The Royal Society of Edinburgh

AN NUALRE VIEW April 2007 – March 2008

ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08

Welcome from the President

The Royal Society of Edinburgh has had a particularly In an age of celebrity obsession it strikes me as productive year. The fruits have been the result of important that we recognise and celebrate those who Fellows of the Society giving freely of their time and make a genuine contribution to the wellbeing and expertise, supported by a professional RSE staff. advancement of society. Many people have agreed The contribution of funding partners has, as ever, been that there is not enough recognition in Scotland of this invaluable. To all of you, I offer my thanks. Like good modest Edinburgh-born genius who died aged 48. I have gardeners, we are always looking ahead to the next received excellent support in raising funds locally and season and indeed well beyond. The RSE has a strategic from around the world. It is a great pleasure, as I framework that provides clear direction and a healthy approach the end of my Presidency to anticipate the degree of continuity. It also brings an imperative to unveiling of this fine statue in Edinburgh’s George Street make the most of new opportunities. As the case close to the present building of the RSE, of which studies in this publication show, strategic alliances with Clerk Maxwell was a Fellow. the RSE make a tangible difference to people’s lives. I am delighted that Lord Wilson of Tillyorn is to be my Evaluation is important, but we also recognise that successor as President from October 2008. Lord Wilson inspiration, (like the sapling trees I planted 30 years has a wealth of experience upon which to draw. As the ago in Perthshire), can take time to mature. So, Society’s International Convener, Lord Wilson contributed whilst reflecting upon just some of the Society’s greatly to the success and development of our work in achievements, we do so with an eye to the future. enhancing Scotland’s global collaboration. His leadership The future of civilisation, as we know it today, will help drive forward the public benefit activities of was something that James Clerk Maxwell altered, the Society in Scotland and internationally. fundamentally. Our modern technological society, from the computer to telecommunications, rests firmly on the foundations of electromagnetism established by Clerk Maxwell. Albert Einstein was one of Maxwell’s great admirers and it was Maxwell’s emphasis on RSE President Sir Michael Atiyah, the basic role of fields of force that led Einstein to OM, FRS, PRSE, HonFREng, HonFMedSci, HonFFA his general theory of relativity and the modern understanding of gravity. Much of my time in the past year has been occupied in orchestrating the creation of a monument to Clerk Maxwell by the Sculptor, Alexander Stoddart (pictured above, centre) ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08

providing public benefit through: increasing the number of world-class science and culture researchers working in Scotland

Arts & Humanities Awards Following the success of the Society’s pilot scheme in Arts and Humanities in 2007, the development phase of this new scheme was advanced with the introduction of Research Networks which are designed to create and/or to consolidate collaborative partnerships over a two year period. ‘Partnerships’ may be defined in a range of ways, and may involve collaboration between colleagues in different disciplines (which may extend into areas beyond the arts and humanities), in different HEIs, and/or in HEIs and Scottish Cultural Institutions. Two Network awards were made in early 2008 along with three Workshop awards. The Society plans to continue the development of this award scheme by providing small research grants in 2008/09.

Recognising Excellence The Royal Medals of the Royal Society of Edinburgh are its most prestigious awards recognising research excellence and scholarship. The 2007 medals were awarded to Sir Thomas McKillop FRSE, (pictured right – back) for his outstanding contribution to business and public service in Scotland and internationally, particularly in the fields of biotechnology and finance; to Professor John Laver CBE FRSE (back – middle) for his outstanding contributions to the Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly in the field of phonetics, and his inspired academic leadership; and, to Professor Sir David Carter FRSE, (left – back) for his outstanding contribution to Life Sciences as a Surgeon, a clinical academic and a leader in the field both nationally and internationally. The awards were presented by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT at the RSE Summer Soirée held at Edinburgh’s Telford College in July. The evening also marked the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Thomas Telford. At the meeting Dr Andrew Viterbi was awarded the inaugural IEEE/RSE/Wolfson, James Clerk Maxwell Award. (pictured front – left with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and Sir Michael Atiyah).

Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland In 1999 Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland began funding research awards administered by the RSE. Since then, 29 academic researchers have been funded for research into the medical, psychological, sociological or economic consequences of ageing. In 2007, one three-year Personal Fellowship, one year-long Support Fellowship, and one three-year Research Studentship were awarded. Funding was also made available for Research Workshops and the first two of these were awarded to Marion McGee-Lennon of the University of Glasgow, on behalf of Mobilising Advanced Technologies for Care at Home (MATCH), for a workshop entitled Including Stakeholders in the Design of Home Care Technology and a joint project between Dr Kathleen Riach of the University of Glasgow and Dr Wendy Lorreto of the University of Edinburgh for a project entitled, The changing working lives of the over-50s: control, choice and flexibility.

>2 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08 providing public benefit through: increasing Scotland’s research and development connections internationally

International Agreements – Pakistan and India The RSE’s International Programme continued to grow. In November, the Society announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with The Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS). The agreement was signed by the PAS President and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Ishfaq Ahmed and the RSE President, Sir Michael Atiyah. Dr Ahmed was on a three-day visit to Edinburgh, during which time he also met with representatives of the Scottish Government, visited the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and spent time with the Principal and post-graduate students at the University of Strathclyde. In December, a similar Memorandum of Understanding was signed with The Indian National Science Academy (INSA). This was signed by the INSA President, Dr R A Mashelkar and Sir Michael. Both agreements set out the commitment to facilitate and support research collaboration between Scotland and these countries and to fund academic exchanges through the RSE’s International Exchange Bilateral Programme.

