ANNUAL REVIEW APRIL 2004 – MARCH 2005

8/6/2019 ANNUAL REVIEW APRIL 2004 MARCH 2005

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RSEP R O V I D I N G P U B L I C B E N E F I T

A N N U A L R E V I E W A P R I L 2 0 0 4 M A R C H 2 0 0 5

T H E R O Y A L S O C I E T Y O F E D I N B U R G H


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In fulfilling our Royal Charter for the Advancement

of Learning and Useful Knowledge, the RSE has

focused its energies and resources on providing a wide

range of public benefit activities throughout Scotland

and beyond. We have had another very successful

year and have continued to grow on several fronts,

through harnessing the willingness, experience and

expertise of our multidisciplinary Fellowship, perhaps

most notably in our developing International

Programme led by Professor Rona MacKie. By forgingstrategic links with National Academies, we have

entered into agreements with our counterparts in

China (both mainland and Taiwan), Denmark, Norway,

Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. These

links will strengthen our science base and enhance

Scotlands reputation as a leading country for research

excellence. Recognising the importance of partnership,

we have been working with others, such as the British

Council (Scotland) and Scottish Development

International on key projects like Science Scotland.

This publication showcases to the rest of the world the

many centres of excellence active in Scotland today.By working together, we can achieve more, so that

public and private funds are spent wisely.

The RSE continues to do its utmost to support

Scotlands research base and support the

commercialisation of research and innovation.

Our highly competitive Research Fellowships and

Enterprise Awards schemes have continued to support

some of the brightest home-grown talent, as well as

attracting top academics to develop their ideas here

in Scotland. Running these various schemes is a

significant responsibility and they have flourished

under the guidance of Professor David Saxon and DrIan Sword. It is pleasing that BBSRC was sufficiently

impressed with our Enterprise Fellowship schemes

funded by Scottish Enterprise and PPARC, that it

decided to create new Fellowships run through the

RSE. I am delighted that an independent Review of

our Research Awards programme has been chaired by

Sir John Enderby. This has confirmed the high quality

and usefulness to Scotland of our schemes, and made

helpful suggestions on how they can continue to

attract and retain the best. The welcome decision

by Government to recognise the need for University

research to be funded on a sustainable basis, covering

full economic costs, will, however, have major

implications for the funding of RSE Research Awards.

It is essential that the Government funded schemes

managed and delivered so successfully by the RSE,

continue to hold their place alongside those available

in Scotland from UK national academies and Research

Councils, which will be funded on a full economic

costs basis.

Another notable development was a major stream-

lining of the way the Society is governed and managed

to bring us in line with recognised best practice

and to provide a sound basis for continued growth.The changes are described in more detail at the end

of this Report, and allow the RSEs elected Council to

concentrate on governance and strategy policy, whilst

allowing delegation of operational delivery to the senior

staff and those Office-Bearers with specific functional

responsibilities. An Audit and Risk Committee

(operating on a joint basis with our connected

charitable Trust, the RSE Scotland Foundation)

has also been created to advise the Society and

Foundation Trustees on their financial and risk

management obligations.

Of course, it is not only suitable structures, but ableand dedicated people that make organisations

succeed. In that regard, I should wish to pay particular

tribute to Sir Laurence Hunter who served as Treasurer

for 5 years until October 2004; also to Professor

Andrew Miller as General Secretary, and Professor

Colin Bird as Fellowship Secretary, who demit office

at the Annual Statutory Meeting in 2005, both having

served the RSE most ably.

The format of this Review of the Societys activities from

April 2004 to March 2005, illustrates ways the Society

is providing public benefit, through the six core activities

defined by our Corporate Plan. This document offersonly a flavour of the range and high quality of activity

undertaken by the RSE in the past year. Full details are

available on our website and in the formal Trustees

Report & Accounts, available upon request.

Finally, I am delighted that Sir Michael Atiyah, a former

President of our sister Royal Society in London, has

been elected to succeed me. He has a wealth of

experience to offer and will be an outstanding leader,

as the Society further expands its international activities

and develops its range of public-benefit activities

in Scotland.

