Published:
Two Heriot-Watt professors have been elected as 2020 Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).
Professor Beatrice Pelloni FRSE, Head of the School of Mathematical and Computing Sciences, and Professor Sebastian Geiger FRSE, Energi Simulation Chair and Director of the Institute of Geoenergy Engineering were both named as fellows this morning.
RSE Fellows comprise leading thinkers and experts from Scotland and around the world whose work has a significant impact on the nation.
Professors Pelloni and Geiger are two of 64 new fellows and join the current roll of around 1600.
Fellows are nominated and invited to join after a rigorous assessment of their achievements, professional standing and societal contribution.
Professor Beatrice Pelloni said: "RSE Fellows are appointed from a wide range of disciplines, from science and technology to the arts and business. I am proud to join this community and to support the high standard of mathematical excellence in Scotland.
“If Scotland is to help solve global problems we must continue to support fundamental research across STEM and champion diversity and equality of opportunities in the field."
Professor Sebastian Geiger said: "I am incredibly honoured to join such a prestigious institution. The RSE's motto is 'knowledge made useful' and that certainly reflects Heriot-Watt's goals of excelling in research to build flourishing communities.
"I look forward to developing new networks with other RSE fellows to accelerate finding innovative solutions for a low-carbon energy future."
Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt, and also an RSE Fellow, said “Professor Pelloni and Professor Geiger embody Heriot-Watt’s spirit of innovation and our mission to create and exchange knowledge that benefits society.
“Our whole community congratulates them on their election to the RSE.”
Professor Dame Anne Glover, president of the RSE said: “The diverse expertise and experience of our fellows means that, as an organisation, we are well-placed to respond to the issues of the day with clear, informed thinking free from commercial or political influence.
“Our new fellows, who we look forward to welcoming, not only hold vast knowledge but also deep experience, keen judgement, boundless enthusiasm and a passion for promoting societal development and change.
“By using their talents as a collective, we can often unlock or inspire new potential and unearth fresh solutions to some of the most complex issues Scotland’s society faces today.”
RSE Fellows play a fundamental role in enabling the RSE to deliver its mission of ‘Knowledge Made Useful’, contributing to the cultural, economic and social well-being of Scotland and the wider world.