Annual European Lecture – Ján Figel’ The Annual EU lecture was given in June by Ján Figel’, Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, (pictured) on the subject of Reforming Europe’s Universities – Why and How? Commissioner Figel’, a European Commissioner since 2004, said that he sees his remit as central to the future success of the European Union. He stated “The Union’s goal, as set down in the 2000 Lisbon strategy, is to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world and this can only be achieved through education and training. European universities have a potentially vital role but are currently failing to deliver all that is required of them”. In keeping with his desire for dialogue, the Commissioner’s lecture was followed by a lively Q&A session in which he acknowledged that university funding is a political issue but argued that, in addition to demanding better value from current spend, increased funding is essential if universities are to develop their potential along the lines he described. The full lecture is available on the RSE website.

Joint Project with Chinese Researchers The RSE agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in July 2007. This was signed by the NSFC Vice-President Professor Zuoyan Zhu and Professor Sir Neil McCormick FBA, FRSE, the then RSE International Convenor. In this context the NSFC brought a delegation to Scotland in March 2008, comprising eight senior academics and three NSFC staff members to participate in a two-day workshop at the RSE on Management Science, Engineering and Public Policy. The visit provided opportunities for Scotland and China-based researchers to interact and to identify areas of mutual interest with the expectation of progressing collaborative research. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (pictured with RSE Vice-President, Tariq Durrani and Professor Wei Zhang, Deputy Director, Department of Management Sciences of the NSFC) met the delegation, and delegates also spent time at universities in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The RSE is looking forward to supporting reciprocal visits to China as an outcome of the workshop.

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providing public benefit through: improving connections between business and academia

Gannochy Trust Innovation Award The Gannochy Trust Innovation Award of the Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland’s highest accolade for individual achievement in innovation. It was created in 2003, in partnership with the Gannochy Trust, to encourage and reward Scotland’s young innovators for work which benefits Scotland’s well-being. The purpose of the award is to encourage younger people to pursue careers in fields of research which promote Scotland’s inventiveness internationally, and to recognise outstanding individual achievement which contributes to the common good of Scotland. In 2007 this award was presented to Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg of Aquapharm Bio-discovery Ltd, Oban, for his innovative development of antibiotics from marine micro-organisms, to target chronic multi-drug-resistant infections, including MRSA. The award was presented to Dr Mearns Spragg by Sir Michael Atiyah PRSE at the Royal Museum of Scotland in October 2007 (pictured). The Trust also announced its commitment to continue to fund the award for a further three years and the RSE is extremely grateful for this continuing support.

RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club The RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club, launched, in January 2005, comprises all past and current Enterprise Fellows of the Society. These individuals are people who have a concept, developed from their academic research, which they feel is worth commercialising and have the desire to form a spin-out company. The Enterprise Fellows have been, or are currently being funded by: Scottish Enterprise; the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) (formerly PPARC); and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club meets twice a year and provides an opportunity for the Fellows to meet up and network. In April 07 the club met at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery around the Entrepreneurial Scotland photographic exhibition. Dr David Sibbald FRSE was the speaker at the event, chaired by Professor Walter Nimmo, Convenor of the RSE’s Enterprise Fellowship Committee. In October, the Club held a discussion dinner (pictured). Again chaired by Professor Nimmo, past Enterprise Fellows, Dr John March and Dr Sonia Schulenburg together with Professor Ian Underwood FRSE gave their views on the theme of the discussion, Commercialisation: the good, the bad and the ugly! Mr Bob Richards, a business mentor for the Enterprise Fellowship Programme also spoke and provided sound advice on customers and sales.

Renewed funding for Scottish Enterprise / RSE Fellowships Following a positive independent review by Ernst & Young of the Scottish Enterprise RSE Fellowships programme, the Board of Scottish Enterprise agreed to fund the programme for another five years with an overall funding package of £5.6 m, making available a total of sixty Fellowships. An event to celebrate ten years of the RSE/SE Enterprise Fellowships and to launch Phase III of the programme was held in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, in March 2008. The keynote speaker was Sir Tom Hunter (pictured left with Dr Sonia Schulenberg) who encouraged the Enterprise Fellows present by telling them “Scotland needs you!” An exhibition of nineteen photographs of Enterprise Fellows, commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, ran throughout the evening. The Entrepreneurial Exchange provided their photographs of well known established, entrepreneurs based in Scotland, to add to the event.

>4 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08 providing public benefit through: increasing the number of people in Scotland who adopt science as a career

Schools Lecture Programme The RSE actively supports the education of young people throughout Scotland, from Dumfries to the Highlands and Islands, covering diverse topics, including forensic science, astronomy, genetics, physics, biology, the chemistry used in common medicines and the science behind computers. During 2007 lecturers visited schools and delivered the RSE@Schools programme to primary 6/7 and secondary school pupils to stimulate and develop interest in science, society and culture and to enthuse them about the relationship between subjects studied at school and their daily lives. In 2007 Mrs Winifred Sillitto, wife of the late Mr Richard M Sillitto FRSE, an experimental physicist, donated £32,000 to encourage young people to develop an interest in physics. As a result, a separate series of physics lectures was established which led to an increased uptake of the RSE@Schools physics lectures. The RSE is grateful to Mrs Sillitto and to the other generous individuals and organisations that provide donations and support to the programme.

SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) Summer School The RSE organises the SET Summer School annually at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in partnership with Heriot-Watt and supported by the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian councils. Two week-long courses were held in July and August when local S5 and S6 pupils were offered the opportunity to experience university life and to explore the broad range of subjects on offer in a relaxed and informal setting. Throughout the week the pupils participated in various activities, including a number of interactive workshops and group-work sessions covering different approaches to studying at university compared to school and offering hints on areas such as best-exam practice and how to manage finances and balance studies with social life. On the last day of each week, the pupils gave presentations in groups to staff and parents/carers about what they had gained from the week. Their feedback was positive and enthusiastic.

The RSE Annual Inspiration Awards The 2007 Annual Inspiration Awards ceremony was held at the RSE in October. Sir Michael Atiyah welcomed 65 invited guests, thanking them for their continued support of the RSE’s Young People’s programme. He emphasised the RSE’s commitment to promoting science and technology and the arts and culture to young people throughout Scotland, recognising that a high level of scientific literacy and arts appreciation is crucial for the future prosperity of Scotland. The RSE’s programme of events for Young People is presented by volunteer experts from academia and industry, many of whom are Fellows of the Society. Six of these volunteers were recognised at the meeting and the awards were presented by the President and Professor Miles Padgett, the Convenor of the Young People’s committee. The awards, given in recognition of long-standing contributions to the programme, were presented this year to: Professor Thomas Krauss, Dr Susan Armstrong, Dr Val Mann (pictured), Mr Bob Kibble, Professor Anthony Busuttil and Dr Bruce Davies.

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providing public benefit through: enhancing the public’s appreciation and understanding of science and culture issues

Arbroath Project A year-long programme of educational activities in Arbroath was launched in February 2008. This is a new venture in which the RSE is focusing on one geographical area, beyond the central belt. Working collaboratively, key organisations in and around the town are teaming up to celebrate and explore the achievements and cultural diversity of Arbroath. The activities are being delivered by drawing upon a combination of local and outside expertise, including RSE Fellows, Arbroath Primary and Secondary schools, Angus College, youth and drama groups, businesses, the local Council and the tourist board. The opportunity for the RSE to join forces with these community organisations arose from the enthusiastic reception that visiting RSE speaker, Professor Sue Black OBE, FRSE received when she gave talks in Arbroath Academy on Identity and Forensic Anthropology in 2004. RSE@Arbroath encompasses the arts and humanities, as well as science and technology-based subjects. The programme will culminate in the RSE Christmas Lecture, in December 2008 given by Professor Anne Glover FRSE, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Scottish Government, who also hails from Arbroath.

Civil liberties Trial A Mock Trial, chaired by Dr Magnus Linklater FRSE was staged at the Society in November 2007 before a capacity audience, who acted as jurors. The debate centred on the question, Are our civil liberties being unduly eroded? The protagonists were Baroness Helena Kennedy QC (pictured), who led three witnesses: Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty; Henry Porter, Novelist and Journalist; and, Roy Martin QC, former Dean of the Faculty of Advocates arguing for the proposition and Lord (Charlie) Falconer, PC QC arguing to the contrary, leading Lord Elder, House of Lords; Alistair Bonnington, Solicitor to the BBC in Scotland; and Lord McCluskey, former Solicitor General for Scotland. This interesting and entertaining debate can be viewed on the Society’s website.

Tall Tales event This event took place in September 2007, starting with a lecture delivered by Professor Michael Corballis, Department of Psychology, University of Auckland and Professor James Alcock, Department of Psychology, University of York, Toronto. This was followed by a two-day conference at Our Dynamic Earth, which aimed to unravel psychology and neuroscience topics that are seen in the popular press but often misinterpreted – so-called Tall Tales. Topics discussed challenged conventional thinking and explored myths and ‘old wives tales’. The conference was unique in that rather than sharing scientific issues with ‘peers’, it was intended to disseminate knowledge and aimed mainly at high-school teachers and their upper-year pupils, along with science journalists and other interested lay-people.

RSE Journals The RSE continued its long tradition of publishing learned journals, with its two journals Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section A: Mathematics. In 2007, Transactions was re-titled Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and re-launched, with a broader remit and a modern full-colour cover design. Copies of the journals are sent to over 200 University Libraries, Academies and Institutions world-wide, as part of the Society’s long-standing exchange programme. The journals are highly regarded by academics as publication vehicles for their research, and they both maintain a respectably high impact factor in comparison with similar journals in their fields.

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Hills & Islands In May 2007, the RSE launched an Inquiry into the Future of Scotland’s Hill and Island Areas, to find ways to help secure a prosperous and environmentally-sustainable future for Scotland’s rural areas, especially the more economically-fragile communities. The inquiry report will make recommendations that seek to respond not only to threats posed by changes in agricultural support as a result of present and anticipated reform to the Common Agricultural Policy, but also to the opportunities for expansion in other parts of the economy, such as tourism and forestry, and measures to safeguard the environment. Over the course of the year, the Inquiry committee received over 80 pieces of written evidence, and heard oral evidence from 25 organisations at the RSE, and from numerous stakeholders across the country during its visits to Islay, Mull, Skye, Selkirk, Dumfries, Inverness, the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeenshire. The Committee also visited the Republic of Ireland to learn from approaches taken there, and met with members of the EU Commission in Brussels. The Committee of Inquiry was chaired by Professor Gavin McCrone FRSE (pictured at the Inquiry launch).