Lord Sutherland of Houndwood

KT, FBA, PRSE

Introduction fromthe President

t h e r o ya l s o c i e t y o f e d i n b u r g h


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providing public benefit through

Independent inquiry

into Scotlands Energy

Instigated by the Council of the RSE, the

Society set in train a major independent

Inquiry into issues for Scotlands energy

supply. Chaired by Professor Maxwell Irvine,

the Committees remit is to review the issues

for Scotlands energy supply and demand

between the present and the year 2050;

review the options for providing forScotlands energy supply and demand

and provide an evidential base for energy

policy in Scotland within the framework

of strategies for transport, industrial,

commercial and domestic needs. This

broadly-based independent Inquiry began

taking evidence from a broad range of

individuals and organisations nationally

and overseas. The RSE expects to publish

the Inquiry report by Summer 2006.

Evidence Advice & Comment

The expertise of the RSEs multidisciplinary

Fellowship was harnessed to provide 27authoritative responses to a wide range ofpublic consultations, including: The RSEsfirst Position Paper: Climate Change and

the Management of Scotlands NaturalHeritage; The Committee on Radioactive

Waste Management consultation onLong-term radioactive waste management;

The Scottish Executive Enterprise andLifelong Learning Departments consultationon the Merger of the Scottish FurtherEducation Funding Council and the ScottishHigher Education Funding Council; TheHouse of Lords Constitutional Reform Bill

and The Medical Research Councils Codeof Practice for the Use of Human Stem

Cell Lines.

Young People Discuss

Scotlands Energy Crisis

In June 2004 senior school students fromthroughout Dumfries and Galloway gatheredat University of Glasgow, Crichton Campus,Dumfries to debate the economics, ethicsand environmental considerations ofScotlands energy policy in an RSEdiscussion forum entitled The Energy Crisis:what are the alternatives? Experts fromdifferent sectors of the energy industry,including traditional fuels, renewable energy

and energy efficiency, introduced the issuesand sparked some thoughtful discussionson Scotlands future energy needs. Fossilfuels are running out and have seriousenvironmental consequences. Our currentheating and transport fuel consumption is

making the situation worse. Therefore theScottish Executive has stated that by 202040% of Scotlands electricity should comefrom renewable resources. The studentsproposals have been compiled in a report,which was sent to decision-making bodies,including the Scottish Parliament, so thatthe views of the young people can be heard.

Scottish Parliament Science

Information SchemeThe RSEs successful pilot Scottish

Parliament Science Information Scheme,

became a fully endorsed activity of the RSE

during this period. The Scheme had been

set up by the RSE, the Royal Society of

Chemistry, and the Scottish Parliament

Information Centre (SPICe) to help inform

Parliamentary debates involving scientific

issues; raise the profile of science in the

Parliament and help ensure MSPs are

provided with information by appropriately

knowledgeable experts. Over the course

of the pilot, MSPs raised inquiries on topicsincluding: Broadband coverage in Scotland;

Renewable Energy; Biomass fuels; Smoking

in public places; Alternative feed for farmed

salmon; Mobile phone radiation, & wind

turbines.

THE RSES INDEPENDENT INQUIRIES IN THE

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT: PROFESSOR MAXWELL

IRVINE & BBCS LOUISE BATCHELOR

THE SOCIETYS 1400 PEER-ELECTED

FELLOWS ENABLE THE RSE TO PROVIDE

INDEPENDENT, AUTHORITATIVE RESPONSES

TO KEY DECISION-MAKERS

A NON-PARTY-POLITICAL, IMPARTIAL BODY,

THE RSE SUPPORTS PARLIAMENTARY

PROCESS

authoritative, independent adviceand making recommendationsto policy decision-takers


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scottishscienceadvisorycommittee

THE RSE SUPPORTS LEADING

RESEARCHERS WORKING IN SCOTLAND

THE SCOTTISH SCIENCE ADVISORY

COMMITTEE IS HELPING IDENTIFY SCIENCE

PRIORITIES IN SCOTLAND

TEACHING FELLOW MS KAREN McNISH

AND THEN DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER JIM

WALLACE MSP

supporting and enhancing excellencein the Scottish research base

Research & Enterprise Awards

Each year, more than 1.7million is made

available to exceptionally talented

academics and potential entrepreneurs

through the Society. These awards enable

some of the brightest researchers from

home and around the world to develop

their ideas here in Scotland. The following

were awarded during 2004 2005: 1 BP

Personal Research Fellowship, 3 Scottish

Executive Personal Research Fellowships,

3 Scottish Executive Support Fellowships,

2 Lloyds TSB Personal Research

Fellowships, 2 Lloyds TSB Research

Studentships, 2 Wellcome Research

Workshops, 2 Cormack Undergraduate

prizes, 1 postgraduate prize and 6 vacation

research scholarships, 6 Lessells Travel

Scholarships & 3 Scottish Executive

Science Fellowships for Teachers.

