��150 Celebration Research Conference

Celebrating the Past, Transforming the Future

Join us on the 19th of June 2025 at a special research conference which marks the 150th anniversary of �� (��), Edinburgh.

We invite you to come together with researchers, academics, staff and students at �� to celebrate 150 years of our research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Overview
Speakers
Programme

We’ll showcase how our groundbreaking research and innovations are influencing the world around us by making a positive impact on health, wellbeing, culture, social justice, and sustainable business. Our dynamic conference programme will consist of keynote speeches, fascinating panel discussions, and exhibitions. We invite you to be inspired; and to learn, build and strengthen collaboration and partnership as we move forward into future innovation and research which supports wellness and creativity in individuals and societies.

We welcome academics, practitioners, policy makers, and strategic leaders, as well as students. Be part of this milestone celebration as we honour our past and present and chart the course for the next 150 years of discovery and excellence.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing research and ideas, but most of all, bring an open mind, enthusiasm, energy, and laughter. By challenging one another and sharing ideas, we can harness our talents to make a better world. Be part of the discussion!

Professor Sarah Skerratt

Chief Executive

Sarah is Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE). A familiar face to the RSE, having been the RSE’s Director of Programmes for two years. Prior to this, Sarah was Director of Policy Engagement at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), where she worked for just over two decades. Sarah is Professor of Rural Society and Policy.

For 30+ years, Sarah has researched rural community resilience, disempowerment, poverty and rural mental health. She has enhanced rural and national policies and made a difference in rural communities via robust data, particularly lived-experienced evidence. Sarah works with Scottish Government task forces, Scottish and UK Parliaments, universities, private, public and third sectors, communities and development agencies in Scotland and internationally. Following a two-year secondment with Audit Scotland, Sarah is retained as their rural adviser, having established their Islands Forum in 2017. Sarah is also Scientific Director of the Scottish Consortium for Rural Research (SCRR).

Sarah’s charity Board appointments have included: Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Rural Housing Scotland and Scotland’s Regeneration Forum (SURF); she is currently on the Board of the Scottish Power Foundation.

Details of further speakers to be confirmed, please check back here for updates.

Details to be confirmed, please check back here for updates.