Cross party group This year, the RSE and The Royal Society of Chemistry jointly appointed their first Scottish-based Parliamentary Liaison Officer, Bristow Muldoon. The post has been created to make it easier for MSPs and Researchers of all parties to tap into the wide ranging knowledge and expertise both organisations offer. The Society encouraged the establishment of a Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Science and Technology to stimulate debate amongst MSPs on current issues of relevance and interest to policy makers. Formally recognised by the Parliament, the group elected Dr Elaine Murray MSP and Dr Bill Wilson MSP as Co-conveners. All political parties in the Parliament are represented, and a broad range of organisations with an interest in science have expressed an interest in supporting the group. The first main meeting took place in May 2008 on the topic of carbon capture and storage.

Consultations/responses Using the expertise of its Fellows, the RSE responded to various consultations and submitted evidence and advice to eleven parties, including the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee’s Inquiry on Flooding and Flood Management, The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Economic Impact of Immigration, and The House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee’s Inquiry into Renewable Energy-Generation Technologies. These submissions are available on the RSE website. Most of these responses were carried out using small expert working groups.

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International Case Studies

One of the main purposes of the RSE International Scottish based host: Programme is to award short-term travel grants to Dr James Brockmole, University of Edinburgh enable Scottish-based researchers to establish links Visitor: Dr Walter Boot, University of Illinois with colleagues in other countries with a view to a Urbana-Champaign, USA long lasting collaboration, through joint publications and joint applications for longer-term funds. RSE / Scottish Government International Exchange The following are excerpts from three reports of visits What determines the allocation of visual attention supported by the International Exchange Programme. in a scene? Focusing on fundamental human responses, the answers to this question have far-reaching implications Scottish based host: in education, advertising and all areas of life that involve Dr David Middleton, visual communication. Several studies were conducted at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh the University of Edinburgh by Dr Boot and Dr Brockmole Visitor: Dr Pramote Triboun, to answer the question of whether unique items not only Bangkok Herbarium, Thailand have the ability to capture attention, but to hold attention RSE / Scottish Government International Exchange as well. It was found that unique features that typically capture attention have very little power to hold attention. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is one However, unique items that violate the observers’ of the world’s leading herbaria for holdings of tropical expectations do seem to hold attention, even when these Asian plants. RBGE’s long history of research on items are completely irrelevant to the primary task. Gesneriaceae (the African Violet family) makes it an indispensable location for research on Southeast Asian During the visit, new lines of research were initiated, Gesneriaceae. An important component of the data collected and results obtained that have important understorey vegetation in tropical forests, the implications for both models of visual attention and visual Gesneriaceae of Thailand are currently poorly known. search. Active collaboration between the universities is A programme of research has been initiated as a ongoing, a manuscript on the findings is to be produced collaborative project between Scottish and Thai botanists and further research will be undertaken. to provide a thorough taxonomic account of the family within five years. Dr Pramote Triboun is the principal Dr Neil Stuart, Institute of Geography, Thai collaborator and, once complete, his work will University of Edinburgh provide an important contribution to the overall revision of the Gesneriaceae for the Flora of Thailand. Visited: Keizo Nonomura, Rural Development Bureau, Dr Triboun worked on the genera Paraboea and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan Trisepalum in Thailand when in Edinburgh. Over 400 RSE / Scottish Government International Exchange specimens were examined for morphological characters, species were delimited and preliminary descriptions Dr Stuart used his visit to refine a technique for producing prepared. He has continued his work on these genera computer mapping of less favourable areas for agriculture. back in Thailand and his current assessment is that there Originally created for use in Scotland, he discussed how are about 40 species of Paraboea and twelve species similar methods could be developed for use in Japan. of Trisepalum in the country, including six new species His hosts considered the visit to be particularly timely. of each genus. He is presenting his work at an Both the Japanese and Scottish governments recognise international conference in Copenhagen in August 2008. the need to identify remoter and less productive areas as a first stage in developing policies to support agriculture Discussions were also held with Dr Michael Möller of in disadvantaged areas. During the visit, Dr Stuart hosted RBGE. Dr Möller conducts research on the evolutionary a seminar and had meetings with senior staff in the relationships within Gesneriaceae and Dr Triboun will Ministry, also giving presentations to Japan’s National provide materials from his fieldwork in Thailand for Agriculture and Food Research Organisation and to these investigations. academics at the University of Tsukaba.