Teaching Fellowships

Funding from the Scottish Executive

Transport, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning

Department (SETELLD) enables the Society

to award Science Fellowships for Teachers.

These awards make it possible for teachers,based in Scottish schools, to take time out

of the classroom to update and refresh their

knowledge and develop new connections

likely to be of benefit to schools. This

enables the teachers to bring an added

dimension to the course work they teach

in the hope of stimulating their pupils in

their chosen subject. It is also hoped that

the new material produced through this

Fellowship scheme will be of broad benefit

within the Scottish education system. At a

Science in the Parliament event held on 10

November, the three 2004 Teaching Fellows

received their awards from Jim Wallace

MSP, then Deputy First Minister.

New Appointments for SSAC

The Scottish Science Advisory Committee

(SSAC) is an entirely independent body,

chaired by Professor Wilson Sibbett, and

was set up in 2002 to provide strategic

advice on scientific issues to the Scottish

Executive. The RSE Council appoints the

members of SSAC, but does not control

the advice given by the SSAC. Having

completed its first phase, and with a more

focused remit from the Scottish Executive,

eleven new replacement members were

appointed in June 2004, following an open,

highly-competitive process which attracted

over 70 applicants, including several fromoverseas. The new appointees are:

Professor Steven Beaumont; Professor

Geoffrey Boulton; Professor Muffy Calder;

Professor Sir Kenneth Calman; Professor

John Coggins; Professor Julie Fitzpatrick;

Professor Peter Grant; Dr Stuart Monro;

Professor Peter Morgan; Professor Richard

Morris; Dr John Nicholls; Professor Stuart

Reid; Professor Jonathan Seckl; Dr Barbara

Spruce; Professor Joyce Tait; Professor

Chris van der Kuyl; Eur Ing Graham Wren.

In this period, the SSAC produced key

reports on: Investing in Scientific Talent,

November 2004; Knowledge Transfer:

Science to Scottish Businesses, November

2004. These can be found on its website:

www.scottishscience.org.uk

Strategic advice will

strengthen our science

base and enhance

Scotlands reputation

as a leading country

for research excellence


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Innovation & Enterprise

Innovative research in such areas as

healthcare, the ageing population,

communications, and the environment

is being supported through the RSE,

in partnership with key funders in the

public and private sectors. In the period

2004-2005, the Society awarded 14

Enterprise Fellowships, 12 funded by

Scottish Enterprise and 2 by PPARC.

The aim of these highly competitive schemes

is to increase the commercialisation of the

Scottish academic research base, raise

understanding of commercialisation

throughout Scottish universities and

research institutes, and to create sustainable

companies with high-value jobs. Enterprise

Fellows receive a years salary, business

training, support funds and access to

business advisers and mentors to assist

them form their spin-out companies.

Following the success of the Fellowships

funded by Scottish Enterprise and PPARC

and managed by the RSE, the BBSRCis also now working with the RSE to support

the commercialisation of research and

innovation.

Encouraging & RewardingInnovation in Scotland

Scotlands top award for innovation,

The Gannochy Trust Innovation Award

of The Royal Society of Edinburgh was

presented to Professor Ian Underwood, for

the contribution he has made throughout

his career to the development in Scotland

ofhighly innovative optoelectronic display

devices. Professor Underwood has created

a world record-breaking technology an

ultra-miniature television-quality display builton a silicon chip. The coveted title, which

also carries a cheque for fifty thousand

pounds and a specially-commissioned gold

medal, was bestowed upon Professor

Underwood by RSE President Lord

Sutherland of Houndwood, at an awards

ceremony held at The Royal Museum of

Scotland on 1 October 2004. Following an

open competition run by The Royal Society

of Edinburgh, Professor Underwood was

selected by a distinguished judging panel,

Chaired by Lord Ross, and including:

Sir Bruce Pattullo, Professor Andy Walker,

Dr Ian Sword and Dr Russell Leather.

