New head elected to Scottish chemistry network

Professor David Gani, Deputy Principal for External Affairs and Advancement at the University of Strathclyde, has been appointed Executive Chairman of ScotCHEM.

Professor Gani took up the position on 1 March 2010. His role involves attracting more leading researchers to practise in Scotland and increasing the number of postgraduate research students, to maintain a strong skills base in Scotland's chemistry for the future.

Professor Gani said: "I have great pleasure in becoming ScotCHEM's Executive Chairman at an exciting time for chemistry in Scotland, when the country is producing research of a very high quality and has opportunities to raise these standards even higher.

"Scotland is already established as an outstanding performer in chemistry. The academic and industrial partners in ScotCHEM have a vast amount of knowledge and ability which can be drawn upon to build on this. We have many opportunities for chemical sciences in Scotland and can achieve the greatest success by collaborating.

"I aim to reinforce ScotCHEM's role in continuing professional development and the development of primary and applied research. I will also be taking forward plans to develop a single graduate school, open to all postgraduate chemistry researchers in Scotland and build strong links with international partners in academe and industry."

Professor Gani brings a wealth of experience to the post, having held senior academic positions in Chemistry at the universities of Southampton, St Andrews and Birmingham and on research council boards and committees. In his previous post as Director of Research, Innovation and Global Engagement at the Scottish Funding Council, he was an architect of the research pooling structure which shaped ScotCHEM, the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (Supa) and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance (Sulsa).

Professor Lesley Yellowlees, Director of EaStCHEM, said: "EaStCHEM are delighted that Professor David Gani has agreed to become the next head of ScotCHEM and look forward to working with him to maintain a leading position for Chemistry Research in a scientifically-engaged Scotland.

"Professor Gani brings both scientific knowledge and insight as well as a clear understanding of Scottish and UK policy directions and we are confident he can steer us in the next phase of our development."

Sandy Dobbie, chair of Chemical Sciences Scotland, said: “The chemical sciences sector in Scotland already has a strong reputation for being innovative and forward thinking and a key element of our future strategy for this sector is to further strengthen the links between Scotland’s chemical companies and our academic research base.

"Professor Gani was instrumental in the creation of “research pooling” in Scotland, including the creation of ScotCHEM, and his new appointment will add further impetus to our collaboration. I am looking forward very much to working with David to develop this and welcome the boost that his appointment will give to the already thriving academic research community in the Chemical Sciences in Scotland."

Caroline Strain, head of Chemical Sciences at Scottish Enterprise, said “ScotCHEM is an important part of the future of the chemical sciences sector in Scotland.

"The country has a thriving chemical research and university education sector and ScotCHEM continues to foster close collaboration between business and academia.

"Professor Gani is well respected within both communities and I am sure his appointment will help strengthen this relationship and help the chemical sciences sector continue to contribute to the Scottish Government's purpose of sustainable, economic growth.”

Mark Batho, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council added: “We are delighted to see a continuing commitment by the sector to ScotCHEM, which was one of the earliest Research Pools to be established.

"The RAE2008 research quality outcomes demonstrated that Chemistry in Scotland had improved significantly over previous assessments. Given David’s contributions to the original concept of Research Pools, and their formation, he is ideally placed to further develop ScotCHEM itself and its industrial connections with Scottish SMEs and major international companies. Such developments are crucial to Scotland and the UK in securing a globally competitive future.”