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Case Studies

Dr Sabrina Malpede, Dr Andrew Almond, Chief Executive of Conformetrix Co-founder and Director of SMAR-Azure Ltd RSE / BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship (2007–2008) RSE/ SE Enterprise Fellowship (2003–2004) Expediting drug discovery by determining Sabrina Malpede is co-founder and managing the 3-D structure of small key molecules director of SMAR-Azure Ltd, an Edinburgh-based The cost of producing new drugs and the number that company that develops and provides software are being brought to market are going in the wrong technology and consultancy services for optimal direction for the pharmaceutical industry and thus, design solutions to leading sail, sailcloth and mast ultimately, the patient. New research and development makers and yacht designers. tools are needed to reverse this trend, in order to speed As a result of the integrated aerodynamic, structural development times, improve success rates and reduce costs. and aeroelastic analysis methods, one of its commercially Accurate computational drug design is currently one available products allows simulation of the behaviour of the ‘holy grail’ approaches that could achieve this. of sails in realistic working conditions, aiding in their However, one of the major barriers to using computers optimisation. in drug design is a lack of reliable 3-D shape information for the small molecules that are typically the basis of SMAR-Azure, was set up in October 2004, when drugs, leading to computational drug modelling Sabrina completed an RSE/SE Enterprise Fellowship exercises that are frustratingly described by the maxim, and was awarded a SMART:Scotland Award. ‘garbage in, garbage out.’ SMAR-Azure has four full-time and three part-time To address this important need, Conformetrix has employees. The Company has captured the interest of developed a novel platform technology that can rapidly the main sail designers worldwide, with £150,000 sales and accurately determine the 3-D shape of small molecules in 2007–2008, predicted to double in 2008–2009. in solution from experimental data. In contrast to existing SMAR-Azure’s sails are already winning competitions technologies, the high accuracy of its proprietary solution and Sabrina recently received a 2nd place award at the uniquely facilitates a wide range of medicinal chemistry prestigious ‘Premio Italiano per la Vela’ organised by approaches across the drug discovery pipeline, such as the Italian Naval Academy. providing rational relationships between chemistry and Sabrina believes that the RSE Enterprise Fellowship activity during the design phase. Ultimately, Conformetrix provided a unique opportunity to put her entrepreneurial intends to be the leading supplier of this small molecule plan into action. Firstly, it enabled her to devote twelve 3-D structure information to the pharmaceutical sector months full-time to the business (evaluating the marketing and aims to licence its platform technology to major opportunity and developing a viable business plan). pharmaceutical clients. Secondly, during that year she received critical advice The Enterprise Fellowship is providing the Chief Executive and support from knowledgeable professionals, such as of Conformetrix, Dr Andrew Almond, with the skills lawyers, accountants and private investors, who were able and support to develop an investor-ready business plan to help with a broad spectrum of issues. Some of these and its team the time to perfect their research and contacts have proved to be extremely important during development efforts and work towards an automated the following years, offering vital expertise in areas solution that can provide the short turn-around times where young companies tend to be wanting, such as demanded by industry. intellectual-property protection, business-planning and building strategic alliances.

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Case Studies

Professor Kevin Hammond, increased international exposure of his work. His Scottish The University of St Andrews Executive Support Fellowship in 2006 – 2007 contributed RSE / Scottish Government Personal Research significantly to his research on ‘Hume’, and allowed him Fellowship 1992–1995 to obtain substantial follow-on research funding from the EPSRC and industrial sources, and also undoubtedly International Exchange Programme – Open outgoing contributed to the award of a Professorship in Computer award to Rice University, Texas November 2004 Science at St Andrews in August 2008. Scottish Government Support Research Fellowship Finally, on a personal note, an unexpected, but very 2006–2007 positive outcome of Professor Hammond’s research Embedded systems are the commonplace and often fellowship was to meet his now-wife, Vicki Hammond, invisible, computer-based systems which surround who holds the post of Journals and Archives Officer us in everyday life: MP3 players, digital set-top boxes, at the RSE. airbag/ABS controllers, Chip-and-Pin credit cards etc. Even coffee grinders are going digital. In fact around 50% of the total R+D spend on computers today is Professor Stuart Macgregor, Heriot-Watt University on embedded systems, and this percentage is rising. RSE / Scottish Government Support Research Dependability in such devices is often critical: while it Fellowship 2006–2007 might be annoying to regularly reboot a malfunctioning Modelling Transition Metal Reactivity laptop computer, or digital TV, the safety implications are unthinkable in the case of an Airbus A380, motor Transition metals are at the heart of many chemical vehicle, or similar device. processes. In the chemical industry,they act as catalysts in the production of pharmaceuticals and bulk chemicals, A major problem with embedded systems is that the while in nature they lie at the core of many enzymes available system resources (processor, computer memory, that drive vital biochemical reactions. Understanding power) are necessarily restricted due to cost and other transition metal reactivity is therefore the key to the considerations. Professor Hammond’s work aims to rational design of more energy-efficient, cleaner improve dependability, responsiveness and performance industrial processes, while insight into enzyme action by finding mathematically-certifiable limits on the use can unravel the action of disease and suggest means to its of scarce resources, such as response times or power control. This fellowship was targeted at investigating consumption. He uses a new programming language, powerful new techniques for the computational ‘Hume’, which is specifically designed to allow advanced modelling of transition metal reactivity in catalysts and experimentation with resource modelling, while also enzymes. In particular, fellowship funds made it possible introducing new high-level ways of writing embedded to establish a new collaboration with an expert in this software. ‘Hume’ is named after the 18th century Scottish field, Dr Christophe Raynaud of the University of philosopher and skeptic, David Hume, whose thoughts Montpellier II, France. The fellowship year also saw the have inspired Professor Hammond’s research. publication of high profile papers from the recipient’s The three awards Professor Hammond obtained from group and on the back of these, two major grants were the RSE have been invaluable both to this research and to funded. Building on the work of the fellowship year, his career. His SOED research fellowship (now Scottish new projects are being undertaken in the computational Government Personal Research Fellowships) in 1992 – 1995 design of efficient processes for the production of methyl led to the development of new fundamental resource propanoate, an important solvent and feedstock in the models that have been exploited in his current research, plastic industry. In addition, a separate project will and to a permanent academic position at the University of consider how to harness chemically inert, but readily St Andrews. An overseas travel award in 2004 generated available and cheap species such as methane for use as valuable links with researchers in the USA, leading to feedstocks in the chemical industry.

