news THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH ISSUE 27 SPRING 2010 RESOURCE THE NEWSLETTER OF SCOTLAND’ S NATIONAL ACADEMY RSE LAUNCHES BUSINESS INNOVATION FORUM The RSE launched its recently established Business Innovation Forum with a Reception in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament on 28 January 2010. The invitation list, numbering around 100, included leading figures from business, academia and the public sector, as well as members of the Forum itself. RSE President, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG, is pictured at the event with John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. The Forum has been created with the objectives of identifying and stimulating processes that will increase business innovation investment and suggesting how appropriate strategies should be developed in Scotland. Further information about the forum and more photographs from the evening appear on the back page. International Links Education Outreach Climate Change Debate Election 2010 On 1 March 2010 the Society announced Once admitted to the RSE the election of 48 new UK and international Fellows are encouraged to HONORARY Fellows to its 1500-strong Fellowship of contribute to the aims experts in the sciences, arts, humanities, and objectives of the Society, FELLOWS the professions, industry and commerce. including the provision of The new Fellows were elected after a expert policy advice to HONORARY FELLOWS SHALL BE rigorous four-stage selection process Government and Parliament, MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HOUSE, culminating in a ballot of the entire outreach education OR PERSONS EMINENTLY Fellowship. Each new Fellow of the RSE programmes for young people, DISTINGUISHED IN ANY SUBJECT is recognised within his or her peer group and public engagement WITHIN THE DISCIPLINARY as having achieved excellence within their events including conferences DOMAINS OF THE SOCIETY discipline or profession. and discussion forums. HIRZEBRUCH, Friedrich Ernst Peter Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, the President of Eme ritus Professor of Mathematics, the RSE, commented: Max Planck Institut for Mathematics, Bonn I am delighted to be able to announce the MACGREGOR, Neil election of 48 new Fellows of the RSE – Director, British Museum each will I am sure be a credit to the Society and I look forward to welcoming TURNER, Jonathan Adair them at the New Fellows’ Induction Day in [Baron Turner of Ecchinswell]. early May. I hope and expect that our new Chair, Financial Services Authority intake of Fellows will contribute actively to the work that the RSE undertakes in contributing to public policy development, engaging with the public and supporting research and innovation. These are key areas in promoting the core objectives CORRESPONDING of the Society – the advancement of learning and useful knowledge. FELLOWS HONORARY AND CORRESPONDING FELLOWS CORRESPONDING FELLOWS SHALL BE PERSONS WHO HAVE ATTAINED Friedrich Hirzebruch is the pre-eminent German mathematician of his time and was HIGH INTERNATIONAL STANDING instrumental in building up German mathematics after World War ll. He helped to unify mathematics by his own work and that of the conferences and the Institute that he established. IN ANY SUBJECT WITHIN THE DISCIPLINARY DOMAINS OF THE Neil Macgregor has achieved global recognition as the Director of a museum which is SOCIETY AND ARE NOT NORMALLY considered by many to be amongst the best in the world. His skills as a diplomat brought RESIDENT IN THE UK in exhibitions from Sudan, Iran and China and also helped protect and promote collections from cultures and societies less privileged than our own. The Museum is used extensively for educational and scholarly purposes and attracts over five million visitors a year. ARMITAGE, David Richard Lloyd C. Blankfein Professor of History, Lord Turner, is a successful businessman who has had landmark impacts on public policy Harvard University informed by his active commitment to policy-relevant social science. His appointment to the FSA at a time of financial sector crisis underlines the esteem in which he is held. DEATON, Angus Stewart Dwight D Eisenhower Professor of David Armitage has made major first-order contributions to imperial history, to British International Affairs and Professor of history (including England’s relations with Scotland, Ireland and Wales), to the history of Economics and International Affairs, political thought, to American history, to the emerging field of Atlantic history and, most Princeton University. President, American recently, to the history of globalisation. Economic Association Edinburgh-born Angus Deaton, President of the American Economic Association, is one HUDSON, Peter John of the world’s leading developmental economists and a senior adviser to the World