Professor takes up leading advisory role

Professor Tait is one of five new appointments to the government’s top-level advisory body on science, technology, engineering and social sciences.

Professor Tait is the Director of the Innogen Institute, a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and the Open University.

The Institute explores the social and economic impact of innovation in the life sciences.

Advising on policy issues

The Council for Science and Technology advises the Prime Minister on policy issues that cut across the responsibilities of individual UK government departments.  

This appointment promises to be influential, particularly at a time when the [UK] Government is refining its industrial strategy in the context of the Brexit decision. My application emphasised the work done with Innogen Institute colleagues at the OU and Edinburgh Universities on regulatory adaptation to meet the needs of advanced innovative technologies, particularly in life sciences.

Professor Joyce Tait

Professor Tait has an interdisciplinary background, covering both natural and social sciences.

She specialises in innovation-governance-stakeholder interactions in the life sciences and related areas.

She was awarded a CBE for services to the social sciences in 2005 and an honorary doctorate of the Open University in 2009.

She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The five new members of the Council for Science and Technology bring with them a breadth of experience and expertise which will enable the Council to continue to provide excellent advice to government on science and technology opportunities and challenges. This will help ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global science."

Mark Walport

Innogen Institute