>10 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08 RRSLN ALLEN ROSALIND DR MANOHARAN RAVINDRAN RADE ERSSPRAGG MEARNS ANDREW DR

Case Studies

Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg, The award of an RSE/Scottish Government Personal CEO of Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd Research Fellowship has allowed Dr Allen to further Gannochy Trust Innovation Award of the Royal Society develop the FFS method, as well as applying it to a wide of Edinburgh, 2007 variety of different rare event problems. From the seabed to the hospital bed Based at the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology Ravindran Manoharan, The University of Aberdeen (ECMB) near Oban, Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd is J.M. Lessells Travel Scholarship pioneering the discovery of new bioactive molecules Visited MP Interconsulting, Le Locle, Switerzerland, produced from microbes found in the sea. Aquapharm September – November 2005 secured over £1.25m in equity and grant funding in 2005 Novel excitation system for the study of nonlinear and completed a £4.2m series investment in July 2007. acoustics as a tool for non-destructive testing of The company’s focus is the development of its ground anchorages antimicrobial discovery and development projects and developing novel ingredients for nutrition and health care Ground anchorages are safety critical elements including new anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories. employed in almost all types of civil, structural and The company has also seen continued commercial success, geotechnical applications. Current test methods for ground anchorages involve bulky system and are securing a royalty-bearing license deal in December 2007. destructive in nature while non-destructive test (NDT) Dr Mearns Spragg is using the £50,000 Gannochy award to methods which are portable, require expertise and help with the preclinical development of a novel antibiotic are expensive and time-consuming to setup and test. compound (P-216CM), isolated from a new species of Hence, only small proportions, between 5 and 10% marine micro-organism active against MRSA. A positive of anchorages are actually monitored in service. outcome of tests will allow the company to develop the The purpose of the research initiative was to compound into late preclinical stage. This will enhance investigate a novel concept of high frequency vibration the firm’s ability to either license out the compound to technique as an NDT tool for the integrity assessment pharmaceutical companies or raise more equity financing of ground anchorages. The collaborative work was carried to advance the molecule into human trials and so out with MP Interconsulting and VSL International Ltd, contribute further to Scotland’s knowledge-economy. Switzerland. Based on the valuable findings of this research work, a new test system was conceptualised Dr Rosalind Allen, The University of Edinburgh and developed and extensive testing was carried out on RSE / Scottish Government Personal Research full-scale rock bolt samples at the University of Aberdeen Fellowship 2006 –2009 in order to assess the potential of the system. Rare events in non-equilibrium systems The NDT system can be designed to be highly portable Dr Allen’s research focuses on rare events in whilst being robust and easy to use, requires minimal setup nonequilibrium systems. Rare events happen rapidly, and testing time and is capable of assessing all major aspects yet very infrequently: examples include earthquakes of integrity of a ground anchorage system in a single test and computer system failures. Computer simulations hence, a larger proportion of bolts can tested in practice. are an obvious tool for studying this kind of event, This would ideally increase the safety, efficiency and yet simulating rare events is notoriously difficult. productivity of operations and reduce catastrophic failures. This is because few, if any, events happen in a typical The method can be potentially applied to almost all types simulation run, making it impossible to collect good of ground anchorages and steel reinforcements. Currently statistics from the simulations. In Dr Allen’s previous a patent application is being pursued. A number of major work, she developed a method, known as Forward Flux civil, structural and mining companies have expressed a Sampling (FFS), for the efficient simulation of rare keen interest on the NDT system. The funding provided by events. This method extracts the information on the the RSE was central to the development of the concept and rare events of interest, without the need to simulate realisation of the NDT system. the uninteresting waiting times between events. >11 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08 RFSO ONSPEAKMAN JOHN PROFESSOR GROUP COMPUTER-USERS' OVER-70'S THE OF SOME

Case Studies

Professor John R Speakman, Dr Anna Dickinson, The University of Dundee The University of Aberdeen RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Personal RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Support Research Fellowship 2004 –2007 Research Fellow 2007–2008 A usable and appropriate communication system Experimental induction of uncoupling as a mechanism for older people for reducing free-radical production: an experimental Being in regular, high quality contact with family and test in the mouse. friends is an important contributor to our happiness One of the most enduring ideas about ageing is that it is and wellbeing. Age-related changes may impede ease linked in some way to our expenditure of energy. This idea of communication, especially when correspondents live is encapsulated in many popular idioms such as ‘living fast at a distance from one another. but dying young’ and ‘burning the candle at both ends’, Computers are commonly used by younger people to both of which imply that expending large amounts of stay in touch: they offer huge potential for supporting energy will be detrimental to our lifespan. In the 1950s this older adults as well. We know, however, that many older idea (often called the ‘rate of living’ theory) was given a people are not confident computer users. In this potential mechanism when it was shown that oxidative Fellowship, Dr Dickinson set out to explore the barriers phosphorylation in mitochondria is a potent source of that older people learning to use email and the internet free-radicals that may be implicated directly in the ageing encounter and ways in which these could be removed. process by the damage they cause to macromolecules such as lipids in membranes, proteins and DNA. In an early study she showed that alterations to the appearance of the programme interface can change As our understanding of mitochondrial function has the way in which people interact with page content. increased, however, it has become apparent that radical She followed this by a long-term study exploring ways oxygen species (ROS) generated during oxidative of presenting the functions that people want to use as phosphorylation do not occur in direct proportion to they learn, without overwhelming beginners with energy expenditure as previously thought. Instead more options than they could ever imagine needing. mitochondria actually produce the most ROS when they She has been working closely with a panel of forty are running at their lowest metabolic rates. By making volunteers, aged 70 and over, to explore the experience mitochondria run faster in an ‘uncoupled state’ it would that individuals have when they learn to use email be theoretically possible to reduce the production of and the internet. damaging ROS and thereby retard the ageing process. In 2004 John Speakman and colleagues at the University She is now interested in exploring the ways in which of Aberdeen showed that mice which have more virtual worlds and social networking could be used uncoupled mitochondria have greater energy demands to facilitate informal communication between and live longer – in fact it seems therefore that living fast grandparents and their grandchildren and looking is actually linked to dying late (Aging cell 2004: 3: 87-95). at ways of finding funding to pursue this research. This research fellowship has enabled Professor Speakman The Society allowed her to have a year’s break for to see if it is possible to experimentally uncouple maternity leave in 2007, and to return to work half-time. mitochondria using pharmaceuticals and thereby stifle the rates of oxidative damage to macromolecules. So far it has not proved possible to reduce oxidative stress by dosing with thyroxine (the best prospect for safe uncoupling of mitochondria) at levels that do not generate unwanted effects such as weight loss. The reasons why are uncertain, but probably lie in compensatory mechanisms enabled by the animals in response to the treatment. The next phase of the work is to identify and explore these compensations.

