Two academics from the University of Plymouth have been selected to join a new initiative designed to enhance the expertise available to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Dr Sian Rees and Professor Tom Hutchinson have been appointed to the new NERC Advisory Network, which will help provide strategic or policy advice on nationally and globally important environmental issues.
Made up of 60 members covering academia, business, the policy community and the third sector, the network will provide a retained, agile and flexible pool of expertise.
It will also enable NERC to promote links with industry and other stakeholders to tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century.
Dr Rees, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, has more than 15 years’ experience of researching the social and economic aspects of marine conservation, marine management and policy.
She has successfully led and delivered research projects for the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, the European Union and Defra, and is currently involved in the NERC-funded One Ocean Hub and South West Partnership for Environment and Economic Prosperity. She said:
