SSAC Quarterly Update – March 2025
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 nineteen other members, 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, Chief Social Policy Adviser, Professor Linda Bauld and CSA (Marine), Professor Mark Inall.
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 held online on Tuesday 10 June 2025.
1. SSAC CURRENT WORKSTREAMS
• The Engineering Biology roundtable was held on 4 March. The working group members are considering its findings and the questionnaire responses to inform the main report. A first draft is expected to be completed by mid June.
• The Critical Technology project received responses to the questionnaire. The virtual roundtable will be held on 15 May to discuss issues raised in more depth.
• The Flexible Energy Demand Management project has a virtual roundtable scheduled for 22 May and its discussions and findings will help to shape a potential SSAC project.
2. SSAC FUTURE WORKSTREAMS
• SSAC members have volunteered to be part of a working group to look at a potential project on near-term skills issues in the context of Scotland’s climate change-related ambitions (domestic heating, transport/infrastructure). An initial meeting with relevant SG colleagues will be arranged to take this forward.
• SG colleagues contacted secretariat regarding a potential project on NHS decarbonisation. SSAC members have volunteered to be involved in initial discussions with policy colleagues to identify scope and meeting organisation is underway.
• New members put forward a range of suggestions for future projects which will be considered by the SSAC Chair and CSA Scotland to agree the future workstream.
3. SSAC MEMBERSHIP NEWS
• Eight new members and two associate members were successfully recruited to join the SSAC on 1 March 2025 - Members. For further information, please contact the SSAC Secretariat team at: Scottishscience@gov.scot