. The RSE has an important role to play in Scotland, the UK and internationally, and it will be a privilege to be leading these activities for the next three years.”
Dame Anne will succeed Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell whose period in office saw the delivery of the European Referendum series of policy advice papers and public debate forums; the RSE’s response to the Scottish Government's stance on GM crops; a Royal visit from Her Majesty the Queen who presented the RSE’s 2017 Royal Medals; and the continued development of relations with China, supported by the President’s delegation visit to Beijing this month to meet with the RSE’s four partner academies in China: NSFC, CAS, CASS and CAE.
Commenting on the election, Dame Jocelyn, said: “I am delighted to be handing over the Presidency of the Royal Society of Edinburgh to Professor Dame Anne Glover. Anne’s experience as Chief Scientific Adviser to both the Scottish Government and the Europe Commission will be invaluable to the RSE, as will her commitment to academia and innovation.”