Dr Iain Williams named NERC Director of Strategic Partnerships

It was announced that Dr Iain Williams will take up the role of NERC Director of Strategic Partnerships from 2 January 2020.

Iain will join NERC from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) where he has been Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser. 

He brings extensive experience of linking environmental research across wider disciplines and partnerships including defining scientific capability requirements, leading complex research programmes domestically and internationally, and the use of emerging and disruptive technologies.

Previously, Iain has held numerous scientific posts across UK Government including at the Home Office and has worked internationally as the UK’s Home Office Science and Technology Counsellor in the US where he developed and led inter-governmental science and technology collaborations. Iain is also a Fellow of the Centre for Science & Policy, Cambridge. 

Iain’s expertise will ensure NERC is well-placed to meet future challenges, ensure it continues to work in partnership across research organisations and HEIs and provide the infrastructure support needed for a healthy and dynamic environmental science community into the future.

Announcing the appointment, NERC Executive Chair Professor Duncan Wingham said: “Iain’s wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in environmental science and innovation, including working across Government and on complex programmes makes him very well-placed to take on this new role as NERC Director of Strategic Partnerships. Iain’s ability to work with partners will add to NERC’s ability to lead and look to develop environmental solutions as well as ensure our core role of supporting our environmental science community remains robust.  I look forward to Iain joining NERC as part of our team.” 

Dr Iain Williams said: “I am honoured to be taking up the position of NERC Director of Strategic Partnerships.  Environmental science is central to all our lives and has a critical role to play in solving many of the most important national and global challenges we face.  I look forward to joining NERC in this exciting role to help to grow NERC’s capability to meet these challenges.  I want to build on the great depth of skill, knowledge and creativity at NERC and shape this new role to  continue to deliver world class research, innovation and infrastructure for the future.”