Dame Lynn takes on key advisory role with government

Professor Dame Lynn Gladden has been selected as one of eight new members of the Council for Science and Technology (CST), which provides strategic advice to the Prime Minister and government on key science and technology issues.

The Shell Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB) will bring her extensive expertise in chemical engineering – and decades of research leadership – to advise the UK government on science and technology policy.

Lynn has been a member of the department since the late 1980s, contributing significantly to both students and the wider scientific community. Her research focuses on advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques – originally developed for medical applications – and adapting them to understand and optimise net-zero technologies. Current research areas include the production of sustainable aviation fuels, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen storage.

“I am very pleased to be appointed to the Council for Science and Technology. I look forward to working with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and members to advise the Prime Minister and government,” Lynn said.

In addition to her role as Shell Professor, Lynn is a Fellow of Trinity College and served as Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) from October 2018 to June 2023. She has also held several key research oversight roles, including serving as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Cambridge from 2010 to 2016. Currently, she is the Chair of Judges for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.

Lynn’s selection to the CST highlights the depth of expertise she brings to national science and technology policy. For more than 30 years, her knowledge and insights have shaped not only the scientific community but also the education and development of students within CEB.