June 2016

Fellows Honoured The RSE offers its congratulations to the following Fellows who were honoured in Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Honours List: Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) • Lord Robert Smith KT HonFRSE Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) • Sir Ian Wood CBE, Leader, UKCS Maximising Recovery Review Order of the British Empire: Dame Commander (DBE) • Professor Sue Black OBE, Director, The Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee • Professor Anna Dominiczak OBE, Vice-Principal and Head of College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Order of the British Empire: Commander (CBE) • Mr Keith Cochrane, Chief Executive, The Weir Group plc • Professor Charles Jeffery, Professor of Politics, University of and lately Director, Future of the UK • Dr Brian Lang, Former Chairman, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Order of the British Empire: Officer (OBE) • Professor John Campbell Brown, Astronomer Royal for • Professor David Syme Fergusson FBA, Professor of Divinity, Lord Smith is pictured being welcomed as an Honorary Fellow by the President in May this year.

Fellows Deceased It is with much regret that we report the deaths of Professor John Bainbridge Webster; Professor William Russell Morrison; and Professor Ikka Aulis Hanski CorrFRSE. Recent requests for help with other obituaries have resulted in several offers and submissions, and for these we are grateful. However, there are still gaps and we would appreciate any suggestions regarding obituary writers for those Fellows for whom we have not managed to commission a writer or source an obituary. Please email: [email protected]. A list showing the current state is available at: www.royalsoced.org.uk/933_Obituaries.html

Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland On 8 June 2016, the announced the new Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) as Professor Sheila Rowan MBE FRSE, , who commenced in the post on 13 June. This followed the announcement on 1 February 2016 of appointments to the Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC). They are: Professor Paul Boyle CBE FRSE (Chair); Professor Iain Hunter; Professor Colin MacInnes MBE FRSE; Professor Anna Meredith; Professor Andrew Mount; Professor Susan Rosser; and Dr Tara Spires-Jones.

4 October 2016 The Right Reverend Richard Holloway FRSE Religion and violence 1 November 2016 Dr Helen Ross FRSE Spacelab Revisited 6 December 2016 Sir Muir Russell KCB FRSE Title to be announced For your diaries, dates in 2017 will be 10 January, 7 February and 7 March. Speakers and topics to be advised. Details will also be available online at: www.royalsoced.org.uk/161_CoffeeMeetings.html

RSE is Edinburgh Fringe Festival Venue During August, the RSE building will be Edinburgh Fringe Festival Venue 278 and will house shows managed by Spotlites Theatre production company. During this time, the Fellows’ Room will be open and available for Fellows and their partners to use from 9 am through to, and including, evenings (close times will be confirmed in the July Bulletin). Light refreshments will be available in the room throughout the day. If you are in or around Edinburgh city centre at this time, please drop in. If you do, please sign in at Reception before going to the Fellows’ Room.

RSE Research Awards The RSE receives funding from various sources to enable it to offer awards which support Scotland’s cultural, economic and social wellbeing. The following awards are currently available and Fellows are encouraged to stimulate applications from suitable individuals: Scottish Government Arts & Humanities Awards – Small Research Grants, Workshops and Networks Closing date: 5 pm on Wednesday 28 September 2016. For further details visit: www.royalsoced.org.uk/635_AvailableNow.html

Policy Advice Activity In partnership with the Royal Society, London, the RSE held two events on GM crops, one a public event and the other a round table discussion with MSPs. Both were successful – the public event was well attended and 12 MSPs participated in the round table, including representatives of four of the five parties represented at Holyrood. The last two of the RSE discussion events on the EU Referendum took place, with associated Position Papers published. Advice Papers on Air Passenger Duty and the Review of Innovation Centres were published, as was a Briefing Note to MPs and MSPs on key points on the Higher Education & Research Bill. Reports of the policy events and Advice Papers are available on the website at: www.royalsoced.org.uk/292_Policy.html For further information, please contact – [email protected] – 0131 240 2787.

RSE Events The following two events are joint events with the as part of the Festival of Politics. Tickets can be booked online at: http://festivalofpolitics.scot/ or by phone: 0131 348 5200 or 0800 092 7600. Advance booking is advised to avoid disappointment. An email confirmation will be sent to you when you book. Please bring this confirmation with you (online reservations close two hours before the events). A limited number of tickets is available to be booked in person at the Scottish Parliament. Unallocated tickets may be available on the day of the event from the Festival Desk in the Festival Café Bar. Discussion – Scottish Responses to the Refugee Crisis. Panel chaired by the Rt Hon Sir George Reid FRSE. Panellists: Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for International Development and Europe; MSP, Labour politician; and Gary Christie, Head of Policy and Communications at the Scottish Refugee Council. Thursday 18 August 2016, 4.30–6pm at the Scottish Parliament. Ticket prices: £6/£4 (concession) Discussion – Frontier Women – Where are all the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics? Panel chaired by Tom Freeman, Holyrood Magazine. Panellists: Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell PRSE, Chair of RSE Working Group and astrophysicist; Morna Simpson, Girl Geek Scotland; Professor Lesley Yellowlees CBE FRSE, Professor of Inorganic Electrochemistry, University of Edinburgh; and Professor Monica Mary Grady CBE, Professor of Planetary and Space Science, Open University. Friday 19 August 2016, 1.45–3.15pm at the Scottish Parliament. Ticket prices: £6/£4 (concession)

RSE Rooms Available to Hire Rooms can be hired for conferences, dinners, meetings, receptions, seminars and celebratory occasions, and Fellows who do so are entitled to a 25% room hire discount. For more information, please visit: www.royalsocedvenue.co.uk/ or contact Martina Hlinkova – [email protected] – 0131 240 5034.

Staff News We are pleased to welcome back Róisín Calvert-Elliott, Head of Events and International Relations, returning after her time on Maternity Leave.

Feedback Feedback on how we could improve this bulletin for Fellows is always welcome. To comment, or if you do not wish to receive future editions, please contact: Jenny Liddell – [email protected] – 0131 240 5019.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy, is Scottish Charity No. SC000470 The RSE Scotland Foundation is a connected charity, registered in Scotland as Scottish Charity No. SC024636 The RSE Scotland SCIO is a connected charity, registered in Scotland as Scottish Charity No. SC043194