NERC Director of Strategic Partnerships
Dr Iain Williams is Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and a member of the NERC Assurance Board and NERC Management Board.
Iain is responsible for national environmental science capability and capital programmes, interdisciplinary capability and programme delivery, and the digital environment.
Iain joined NERC after 20 years in numerous scientific roles in central government, including most recently Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), where he was responsible for Defra’s science and research strategy and funding, domestic and international partnerships, independent scientific advice, and the use of emerging and disruptive technologies and methods, including leading on Earth Observation policy. Iain was previously the Home Office Science and Technology Counsellor in the British Embassy in Washington DC, Chief of Staff to the Home Office Chief Scientific Adviser, Head of Science Quality in Defra and held various research programme manager roles.
Iain’s research background is entomology, epidemiology and population dynamics having held research posts at Imperial College, London and a PhD from the University of East Anglia.
Last updated: 5 September 2023