A CENTRE with the aim of developing talent and promoting innovation in Scottish water is set to launch in Aberdeen.
The James Hutton Institute announced, on World Water Day 2019, that the Hydro Nation International Centre would be established with ongoing support from the Macaulay Development Trust.
It is hoped that Scotland will develop the value of its naturally abundant water resources; build on and improve the productivity of its water industry; capitalise on the international market potential of water and respond to the immense water challenges that population growth and climate change bring.
The Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, said she would “very much welcome” the development.
She said: “This new centre is aligned with ongoing support from the Macaulay Development Trust and will bring together all of the Institute’s Hydro Nation work in one place as the core of a broader offering to the sector.
“I strongly support the James Hutton Institute’s vision of state-of-the-art engagement and collaboration space for science to public, stakeholder and practitioner interactions which is so highly complementary to delivering our ambitions.”
Professor Bob Ferrier, director of research at the James Hutton Institute added: “The centre will ensure that policymakers and businesses have access to the right expertise for robust decision making, and will support innovation in the sector. In addition, developing the next generation of water leaders will bring fresh perspectives on cutting edge science and supports the wider ambition to enhance Scotland’s talent base.”
The new centre will bring together members of the Scottish water research community to focus on maximising impact at home and abroad. It will link water research initiatives like the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), the Hydro Nation Scholars and Fellows Programme, the recently-announced Water Test Network, and activities supported through the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme and international activities, among others.
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