Thinking like Hutton: Shaping the next 300 years

CHAIR

Stuart Monro, Chair of SAMS, has a first-class degree in geology at Aberdeen University and PhD from Edinburgh University. His early career with the BGS involved mapping and applying geological data to environmental issues. He was Scientific Director of the Scottish Consortium for Rural Research, fostering collaboration in rural research and founding Scientific Director of Dynamic Earth helping the public engage with the processes that shaped the Earth, Earth Science tutor with the Open University (OU), Trustee of the National Museums Scotland and the first Independent Co-Chair of the Scottish Science Advisory Council. He was a member of the OU Council, the Court of Edinburgh University and its vice-convener, Deputy Chair and subsequently Acting Senior Lay Member of Court at St Andrews University and involved in drafting the 2017 Scottish Code of Good Higher Education Governance. He is an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh University and served twice as President of the RSSA and the Edinburgh Geological Society and as a non-executive Director of Edinburgh Science. He has an OBE for services to science, the Distinguished Service Award of the Geological Society, honorary doctorates from the Open, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh and St Andrews universities and an honorary fellowship from the RSGS.

PANELLIST

Professor Iain Stewart is a geologist who has made huge contributions to the public understanding of earth science. He has a decade-long collaboration with BBC Science, presenting television programmes on the state of the planet, climate change and energy issues. Iain’s public profile allows him to raise awareness of global environmental challenges, both in his role as President of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and through partnerships with agencies such as the British Council and UNESCO. He has been Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute at Plymouth University since 2015. In 2013, he was awarded an MBE for services to geology and science communication.

PANELLIST

Luisa Hendry is a Scottish geologist, science communicator, and founder of Scot Rock Walks – Scottish Geology Tours, best known online as @scottishgeologist. With a rapidly growing audience and more than half a million followers across social media platforms, Luisa has become one of Scotland’s leading voices in making geology accessible, entertaining, and relevant to the public.

Luisa developed a fascination with volcanoes and rocks from a young age, but it wasn’t until late secondary school that she discovered geology could be studied academically. Determined to pursue the subject, she entered the University of Glasgow through an alternative pathway, graduating in 2015 with a BSc in Earth Science.

Following her degree, Luisa spent nine years in the engineering geology sector, progressing quickly from graduate roles to senior-level technical and project management positions. Her work took her across Scotland—from the Midland Valley to the Highlands—fueling a deep passion for the country’s geological landscapes and the stories they hold.

In March 2023, Luisa began creating geology content on social media, filling a major gap in Scottish science communication. Her humorous, relatable, and insightful mini-documentaries quickly resonated with audiences, sparking widespread interest in Scotland’s deep-time history. By 2024, Luisa stepped away from her engineering career to focus full-time on public engagement and education.

PANELLIST

Chris Jackson is Technical Director at the engineering consultancy WSP and Visiting Professor of Basin Analysis at Imperial College London. Chris is interested in understanding how we can use the Earth’s subsurface to safely store hazardous waste (‘geostorage’) and to develop low-carbon energy resources (‘geoenergy’). When not studying the subsurface of the Earth, Chris gives geoscience lectures to the public and in schools, having appeared on several, Earth Science-focused, television productions and podcasts.

PANELLIST