>12 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08 LE PEOPLE OLDER FOR TRAINING EXERCISE DISEASE PARKINSON'S BY AFFECTED ARE THAT BRAIN THE IN PATHWAYS DOPAMINE OF IMAGE AN

Case Studies

Charles Duffy, The University of Strathclyde Eleanor Beth Wilson, The University of Dundee RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Research RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Research Studentship 2004 – 2007 Studentship 2004 – 2007 Neuromuscular adaptations to innovative exercise Remembering the self: Autobiographical memory programmes for improving functional abilities in in an ageing population older people This research into Quality of Life in the Ageing The focus of Charles’ PhD was to improve the Population investigated memory functioning in older understanding about some of the neural mechanisms adults with Parkinson’s disease. Beth Wilson’s aim was underlying the inevitable decline in muscle power to find out whether the damage to the brain that occurs and functional abilities which occur with ageing. in Parkinson’s disease affects the ability to remember The importance of muscle power, which is the product specific events from one’s past (autobiographical of muscle force (strength) and speed of movement, is memories). Older adults often reminisce about their highlighted by its greater association with the ability to autobiographical memories, a process which contributes perform everyday tasks and by its even greater decline to overall wellbeing. Being unable to retrieve these with advancing age than muscle strength. This has led memories can cause distress, particularly where these exercise training for older people to focus more on memories are integral to a person’s life story. improving muscle power through utilising resistance When older adults are asked about how their memory type training methods, which involves lifting weights. works, a common response is that ‘My memory for 20 However, the training weight and the speed at which the years ago is as clear as day, but ask me what I did last week training weight should be lifted to produce optimal gains and I couldn’t tell you.’ Beth’s research shows that this in muscle power still remain elusive. Hence, the research common view is a misconception. She found that older focused on developing an effective exercise resistance adults, particularly those with Parkinson’s disease, find training programme to attenuate or reverse the it more difficult to remember specific autobiographical detrimental effects of ageing on muscle power. memories compared to younger adults. Older adults The award allowed Charles to learn and interpret could remember information about the past, such as techniques that were crucial to investigating the effects ‘I remember enlisting in the army’ or ‘I remember going of ageing on the nervous system and determining to dances’, but were less able to remember the specifics of the most effective cycle resistance training load for particular events. However, her results also show that this optimally improving functional ability in older women. memory retrieval difficulty can be alleviated if the right The project successfully involved 24 older women memory cues are provided. exercising twice weekly for 8 weeks and improving, These findings can be applied to the design of as a result, their muscle function and ability to carry reminiscence-based therapies that are often used with out daily living activities. older adults who have memory retrieval difficulties. With increasing life expectancy and the higher proportion The research will affect the quality of life of older of older people above 65 years in our population, Charles’ adults with Parkinson’s disease by providing accurate research importantly highlights that cycle resistance information about the kinds of memory changes they training twice weekly can crucially assist in prolonging can expect, and the best ways to manage these changes older people’s independence and conserve their quality as the disease progresses. of life. The results from these investigations are being taken forward for further studies investigating the effects of utilising the optimal load during recumbent cycling in frail older people in Scotland.

>13 FINANCIALRE VIEW

The RSE financial position was maintained offset by the fall in support for innovation in 2007–08 with an operating surplus of as phase II of the Enterprise Fellowships £174,000 and net assets increasing by ended. A new area of expenditure that will £55,000. contribute more in future years was the addition of the Scottish Bioinformatics Forum Total incoming resources remained steady at to the work of the RSE from January 2008. £3.5 million on a like for like basis, before Governance costs remained stable at 4.5% legacies received. This was achieved despite of total income. a reduction in public sector income in this year as compared to 2006–07, because of The result for the year of £174,000 included the transfer of the Scottish Science Advisory a net surplus of £66,000 in the restricted Committee activities back to government income fund, which represents the net effect and the conclusion of the second phase of for 2007–08 of the requirement to account Enterprise Fellowships funded by Scottish for income in the year received although the Enterprise. corresponding expenditure arises in a future year. This treatment is required by the As well as the challenge of maintaining Statement of Recommended Practice for income levels in 2007–08, there were several Charities. The income raised for the James developments in the year which will lead Clerk Maxwell statue contributed a surplus to significant increases in income over the of £119,000 to this net result. next few years. The first of these was the successful Spending Review bid to Scottish The net asset position remained stable, Government in which the RSE was awarded despite the fall in investment values funding to support additional and extended resulting in an unrealised loss of £331,000. postdoctoral research fellowships. In the This was partially offset by an actuarial gain period to 2011, this element of the funding of £217,000 on RSE’s pension arrangements is expected to increase to £2 million per with Lothian Pension Fund. annum. In February 2008 the RSE entered In summary, 2007–08 was a year of into a contract with Scottish Enterprise, consolidation, with a satisfactory result with a value of £4.4 million over five years, and some excellent preparatory steps taken to administer phase III of the RSE/SE towards strengthening the financial base to Enterprise Fellowships programme. These enable RSE to respond quickly and flexibly two developments provide an excellent to new opportunities that contribute to foundation on which to build. the public benefit in Scotland. The total costs of £3.328 million were reduced by 2% from the previous year, reflecting increased support of research,

