Professor Sir Ian Boyd FRS

Professor Sir Ian Boyd is a marine and polar scientist who was Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government on Food and the Environment. He is currently a professor at the University of St Andrews and the Chairman of the UK Research Integrity Office.

He previously served as the first Director of the Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, and as Director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit. Sir Ian is currently leading the move to sustainability at the University of St Andrews.  He spent 14 years leading a research programme in Antarctica studying the structure and dynamics of energy flow in the Southern Ocean. He has received the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London, the Bruce Medal for Polar Science and the Polar Medal.

Sir Ian originally graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a degree in Zoology and has a PhD from Cambridge University.  He has also been awarded several honorary degrees.  He was knighted in 2019 for services to science and economics in government.

Professional position

  • Professor in Biology, School of Biology, University of St Andrews
Professor Sir Ian Boyd FRS
Elected 2021