Professor Tom Crick MBE
Biography
Professor Tom Crick MBE is the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), having taken up the role in November 2023.
Professor Crick is Professor of Digital Society and Policy at the University of Bristol, bringing extensive interdisciplinary experience across artificial intelligence, data, digital technologies, and public policy domains. His work sits at the research-policy-practice interface, identifying and addressing complex societal and economic challenges with strong digital and data-driven dimensions, particularly in relation to people, communities, culture, heritage, and the creative industries.
He has played a leading role in major science, technology, and computing curriculum reforms in Wales over the past decade, and has held senior academic leadership roles focused on civic mission, public engagement, and place-based impact. Alongside his academic work, Tom has held senior advisory roles with organisations including Nesta, Ofcom, the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, the British Science Association, and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, as well as non-executive roles across the utilities, engineering and manufacturing, and health and social care sectors.
Tom is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Learned Society of Wales, and a Chartered Fellow of both BCS and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). He was appointed MBE in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to computer science.
DCMS Chief Scientific Adviser
The DCMS Chief Scientific Adviser is responsible for:
- ensuring that the department’s policies are supported by the best science and technology advice available
- advising ministers and senior officials on science and technology matters, including responsible AI adoption
- providing professional leadership to the specialists within DCMS
- working with the wider community of Chief Scientific Advisers to address cross-departmental issues
- building a network of scientific expertise and communicating effectively between government, academia and industry.