SSAC Quarterly Update – June 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 on Tuesday 9 September 2025.
1. SSAC CURRENT WORKSTREAMS
- Engineering Biology – a first draft report has been shared within the working group members for comments prior to circulation to wider SSAC for comment and discussion at the next SSAC meeting.
- Critical Technologies – the working group members are producing the first draft which is expected by late July and will be circulated to wider SSAC for comment and sign off by next SSAC meeting.
- Flexible Energy Demand Management – findings from the recent workshop have been circulated which include next steps to define scope of future project.
2. SSAC FUTURE WORKSTREAMS
- Near-term skills – there are already many reports in circulation on this topic and SSAC members are tasked with identifying gaps where a SSAC report could add value.
- NHS decarbonisation – an initial meeting is arranged for late-June with the SSAC working group volunteers and SG policy colleagues to identify a potential project scope.
- Innovation Ecosystems – refinement of scope required for this and a further meeting will be arranged to take forward discussions on this.
- Future project suggestions are under consideration with further advice and feedback sought from SG colleagues.
3. SSAC MEMBERSHIP NEWS
- Current CSA, Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, attended her last SSAC quarterly meeting on 10 June prior to her upcoming retirement. Professor Julie Fitzpatrick received a CBE for services to science in the King’s Birthday Honours on 13 June 2025.
- Professors Qammer Abbasi and Ifor Samuel have been appointed on to the newly established Scottish Technology Council.
For further information, please contact the SSAC Secretariat team at: Scottishscience@gov.scot