About
SCRR’s 24 member organisations do research in
Scotland on Scottish and globally important rural priorities – including
food, farming, land use, health, climate, biodiversity, rural livelihoods and
sustainable development.
This is achieved through:
- Promoting the critical role of rural research in supporting resilience and sustainability, and in addressing the climate, biodiversity and rural livelihood crises, by positively influencing practice and policy.
- Building the capability and networks of Scotland’s rural researchers especially those who are in the earlier stages of their careers (ECRs).
SCRR’s functions and themes include the following:
Our function: Coordinating (silos), Publicising, Promoting (translating research into policy), Discussing, Partnerships, Communicating, Supporting (EDI/ECRs).
Our themes: climate, nature, and food.
SCRR also provides an accessible source of expertise and information on scientific matters that affect Scotland, its people and its natural heritage.
Its 24 member organisations are active in research relating to land, freshwater, coastal and marine resources, and their uses – including farming, forestry, aquaculture and recreation.
SCRR achieves its aims through a low-cost, no-frills programme of member lunchtime research meetings and visits, as well as conferences and lectures.
Bush House on the Bush Estate, near Edinburgh – the original home of SCRR.
SCRR was known as the Edinburgh Consortium for Rural Research (ECRR) until June 2012. It has its origins in a collaboration between organisations at the University of Edinburgh’s campus at Easter Bush, to the south of Edinburgh.
The activities of SCRR are overseen by The University of Edinburgh.
People
The day-to-day work of SCRR is carried out by two executive officers, the Scientific Director and Secretary/Treasurer.
Professor Sarah Skeratt took over as Scientific Director in 2018 from Prof Stuart Monro, who had served in the role since 2008. Sarah is also Director of Programmes at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Lyndsey Hayes took over as Secretary/Treasurer in 2021 from Prof Willie Donachie, who served since 2015. Lyndsey is the first point of contact for enquiries about SCRR.
Profs Stuart Monro, Sarah Skerratt and Willie Donachie in 2019.
