Royal Society appoints new Principal for Kavli Royal Society International Centre

Sir Peter Knight FRS has been appointed as the first Principal of the Kavli Royal Society International Centre.

Sir Peter is currently Deputy Rector (Research) at Imperial College London and is a former member of the Royal Society’s Council, Chair of the Society’s Hooke Committee and member of the Audit Committee.

The Kavli Royal Society International Centre for the advancement of science at Chicheley Hall has been developed to establish a new residential centre where scientists from all over the UK and the world will be able to meet to discuss and develop their work.  The scientific programme has already included meetings on metallic metamaterials and plasmonics and on optical nanosurgery for targeted drug delivery.  Events later in the summer include a range of Theo Murphy International Scientific Research Meetings and Research Fellow International Scientific Seminars.

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society said: “Sir Peter's deep understanding of the Royal Society and his energy and enthusiasm will be enormous assets in his new role. The Kavli Royal Society Centre will gather some of the world's present and future scientific leaders, in a residential atmosphere, to discuss scientific ideas, and policy implications of science both in the UK and globally.”

Sir Peter takes up the appointment from 1 October 2010.