Each council is led by an Executive Chair advised by a council of external members. Our nine councils work with their research and innovation communities and wider stakeholders to develop and implement delivery plans that contribute to delivering our strategic objectives.
Members include representatives from the academic community, business, civil and public sector. They meet regularly and report to the Executive Committee.
Council terms of reference
The UK Research and Innovation Council terms of reference were last updated in May 2023.
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) members
- Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair
- Zeinab Badawi
- Professor Dame Janet Beer
- Dame Judith Macgregor
- Professor Ambreena Manji
- Dr Bridget McConnell
- Professor Sue Rigby
- Professor Russell Viner, Chief Scientific Adviser
- Professor Adrienne Scullion
- Monisha Shah, Senior Independent Member
- Professor Steven Spier
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) members
- Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Executive Chair
- Professor Ewan Birney
- Professor Timothy Dafforn
- Andy Griffiths
- Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Adviser (Observer)
- Professor Martin Humphries, Senior Independent Member
- Professor Christine Orengo
- Dr Neil Parry
- Professor Guy Poppy
- Professor Joanna Susan Price
- Professor Steven Spoel
- Professor Eriko Takano
- Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) members
- Stian Westlake, Executive Chair
- Professor Rachel Brooks
- Anita Charlesworth
- Professor Jane Duckett
- Professor Lasana Harris
- Professor Todd Landman, Senior Independent Member
- Ben Page
- Professor Kimberley Scharf
- Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Adviser
- Professor Sir Bernard Silverman
- Professor Jackline Wahba
- Sir Christopher Wormald, Civil Service Attendee
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) members
- Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair
- Alex van Someren, Chief Scientific Advisor
- Professor Jeremy Baumberg, Senior Independent Member
- Professor Alison Etheridge
- Professor Deborah Greaves
- Professor Jane Hillston
- Professor Dame Xiangqian (Jane) Jiang
- Siân John
- Alan Newby
- Professor Martin Schröder
- Dr Joe De Sousa
- Professor Andy Wright
Innovate UK Council members
- Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair, Innovate UK
- Dr Annette Doherty
- Dr John Fingleton, Senior Independent Member
- Isabel Fox
- Chris Ganje
- John Gibson
- Tunde Olanrewaju
- Professor Jennifer Rubin, Chief Scientific Advisor
- Professor Julia Sutcliffe, Chief Scientific Advisor
- Dr Mark Treherne
- Professor Simon Weeks
Medical Research Council (MRC) members
- Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair
- Kay Boycott, Senior Independent Member
- Professor Lucy Chappell
- Professor Kim Graham
- Dr Roger Highfield
- Professor Simon Hollingsworth
- Dr Precious Lunga
- Professor Jill Pell
- Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed
- Dr Andy Richards
- Professor Eleanor Riley
- Dr Graham Spittle
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) members
- Professor Louise Heathwaite, Executive Chair
- Cathrine Armour
- Professor Hannah Cloke
- Professor Kevin Gaston
- Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Adviser
- Professor Sir Stephen Holgate
- Professor John-Michael Kendall
- Michael Lewis
- Professor Peter Liss
- Clare Matterson
- Gordon McGregor
- Rashik Parmar, Senior Independent Member
- Professor John Pyle
Research England members
- Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair
- Dr Carol Bell
- Dr Sharon Ellis
- Professor Dame Janet Finch
- Professor Colette Fagan
- Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan
- Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon
- Bronwen Maddox
- Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad
- Mike Rees
- Professor Graeme Reid
- Professor Colin Riordan
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) members
- Professor Michele Dougherty, Executive Chair
- Professor Jonathan Butterworth
- Lucy Edge
- Dame Patricia Hodgson
- Professor Jan-Theodoor Janssen
- Dr Jana Kolar
- Dr Angeli Möller
- Professor Hiranya Peiris
- Professor Andy Schofield
- Hitesh Thakrar
- Professor Pam Thomas
- Professor Carsten P Welsch
Last updated: 30 January 2025