RSE Fellows recognised in the New Year Honours list 2026

Nine RSE Fellows are on the New Year Honours list 2026 to mark their extraordinary achievements and services.

Congratulations to the following Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, who have been recognised in the 2026 New Year Honours list for their extraordinary contributions and service to people across the UK.

View the full New Year Honours list on the UK Government website.

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)

• Professor Dame Lorna Anne Dawson DBE FRSE, Head, Centre for Forensic Soil Science, James Hutton Institute
  For services to innovations in soil and forensic science

• Dame Carol Colburn Grigor DBE HonFRSE, Founder and Director, Dunard Fund UK and USA, President, The Colburn Foundation
  For services to the arts, culture and women in the UK

• Dr Dame Fiona Rayment DBE FRSE, Non-Executive Director, Trustee and Nuclear Advisor
  For services to nuclear engineering

 Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

• Professor Sir Simon Milne KBE FRSE, Regius Keeper and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  For services to botany, conservation and horticulture

 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Professor Jill Belch CBE FRSE, Professor of Vascular Medicine at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School
  For services to medicine and public health
• Professor Rhona Hunter Flin CBE FRSE, Emeritus Professor of Applied Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Professor of Industrial Psychology, Robert Gordon University and Academic Advisor, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  For services to research

• Professor Susan Rigby CBE FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University
  For services to higher education

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Professor Maria Mercedes Maroto Valer OBE FRSE, Director, Research Centre for Carbon Solutions, Heriot-Watt University
  For services to low energy technologies

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Professor Desmond (Des) Bruin Angus Thompson MBE FRSE, Scientific Advisory Committee Member, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and lately Principal Adviser on Biodiversity and Science, NatureScot
  For services to nature conservation.