Professor Underwood gave an update

on his work at a lecture given at the Society

on March 7 2005. The Panel also selected

the 2005 winner, Mr John Harrison of the

Surfactant Technologies Group whose

innovation, MicroEmulsions Technology,

has the potential to make a significant

environmental and economic contribution

in Scotland through its industrial cleaning

applications.

RSE Entrepreneurs Club

Past and present Enterprise Fellows,

commercialising their research with support

from the Society and key funding partners,

Scottish Enterprise, PPARC and BBSRC,

met at the RSE in January to share

their experiences at the inaugural meeting.

RSE Fellows with knowledge of spin-out

companies act as guest speakers at these

events and as mentors to Enterprise Fellows.

PROFESSOR IAN UNDERWOOD 2004 WINNER

OF THE GANNOCHY TRUST INNOVATION

AWARD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF

EDINBURGH

THE SOCIETY CONTINUES TO DO

ITS UTMOST TO SUPPORT THE

COMMERCIALISATION OF RESEARCH

AND INNOVATION

MED'S ULTRA-MINIATURE DISPLAY DEVICE,

PIONEERED BY PROFESSOR IAN

UNDERWOOD & COLLEAGUES

supporting the commercialisationof research and innovation

By working together,

we can achieve more

so that public and

private funds are

spent wisely.


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THE RSE IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FORUM

WHERE THE PUBLIC AND SPECIALISTS

DISCUSS ISSUES OF ENDURING IMPORTANCE

THE SOCIETYS HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES SEEK TO

INSPIRE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND STIMULATE

THEIR INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

communicating knowledgeand understanding

Forums for Knowledge

A neutral forum providing events forthe public and the specialist, the Societydelivered 20 Lectures, 4 Discussion Forums,6 Conferences, 1 Workshop, and 3 AwardCeremonies. These included: The BrucePreller Prize Lecture, The Threat of Terrorism The Place of Science by Sir Keith ONions,

The Coming Century Ten Trends to Back,by Frances Cairncross, Fire and Structures

Implications of the World Trade CenterDisaster, and the CRF Prize Lecture, entitledPre-mRNA Splicing: the Tie that Binds byProfessor Joan Steitz, Yale University. Threemeetings a joint lecture with the ScottishCrop Research Institute, the CRF Prize

Lecture, and a joint conference with theRoyal Swedish Academy of Sciences were

held outwith Edinburgh. The four DiscussionForums, on Fingerprint Identification, SecularEurope and Religious Turbulence, HIV and

AIDS in Scotland and Neurosurgery forMental Disorder met with an encouragingresponse, audiences being over target inmost cases. Several full reports have beenpublished and are available in hard copyfrom the Society, or on the RSE website.

Bridging the gap between

Engineering & The Creative ArtsIn an event organised in association withThe Royal Academy of Engineering, entitled

Engineering and the Creative Arts A New

Frontier?, Dr Robert Hawley, Chairman,

Taylor Woodrow plc, explored whether

there is there a Two Cultures gap between

engineering and the creative arts and ifengineers understand the contribution they

make to the arts and do those in the arts

understand the contribution made by

engineering. He said the so-called creative

industries are the critical battlegrounds for

the wealth-creating society, that Engineering

has a key role to play and there is much

to be gained from strengthening the

communication bridge between the two

disciplines. Considering the relationship

between engineering and some areas of

the arts, Dr Hawley expressed the hope that

his lecture might start off a process leading

to a greater mutual understanding betweenthe two disciplines.

The Health and Psyche

of the Scottish Nation

The Health and Psyche of the ScottishNation was the topic considered at theSociety in association with the EdinburghLectures Partnership. The Society hostedProfessor Roland Jung, Chief Scientist,

Scottish Executive and Dr James Robson,National Team Medical Co-ordinator,Scottish Rugby Union on 21 January 2005.

Sport and exercise play an ever-increasingrole in the health of both the individual andthe population at large, whether activelyparticipating or simply observing theachievements of others. So, how has

obesity become the most importantnutritional problem of the new millennium?What impact does obesity have on health?How can we prevent this rising tide ofobesity which if not countered could reverse

the increased longevity achieved in the lastthree decades by improvements in health?

