Professor Calum Semple OBE has been appointed the Scottish Government’s next Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA).
Professor Semple is Professor of Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University of Liverpool and a Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
Professor Semple said: “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work for the people and government of Scotland, providing evidence and scientific advice to support our policymakers. I particularly look forward to collaborating with Scotland’s vibrant communities of scientists and engineers in our schools, universities and industries, who inspire and drive the innovation essential for future economic growth. I will ensure that science and evidence remain at the heart of how we shape a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Scotland.
“I would like to thank my wife, friends, and colleagues at the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey who support my career and enabled this important appointment. Their encouragement and collaboration have been vital to my journey.”
Professor Semple has held key advisory roles during public health emergencies, serving as a UK Government adviser during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, on the World Health Organisation Scientific Advisory Committee during the Ebola Emergency and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies during the Covid pandemic.
The role of CSA includes:
- providing Scottish Government Ministers independent scientific advice on issues of strategic importance
- championing Scotland’s world-leading science and research base and the role of science in the economy and society
- inspiring the next generation of scientists and encourage diversity in the STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) workforce.
Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “We are very pleased to see Professor Semple appointed as Chief Scientific Advisor for Scotland. This is an important role, and his appointment reflects both the quality of his work and the broader contribution the University of Liverpool makes to research and public service. Calum’s research has helped ensure that our work delivers meaningful benefits to the communities we serve, and this recognition speaks to the value of that impact at a national level.”
Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Science is the bedrock of our society and economy and at the heart of every decision government takes. From health to the economy to the environment and everything in between, it is a fundamental part of our everyday lives.
“I am delighted to welcome Professor Semple to the role of Chief Scientific Adviser and look forward to his valuable insight and advice as the Scottish Government continues to work with our world leading science sector to highlight Scotland’s strengths as a science nation and ensure it is front and centre of everything we do.”
Professor Louise Kenny, Executive Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool concluded: “The entire University of Liverpool community is delighted to hear of Professor Calum Semple’s appointment to this critical role. As Professor of Outbreak Medicine, Calum has previously worked on Ebola in West Africa and more recently he contributed to the national response to the COVID 19 pandemic. He will take this considerable experience and his passion for public service into this next role and on a personal note I am delighted that this will be in Scotland- the land of his birth, and a place for which he has such huge affection and loyalty. His many friends and colleagues in his second home of Liverpool wish him well in this next exciting chapter.”