SSAC Quarterly Update – March 2024
The SSAC provides independent advice, through its Chair, to the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Scotland, to inform policy development and delivery across all areas of the Scottish Government’s (SG) work. It typically develops advice on a medium to long term basis, advising on developments in science and technology and their implications for policy and identifying potential future opportunities and threats.
Chaired by Professor Julian Jones from 1 December 2023, the SSAC has 12 other members, including a co-opted member and in addition to the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers, all of whom are ex-officio members: Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Scotland Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Scientist (Health) Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, CSA Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Professor Mat Williams and Chief Social Policy Adviser Professor Linda Bauld.
The SSAC issues a short report following each quarterly meeting to provide an update on its latest work streams and areas of interest. The next SSAC meeting will be in person on 6 June 2024 in Edinburgh.
1. SSAC CURRENT WORKSTREAMS
The Space Sector project held its roundtable in February 2024 and the draft report is expected to be circulated to wider SSAC for sign off mid-April for publication later in May 2024.
An in-person roundtable is due to be held on 17 April 2024 for an in depth discussion on the Scottish Government’s draft Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP).
2. SSAC FUTURE WORKSTREAMS
A summary record of all climate change recommendations should be produced from past reports to assist with future projects – this is to be updated to include relevant climate change recommendations from the recently published Food and Adaptation reports.
The work on SSAC’s use of social media platforms is an on-going action and has now been reallocated to another SSAC member to take forward.
Discussions continued on other potential projects to take forward, including Offshore Wind and Engineering Biology.
SG officials have requested another project to follow the completion of the Space report to look at critical technologies and the scoping agreement is being developed.
3. SSAC MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Professor Bruce Whitelaw announced that regrettably he had to tender his resignation to the SSAC.
For further information, please contact the SSAC Secretariat team at: Scottishscience@gov.scot