HIV and AIDS in Scotland:Beyond the 1980s

Dr Gordon Scott, Department ofGenito-Urinary Medicine, Royal Infirmary,Edinburgh and Mr Neil Gerrard MP, Chair,

All Parliamentary Group on AIDS werethe keynote speakers at the SocietysDiscussion Forum on 8 December 2004.Having once been dubbed the AIDS Capitalof Europe much has been achieved interms of infection control and patient carein Edinburgh, and Scotland generally.However, we are inevitably seeing theinternational dimensions of this epidemicand the knock on effects that this is havingon many countries as well as our own.

The meeting considered the future of thisepidemic and what can be done to control it.

Inspiring Young People

The Society's programme of educational

activities for Young People has expanded

the scale of its activities. Thirteen Talk

Science schools talks were given in this

period and Maths Masterclasses organised

by the RSE at Aberdeen City Council, The

University of Dundee, Kelvinside Academy,

and Queensferry Primary School. The week-long non-residential Summer School at

Heriot-Watt University gave S5 and S6

students from the City of Edinburgh, East

Lothian and Midlothian a taste of university

life and of the courses and careers they

might want to take up in the future.

The RSE Young Peoples Programme visited

Arbroath on 26 28 October for an RSE

Roadshow. Professor Sue Black gave a talk

to S2 students at Arbroath Academy entitled

Who am I? Professor Ian Wilmut delivered

the Societys 2004 Christmas lecture in

Pitlochry Festival Theatre to an audienceover 250 local Standard Grade students.

Entitled, Why Clone? Cloning in Biology and

Medicine, the schools talk was followed by

an illustrated public lecture in the evening.


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PROFESSOR RONA MACKIE & PROFESSOR

JAN PALOUS, SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING

SCIENCE SCOTLAND SEEKS TO SHOWCASE

TO AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE, CENTRES

OF EXCELLENCE IN SCOTLAND

promoting the international awarenessof Scottish research and innovation

International ExchangeProgrammes

The RSE's expanding International Exchange

Programmes enable top Scottish-based

researchers, in any field, to collaborate with

the best of their counterparts anywhere

in the world. They offer researchers from

Scotland the opportunity to travel on a

short visit of up to 4 weeks to further

research collaboration and also for Scottish

researchers to invite foreign colleagues

to visit Scotland. They have been well

subscribed, with a total of 45 exchanges

taking place 8 on the bilateral programmes

run with China, Poland and Taiwan and

37 on the open programme with visitsto/from various countries including Armenia,

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,

Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,

Jordan, Lao PDR, Latvia, The Netherlands,

New Zealand, Nigeria, Russia, Slovakia,

South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and

the USA.

Forging Strategic Links

with Overseas Academies

In this period, much work was put into

laying the foundations for Memoranda

of Understanding between the RSE andoverseas academies. The Societys

International Convener, Professor Rona

MacKie visited the Academy in Prague

in December 2004 and met the President

of the Academy, Professor Helena Illernov.

Professor MacKie visited the Institute of

Molecular Genetics where she met itsDirector, Professor Vclav Paces, now

President of the Academy. This visit led to

the joint signing of an agreement at the RSE

in May 2005 by Professor Jan Palous,

President of the Council for International

Affairs, Academy of Sciences of the Czech

Republic and Professor MacKie.

Brain Science

The Scottish Executive organised a season

of trade mission events in the Netherlands

in autumn 2004, promoting Scotland.

The RSE was invited to organise a one-day,scientific meeting similar to the event held

during the Scotland in Sweden season in

2002. An event on Brain Science was

organised jointly by the RSE and the Royal

Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences

and was held at the Academys 17th-century

headquarters in the centre of Amsterdam

on 1 October 2004. This top-level scientific

meeting brought together experts from

Scotland and the Netherlands to stimulate

discussion and identify possible research

collaboration in the future. The preceding

evening, Professor Richard Morris gave a

well attended public lecture on how BrainScience could transform our lives in the

21st Century.

Visit by the National NaturalScience Foundation of China

As part of a European tour, a delegation from

the National Natural Science Foundation

of China, led by Professor Zhu Zuoyan,

Vice-President, visited the RSE in September

2004 to meet Professor Stephen Blackmore

and RSE staff. While in Scotland,the group also visited the universities of

Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The NNSFC

is keen to develop more extensive links

with Scotland. Chinas science base is

developing fast both in scale and quality,

and 2005 has also been designated the

Year of UK Science in China. In this context,

opportunities for Sino-Scottish scientific

collaboration would seem to be opening up

at a rapid rate. The Society has responded

by setting up the RSE China Forum, chaired

by Professor Stephen Blackmore, which

met for the first time in January 2005.

