Government Chief Scientific Advisor tackles global challenges at Cornwall Campus

The event is part of the University of Exeter’s Shaping the Future series of events, supported by the Met Office, to bring business, science and the local community together. The lecture will be video-conferenced to the University’s Streatham Campus in Exeter.

University of Exeter Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Overton said: “We are delighted that Professor John Beddington has agreed to give a Shaping the Future lecture. We look forward to welcoming representatives from the region’s businesses and local community to the Cornwall Campus for what promises to be a really interesting evening.”

Professor John Beddington was appointed Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) on 1 January 2008.

His main research interests are the application of biological and economic analysis to problems of Natural Resource Management including inter alia: fisheries, pest control, wildlife management and the control of disease. He started his academic career at the University of York and spent three years on secondment from York as a Senior Fellow with the International Institute of Environment and Development.

He has been at Imperial College since 1984, where he headed the main departments dealing with environmental science and technology. He was Professor of Applied Population Biology at Imperial until his appointment as GCSA.

He has been adviser to a number of government departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (on Antarctic and South Atlantic matters), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (where he chaired the Science Advisory Council), the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office. He was for six years a member of the Natural Environment Research Council. He has acted as a senior adviser to several government and international bodies, including the Australian, New Zealand and US Governments, the European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. In June 1997 he was awarded the Heidelberg Award.

Global Challenges for the 21st Century is on Monday 26 April, 6.15pm at the Cornwall Campus, Penryn. This is a free event, but places must be reserved. To register: 01326 371805 / l.c.holland@exeter.ac.uk. To register for the video link at the Streatham Campus, Exeter: 01392 725769 / events@exeter.ac.uk