Chair, Science Advisory Council and Commissioner
Professor Louise Heathwaite CBE
Biography
Louise is Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise at Lancaster University. She is a hydrologist and hydrochemist by training. She was awarded a CBE in 2018 for services to scientific research and scientific advice to government and in May 2023 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Her expertise is in land use optimisation to reduce environmental impact. Her research has:
- contributed to our understanding of how freshwater biodiversity responds to environmental pollution
- informed policy-interventions on land use and management designed to improve surface water quality
Louise is also Chair at the Science Advisory Council (SAC) where she is responsible for:
- providing expert independent advice to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)’s Chief Scientific Adviser
- helping to guide Defra’s scientific priorities and planning
Chair, Science Advisory Council
The Science Advisory Council (SAC)’s chair is responsible for:
- providing expert independent advice to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)’s Chief Scientific Adviser
- helping to guide Defra’s scientific priorities and planning