RSE European Policy Forum

A small discussion dinner was held on the

eve of a conference, Scotlands Role in

the Enlarged Europe to allow conference

speakers and other invited guests to discuss

how the RSE may take forward the idea of

a European Policy Forum. This body was

created in Autumn 2004 and is chaired

by Sir David Edward.

Science Scotland

This is a publication which aims to

enhance the reputation of Scottish science

internationally. Three issues, two on

physics and one on Understanding the

Genome, were published in the past year.

The publication is distributed to a wide

international readership of scientists, science

managers, policy makers and government

staff around the world, using the networks

of the FCO science attachs, British Council

science staff, Scottish Development

International field offices and other networks.

The project is being run by the RSE, with

support from the Scottish Executive. As well

as the paper edition, Science Scotlandhas awebsite (www.sciencescotland.org) and

readers may register to receive an ezine. A

CD has been made of the first two issues.


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LORD SUTHERLAND CONGRATULATES

PRESIDENT ELECT SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH

ROYAL MEDALLISTS SIR PHILIP COHEN,

PROFESSOR ROBIN MILNER, SIR NEIL

MacCORMICK (l r)

sustaining and utilising the expertise of itsmultidisciplinary Fellowship, and recognisingoutstanding achievement and excellence

Alan Greenspan joins the ranks

of Honorary Fellows of the RSE

Honorary Fellowship of the Society was

conferred, in person, upon the Chairman

of the Board of Governors of the Federal

Reserve, Dr Alan Greenspan Hon KBE.

He is internationally recognised as a leading

figure in United States' economic policy.

Lord Sutherland admitted Dr Greenspan

to Honorary Fellowship of the Society at

a ceremony in St. Bryce Kirk, Kirkcaldy,

following the Bank of Scotland Adam Smith

Lecture, held under the auspices of Fife

College on February 6 2005. Dr Greenspan

delivered the Adam Smith lecture at the

invitation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,

Gordon Brown, MP.

President-elect

Described as one of the worlds greatest

living mathematicians, Sir Michael Atiyah is

to be the Societys next President. In 2003

he was presented with The Royal Medal byHRH The Duke of Edinburgh, in recognition

of intellectual endeavour which has had a

profound influence on people's lives, world-

wide. In 2004, he was joint recipient of the

Abel Prize, regarded as the Mathematicians'

Nobel Prize, presented by His Majesty King

Harald of Norway.

Sir Michael is only the second person to

have been sometime President of both The

Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Royal

Society in London, the first being Lord Kelvin.

Sir Michael was one of the pioneers in the

development of K-theory. Knighted in 1983,

he received the Order of Merit in 1992, was

Master of Trinity College Cambridge from1990 to 1997 and was President of The

Royal Society of London from 1990 to 1995

where he had been elected to Fellowship at

the notably young age of 32. Sir Michael was

until recently President of Pugwash and is

Chancellor of the University of Leicester.

Royal Medals for

Outstanding Achievement

The achievements of three individuals whose

work has brought about public benefits on

a global scale received Royal recognition

in September 2004. Royal Medals werepresented by Lord Sutherland to: Professor

Sir Philip Cohen for his outstanding

contribution to Life Sciences; to Professor

Sir Neil MacCormick for his outstanding

contribution to academic life in Scotland and

internationally and to Professor Robin Milner

for his outstanding contributions to software

engineering. The Medallists were selected by

the RSE in recognition of intellectualendeavour which has had a profound

influence on peoples lives worldwide.

Breadth of Expertise Increases

Fellows are greatly involved in helping the

Society to deliver public benefit activities in

partnership with its dedicated, professional

staff. The Society currently has 1299 Ordinary

Fellows, 30 Corresponding Fellows and 68

Honorary Fellows. In March 2005 the RSE

announced the election of 55 Ordinary,

7 Corresponding and 4 Honorary Fellows

including: Writer and Broadcaster, DavidAttenborough; Michael Porter, a global-

authority on competitive strategy; John

McCarthy, the Co-founder of Artificial

Intelligence; Michael Berry, one of the worlds

most famous Theoretical Physicists; and

Elizabeth Loftus, internationally renowned

expert on Eyewitness Recall. This election

was carried out by Postal Ballot for the

first time.

