Gail Cardew

Executive Director of the Linnaean Society, was Director of Science and Education of the Royal Institute, London, (United Kingdom).

Recently appointed Executive Director of the Linnaean Society of London, she is an internationally recognized expert in the field of science and public engagement, Gail Cardew has spent most of her career supporting scientists to actively engage with society. . Previously Director of Science and Education at the Royal Institution, she transformed the organisation’s programmes, led the development of a new purpose-driven strategy and prioritized building external partnerships to increase impact.

She attributes her early interest in biology to her inspiring biology teachers. Thanks to them, she was introduced to the work of evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith and won a place at the University of Sussex, where she received a first-class honors degree in biology, DPhil, and more recently an honorary doctorate in biology. Science for its leadership in connecting science, culture and society.

As Vice President of EuroScience and Senior Advisor of Science|Business, she has played a key role in highlighting the importance of science, policy and social issues across Europe and beyond. Her current interests in this regard include the importance of diversity and inclusion, as well as how geopolitics affects the ability of scientists to collaborate on issues of global concern, such as climate change and the pandemic.

She is Emeritus Professor of Science, Culture and Society at the Royal Institution, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, and a student of the US International Leadership Program for Emerging Global Cultural Leaders.