Bank. Willaman Chair of Biology, Director of Life Peter Hudson is internationally distinguished for ground-breaking manipulative field Sciences, Pennsylvania State University experiments in parasite ecology, and for applying theory to the dynamic interaction SCOTT, David Maxwell between parasites and their wildlife hosts. His work has important applications in Vice-Chair, Council of Tall Buildings population management and conservation. and Urban Habitat; Americas Building Glasgow-born David Scott is an award-winning structural engineer who has worked Practice Leader – Arup on long-span structures and tall and super-tall towers around the world. STIRLING, William George William Stirling is a Scottish-born and -educated physicist known internationally for Scientific Expert, Technological Research outstanding research and leadership in the application of neutron and x-ray scattering Division, Commissariat à l’Energie techniques to fundamental studies in condensed matter physics. Atomique (CEA), Grenoble 2 CROWE, Victoria Elizabeth OBE MOTTRAM, Jeremy Charles Artist Professor of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, University of Glasgow DIXON, Richard Michael CEO, Vets Now Ltd PATERSON Ian Professor of Organic Chemistry, DOW, Julian Alexander Thomas University of Cambridge Chair of Integrative and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow PELL, Jill Patricia Henry Mechan Professor of Public Health, ELLAM, Robert Mark University of Glasgow Professor of Isotope Geochemistry, University of Glasgow; PELTENBURG, Edgar Director of Research SUERC Emeritus Professor of Archaeology, University of Edinburgh ESLER, Philip Francis Adair Lord Turner of Ecchinswell Professor of Biblical Criticism, PENROSE, George William, University of St Andrews The Rt Hon Lord Penrose Chairman, the Penrose Inquiry FOURMAN, Michael Paul Chair of Computer Systems, RICHARDSON, Louise Mary University of Edinburgh Principal & Vice-Chancellor, University of St Andrews GORDON, Iain Grant Professor of Mathematics, SATSANGI, Jack University of Edinburgh Professor of Gastroenterology, University of Edinburgh HAITES, Neva Elizabeth OBE Professor of Medical Genetics; SHARP, Paul Martin Vice-Principal & Head of College Alan Robertson Chair of Genetics, of Life Science and Medicine, University of Edinburgh. University of Aberdeen SHARPE, Richard Michael HALL, Christopher Senior Scientist and Programme Leader, Professor of Materials, MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Professor Angus Stewart Deaton University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh HARRIES, Jill Diana ST CLAIR, David Malcolm Professor of Ancient History, Professor of Psychiatry, University of St Andrews University of Aberdeen FELLOWS KOČOVSKY, Pavel STRAIN, Kenneth Alexander Sir William Ramsay Professor of Experimental Physics, ANDERSON, James Iain Walker KB Professor of Chemistry, University of Glasgow Former Chairman of BT Scotland University of Glasgow. and Intense Photonics STRUTHERS, Allan David LANE, David Michael Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, BAKER, Andrew Howard Professor of Autonomous Systems University of Dundee Professor of Molecular Medicine, Engineering, Heriot-Watt University; ULPH, David Trege ar University of Glasgow CEO, SeeByte Ltd Professor of Economics, BEDFORD, Timothy John LEACH, David Reginald Francis University of St Andrews Professor of Risk and Decision Analysis, Professor of Molecular Genetics; VAN AALTEN, Daniel (Daan) Marinus Strathclyde University Head of School of Biological Sciences, Ferdinand University of Edinburgh. BETHEL, Archibald Anderson CBE Professor of Biological Chemistry, Chief Executive, Marine Division, LOWE, Janet CBE University of Dundee Babcock International Group plc Member of SFHEFC WATERS, Andrew Paul BULLER, Gerald Stuart MACLEAN, William MBE Professor of Molecular Professor of Physics, Heriot-Watt University; Artist and Developmental Parasitology, Director Helia Photonics Ltd University of Glasgow MILLS, Jonathan Edward Harland CODD, Geoffrey Allan Director and CEO, YEARLEY, Steven Professor of Microbiology, Edinburgh International Festival. Professor of the Sociology University of Dundee of Scientific Knowledge, MONRO, Stuart OBE University of Edinburgh; CORBETT, Patrick William Michael Scientific Director, Our Dynamic Earth; Director of the ESRC Genomics Head, Energy Academy, Edinburgh Consortium for Rural Research Heriot-Watt University Policy and Research Forum 3 RSE Enterprise Awards The three RSE Enterprise Fellowship schemes have been designed to enable individuals to advance the commercialisation of existing research results or technological developments and to create spin-out businesses in which they can play a leading role. Below are featured four Enterprise Fellows who have enjoyed success and recognition, before, during and following the