Bicentenary Medals

The outstanding service to the Society of

Professor John Beck, Professor John Laverand The Rt Hon Lord Ross was recognised

in Dundee during the Summer of 2004 when

each was awarded the RSEs Bicentenary

Medal. This prestigious award for

distinguished service was presented by

the President, Lord Sutherland during a

reception held at The University of Dundee.

Around 150 RSE Fellows and guests were

present at the Summer Reception held

during the University of Dundees graduation

celebrations. Professor John Beck, Professor

John Laver and Lord Ross have played key

roles in recent years as the RSE has

positioned itself to be of greater benefit

to the wider community in post-devolution

Scotland.


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Corporate Governance & Management

At a well-attended Extraordinary Meeting of Fellows

in September 2004, extensive changes to the

Societys Laws were unanimously approved, to

introduce improved governance and management

structures. These changes followed extensive

consultation with Fellows and deliberation by

Council, and took effect from the Annual Statutory

Meeting (ASM) on 25 October 2004. The main

purpose of the changes is to allow greater clarity

of roles between those responsible for governance

and management, and to allow more delegation to

those responsible for operational delivery. One of the

first consequences is that the Trustee membership

of Council was reduced from 25 to 12, with the 7

Office-Bearers and 5 Ordinary Members elected at

the ASM, as shown below. The Curator, International

Convener, Programme Convener, Research Awards

Convener and Young Peoples Convener continue

with largely unchanged roles, except they will not be

Trustees, and they will be elected members of a

newly created separate Executive Board which

replaces the Business Committee. It is chaired by

the General Secretary and also includes as voting

members, the Treasurer, the Convener of the RSE

Scotland Foundation, the Executive Secretary (who

has been retitled as Chief Executive) and the Director

of Finance. This Board will have substantial

delegated authority from Council and will meet

quarterly along with the other members of the senior

staff management group.

A new independent Audit and Risk Committee will

be created to replace the Treasurers Committee.

There will no longer be Secretaries to Meetings and

their duties will be reallocated to the Programme

Convener and Fellowship Secretary. The election

or re-election of Council members and other Office-

bearers will take place annually, normally at the

Annual Statutory Meeting, but will be by postal ballot

of all Ordinary Fellows so that the vote is no longer

restricted to those able to attend the ASM, which will

now be held earlier in October. It is intended the

ASM will allow much more detailed consideration

of the Trustees and Office-Bearers reports and

hence not followed by a public event. This format

was used for the ASM on 25 October 2004 and was

much appreciated by those present.

Most Trustees and Office-Bearers will continue to

serve up to 3 years but the terms of the General

Secretary, Treasurer and Programme Convener have

been reduced from 5 to 4 years.


Council of The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE)

President: Lord Sutherland of Houndwood

Vice-President: Professor R G L McCrone

Vice-President: Professor J Coggins

Vice-President: Professor J Mavor (From October 2004)

General Secretary: Professor A Miller

Treasurer: Mr E Cunningham (From October 2004)

Councillors

Professor R Asher

Mr E Brown

Professor T Durrani

Professor R M MacKie

Dr I P Sword

Executive Board

General Secretary: Professor A Miller

Treasurer: Mr E Cunningham

Curator: Dr B E Moon

Research Awards Convener: Professor D H Saxon

International Committee Convener: Professor R M MacKie

Programme Convener: Professor I H Stevenson

Young Peoples Committee Convener: Professor C A Tickle

Chief Executive: Dr William Duncan

[email protected]

The Society is registered in Scotland

as Scottish Charity No. SC000470Inland Revenue Claim Board Reference CR 18102


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financial review

Income for year ended 31 March 2005 000 000

2005 2004

Promotion of research and innovation

Research awards Scottish Executive 633 21% 564

Research awards Scottish Enterprise 616 20% 591

Research awards charitable trusts 554 18% 509

1,803 1,664

Science promotion and advice

Meetings 76 85

Education 10 6

Academic/industry links 3

International activities(including secondment of staff

from British Council) 182 160

268 9% 254Scottish Executive grant for activities(mainly allocated to science promotion and advice