>14 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08

Income and expenditure General Fund Designated funds Restricted income Restricted funds 2008 total 2007 total £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Incoming resources from generated funds 721 89 212 545 1,567 1,387 Incoming resources from charitable activities 168 – 1,506 261 1,935 2,251 Total incoming resources 889 89 1,718 806 3,502 3,638 Cost of generating funds (150) (10) – (61) (221) (207) Charitable activities (796) (61) (1,652) (440) (2,949) (3,024) Governance (130) – – (28) (158) (161) Total resources expended (1,076) (71) (1,652) (529) (3,328) (3,392) Net incoming resources (187) 18 66 277 174 246

Group balance sheet General Fund Designated funds Restricted income Restricted funds 2008 total 2007 total £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Tangible fixed assets 9 2,256 – 1,803 4,068 4,160 Investments 88 1,405 – 4,610 6,103 6,440 RSE Scotland Foundation – loan – 1,844 – (1,844) – – RSE Scotland Foundation – current account (457) – – 457 – – Current assets 101 – – 117 218 178 Deposits 942 – 531 169 1,642 1,200 Cash 202 – 119 33 354 445 Current liabilities (91) – (179) (185) (455) (354) Provisions for liabilities and charges – – (352) – (352) (304) Pension fund asset /(liability) 292 – – – 292 49 General fund 1,086 Designated funds 5,505 Restricted income 119 Restricted funds 5,160 Total net assets 11,870 11,814

The figures above have been extracted from the audited accounts for the period ended 31 March 2008 which carried an unqualified audit report. The full Trustees’ report and audited accounts are obtainable in hard copy from 22–26 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ or on the RSE website www.royalsoced.org.uk.

Independent auditors’ statement Basis of opinion We have carried out the procedures we consider necessary We have examined the summarised financial information to ascertain whether the summarised review is consistent which is prepared for the purpose of inclusion in the Society’s with the annual accounts from which it has been prepared. annual review. Opinion The Council is responsible for the preparation of the financial In our opinion the financial review is consistent with the information. We have agreed to report on its consistency with annual accounts for the year ended 31 March 2008. annual accounts on which we reported on 3 September 2008. HENDERSON LOGGIE, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 2008

>15 ROYALSOCIETYOFEDINBURGH AN NUALRE VIEW 07 I 08

Income by source (£’000)

Promotion of research & innovation Own income 898

Other charitable activities Public sector bodies 321 Voluntary income (donations & grants)

Scottish 1,300 Executive Investment income

Charitable Activities for generating income 590 trusts

86 Companies

Individuals 115 & legacies

Fellows 192

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Resources expended (£’000)

Cost of generating funds 126 Providing advice 142 Supporting research 1,440 Supporting innovation 342 Communicating knowledge 733 Promoting international awareness 255 Sustaining and utilising Fellowship

132 Governance

158

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

>16 Corporate Governance & Management

Council of The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) President: Sir Michael Atiyah OM Vice-President: Baron Patel of Dunkeld Vice-President: Professor Tariq Durrani* OBE Vice-President: Professor Jan McDonald General Secretary Professor Geoffrey Boulton* OBE Treasurer: Mr Edward Cunningham CBE Fellowship Secretary: Professor Andrew Walker

Councillors Sir John Arbuthnott* Professor Sue Black OBE Professor April McMahon Ms Shonaig MacPherson Professor Christopher Whatley

Executive Board General Secretary Professor Geoffrey Boulton*OBE Treasurer: Mr Edward Cunningham CBE Curator: Professor John Howie CBE Research Awards Convener: Professor Peter Holmes OBE International Convener: Professor Sir David Edward* KCMG QC PC Programme Convener: Professor David Ingram OBE Young People’s Programme Convener: Professor Miles Padgett Chief Executive: Dr William Duncan Director of Finance: Kate Ellis

*denotes Office Bearers elected in October 2007

The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy, is Scottish Charity No. SC000470

Inland Revenue Claim Board Reference CR 18102 The Royal Society of Edinburgh was founded in 1783. It is Scotland’s national academy. Its Fellowship includes some of the best intellectual talent in academia, the professions and business. It facilitates public debate, research programmes, educational projects and strategy formulation. Its strength is its diversity and impartiality. The Society’s unique multi-disciplinary approach enables it to draw from and link with a broad spectrum of expertise to advance the understanding of globally-important issues. In fulfilling its Royal Charter for the ‘advancement of learning and useful knowledge’,the RSE is seeking to contribute to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Scotland.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22 – 26 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ T 0131 240 5000 F 0131 240 5024 E [email protected] W www.royalsoced.org.uk

Scottish Charity No. SC000470 ISSN 1742-1810