Prof Julie Fitzpatrick, OBE, FRSE, is Scientific Director of the Moredun Research Institute and Chair in Food Security at the University of Glasgow. She was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland in June, 2021. Julie is a veterinary graduate of the University of Glasgow, her PhD was in mucosal immunology at the University of Bristol, and she has a Masters in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Julie’s personal research experience is on infectious diseases of cattle, sheep and goats with particular emphasis on mastitis, welfare, and developing countries. She takes a particular interest in policy-focussed research, development and commercialisation over the years in the fields of preventing infectious disease, sustainable food production, and food security

Sarah Simpson is a director of a dairy farm near Newton Stewart, Dumfries & Galloway. Sarah helped co-write the Dairy Sector Climate Change Report for the Scottish Government, and sits on the Government’s Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board. She was previously Head of Policy for the NFU Scotland and past Chair of the Milk Forum, a representative body of dairy processors and farmers in Scotland. Sarah also provides consultancy services, running a dairy financial and performance benchmarking group.

Bruce Mackie farms in North East Aberdeenshire on a mixed farm of some 500 acres with wheat and barley crops in addition to the dairy.  The 250 cow pedigree herd, which is made up of Holstein Friesian and some Jersey and Norwegian Red cows, produce more than 2 million litres of milk each year. There is a focus to improve the genetics of the herd by use of the latest genomic selection methods. The milk is processed into high quality yogurt.

Lee has conducted research in the area of infectious diseases of livestock at several different research institutes in UK and Africa and currently leads a group at Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh, looking at developing solutions to control diseases caused by protozoan parasites. Following a sabbatical year spent in Hong Kong where she studied journalism and photography she took up a new position as Director of Communications at Moredun in 2008, although still retaining her research interests.

Lee was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours in 2015 for services to scientific research and science communication and also holds Honorary Professorships from Heriot Watt University, University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow. She received an award for outstanding contribution to Knowledge Exchange at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards in 2017, was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017 and an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2019.  She is passionate about science communication and public engagement and improving the health and welfare of livestock through research and education.

Ali graduated from Glasgow Vet School in 2010 and has worked at The Stewartry Veterinary Centre, in Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, ever since. She returned to Glasgow in 2019 to complete a research Masters in Failure of Passive Transfer and Colostrum Quality in Scottish dairy calves. She now balances her time between clinical practice, research collaborations centering around colostrum and youngstock health, as well as other freelance consultancy projects for industry bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and other firms.

Pete is a Chartered Accountant and a graduate of Edinburgh University. He trained with an international firm of accountants before a career in industry which included heading up the finance function of two privately owned businesses. He is currently a part-time finance director and business advisor.

Outside work he was treasurer of BAFTA Scotland for ten years and has been finance convener of his golf club.

Colin has lived and worked as a farm vet in South West of Scotland for 22 years.

Currently working in health planning and consultancy roles within vet practices in SW Scotland and the border area.

Previously a Veterinary Investigation Officer based at the SRUC’s Disease Surveillance Centre in Dumfries.  His role involved contact with vets, farmers and the wider agricultural industry across South West of Scotland to help investigate current animal health and disease issues.

He is currently on the board of the British Cattle Veterinary Association.

He lives in a small village and upland farming community with his wife Carol and 2 daughters, plus a diverse range of animals.  In any spare time he loves to get out in the hills on foot, bike or on skis.

Geoff is General Manager at AbacusBio International Ltd. He is also a consultant with a focus on livestock breeding, and enhancing sustainability of livestock systems and wider food systems.

He has extensive experience in research, education and collaboration with public and private sector partners in the agri-food sector. Prior to joining AbacusBio, Geoff was Head of the Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems, and Professor of Global Agriculture and Food Security, in the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. Before this, he held a variety of leadership roles in Scotland’s Rural College and its predecessors. Early in his career, Geoff built and led a leading international research team working on the sustainable use of farm animal genetic resources – focusing on the design of breeding programmes to address product quality, animal health and welfare, resource use efficiency and environmental impact.

Geoff is passionate about partnerships to support innovation in agri-food systems, to help them respond to global challenges – including addressing climate change, restoring nature, improving nutrition, health and inequity – and achieving sustainable development.