and including staff secondment) 423 13% 406

Scottish Science Advisory Committee 149 5% 156

Own income

Fellows subscriptions 161 146

Other donations 67 59

Interest and dividends 168 155

396 13% 360

Appeal receipts 22 1% 57

Total income 3,061 100% 2,897

Income

Research Awards Scottish Executive 21%

Research Awards Scottish Enterprise 20%

Research Awards charitable trusts 18%

Science Promotion & Advice 9%

Scottish Executive grant for activities 13%

Scottish Science Advisory Committee 5%

Own Income 13%

Appeal Receipts 1%

Expenditure for year ended 31 March 2005 000 000

2005 2004

Cost of generating funds 7 1% 9

Promotion of research

Research awards 1,781 59% 1,626

Prizes and grants 131 4% 137

Science promotion and advice

Publications 36 21

Meetings 204 240

Educational activities 78 65

Academic/ industry links 7 10

International activities 212 186

Evidence, advice and comment 78 115

615 21% 637

Scottish Science Advisory Committee 149 5% 156

Fellowship Office 52 2% 49

Buildings management and administration 244 8% 223

Total expenditure 2,979 100% 2,837

Net incoming resources for the year 82 60

Expenditure

Research Awards 59%

Prizes and grants 4%

Science Promotion & Advice 21%

Scottish Science Advisory Committee 5%

Fellowship Office 2%

Buildings, management & administration 8%

Cost of generating funds 1%


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financial reviewAs described earlier, the RSE continues to engage in a wide range of activities and thereby has been

successfully contributing to the Scottish community. The financial results for the year 2004/05 demonstrate,through the income and expenditure accounts, that these activities were carried out so as to generate a

modest surplus which nonetheless showed an increase on the year 2003/04. The principal source of

income continues to be the Scottish Executive which provides 45% of total income, mainly through grant

in aid. However, there was an encouraging increase in income from charitable trusts. Fellows also made

an increased contribution through their subscriptions and donations. This source is especially valuable as it

is not tied and therefore available for allocation to wherever there are uncovered needs. At the same time,

the balance sheet was strengthened in part through the performance of the RSE's investment portfolio

and in part through the effective management of our current assets. These improvements have contributed

towards the RSE's goal of achieving a stronger financial base from which it can offer an expanding service

to the community in the future.

Edward Cunningham CBE, FRSE, Treasurer September 2005

Balance Sheet 31 March 000 000

2005 2004

Tangible Fixed Assets 2,420 2,476

Fixed Asset Investments 2,180 1,989

Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation 1,985 2,031

6,585 6,496

Current Assets 1,249 961

Current Liabilities (554) (410)

Net Assets 7,280 7,047

Represented by

General Funds 173 69

Designated Funds 5,764 5,764

Restricted Funds 1,343 1,214

7,280 7,047

The figures above have been extracted from the audited accounts for the period ended 31 March 2005 whichcarried an unqualified audit report. The full Trustees' report and audited accounts are obtainable in hard copy

from 22-26 George Street , Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ or on the RSE website www.royalsoced.org.uk

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS STATEMENT

We have examined the summarised financial information which is prepared for the purpose

of inclusion in the Societys annual review.

The Council is responsible for the preparation of the financial information. We have agreed to report

on its consistency with annual accounts on which we reported on 5 September 2005.

Basis of opinion

We have carried out the procedures we consider necessary to ascertain whether the summarised review

is consistent with the annual accounts from which it has been prepared.

OpinionIn our opinion the financial review is consistent with the annual accounts for the year ended 31 March 2005.

HENDERSON LOGGIE, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 2005


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The Royal Society of Edinburgh was founded in 1783. It is Scotlands national

academy. Its Fellowship includes some of the best intellectual talent in academia,

the professions and business. It facilitates public debate, research programmes,

educational projects and strategy formulation. Its strength is its diversity and

impartiality. The Societys unique multi-disciplinary approach enables it to draw

from and link with a broad spectrum of expertise to advance the understanding

of globally important issues. In fulfilling its Royal Charter for the advancement

of learning and useful knowledge, the RSE is seeking to contribute to the social,

cultural and economic wellbeing of Scotland.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh

22-26 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ

T 0131 240 5000

F 0131 240 5024

E [email protected]

W www.royalsoced.org.uk

Scottish Charity No. SC000470ISSN 1742-1810

RSE

Documents

ANNUAL REVIEW APRIL 2004 – MARCH 2005