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World's best come to UEA as Norfolk energy credentials grow

Written by Lautaro Vargas

Wednesday, 11 July 2007

Article Index World's best come to UEA as Norfolk energy credentials grow Page 2 Page 1 of 2 Norfolk's growing role as a major player in the UK's renewable energies and environmental sciences industries is continuing its advance with the appointment of one of the world's leading climate change experts. A World Bank chief scientist and former White House adviser, Bob Watson, returns to the UK after 34 years in the US to become professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA). With an outstanding environmental pedigree, Prof Watson has also been headhunted by the UK government, which has appointed him as the next chief scientific adviser at Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Further to his position as chair of environmental sciences in the 5** School of Environmental Sciences, which will be taken up in August 2007, Prof Watson will become director of strategic development at the national Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, whose headquarters are at UEA. Prof Trevor Davies, pro-vice chancellor at UEA, said: "Bob Watson is an acknowledged world expert on climate change, biodiversity and sustainability. His appointment as Defra's chief scientist reflects his unparalleled expertise in so many of the environmental challenges faced by the UK and the world. "This is an exciting and challenging dual role for Bob - as both UEA Professor of Environmental Sciences and playing a key role in science policy at Defra. It is a role for which he is uniquely qualified and UEA looks forward to supporting him during his secondment to Defra." British-born and educated at Queen Mary College, London, Prof Watson said: "I am excited at the opportunity of returning to the UK after 34 years in the US to be working at the UEA - a truly world-class university and with the Tyndall Centre - a leader in climate science. "The opportunity to internationally promote the research at UEA and the Tyndall Centre coupled with the opportunity to provide scientific advice to Defra is a once in a lifetime opportunity." Prof Watson will join Defra in September from the World Bank where he is currently chief scientist and senior adviser for Sustainable Development. He has also held senior positions at NASA and, more recently, at the White House, where as associate director for environment he was responsible for ensuring that science underpinned policy making. In his new role, Professor Watson will advise UK Ministers on science issues and build on existing measures to ensure that science and technology are used to inform policy. He will support the Government's scientific work on minimising the effects of climate change and improving sustainability by promoting coherence across Defra and working together with other Government departments. "I have spent nearly all of my career working on environmental issues and am very much looking forward to joining Defra," said Prof Watson. "Defra has a wide portfolio including maintaining biodiversity and tackling animal disease and in other roles I've been involved with the Millenium Ecosystem Report and the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development. "I am keen to continue to build on the foundations laid by Sir Howard Dalton and his team in ensuring one of Defra's strengths is its focus on robust and quality science and evidence-based policy." Current Defra CSA, Prof Dalton, returns to his research at the University of Warwick at the end of September. He said: "There hasn't been a more exciting time to be a scientist in Defra. "Our science, in particular, is set to play an unprecedented and vital role in the future, helping us cope with the major scientific challenges such as, climate change, energy use, water, waste and biodiversity. "I know Robert has a strong commitment to seeing that policy has robust foundations in both natural science and economics, and that makes him a real asset for Defra." Prof Watson will also help to shape the strategic direction of the Tyndall Centre, which is funded by three Research Councils - NERC, EPSRC and ESRC - and whose goal is to become an: "Internat ionally recognised source of high quality and integrated climatechange research, and to exert a seminal influence on the design and achievability of the long-term strategic objectives of UK and international climate policy. Prev - Next >>

 

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