John Beddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Beddington
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| Born |
John Rex Beddington
13 October 1945 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics (undergraduate) University of Edinburgh (postgraduate) |
| Known for | Sustainable management of renewable resources Government Chief Scientific Adviser (2008–2013) |
| Spouse(s) |
Sarah West
(m. 1968; div. 1972)Caroline Hiller
(m. 1990) |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (2001) Knight Bachelor (2010) Order of St Michael and St George (2004) Honorary FREng (2012) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Population biology |
| Institutions | Oxford Martin School Imperial College London University of York University of Edinburgh |
| Thesis | The exploitation of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in Scotland. |
Sir John Rex Beddington (born 13 October 1945) is a British scientist. He is a population biologist. He is currently a Senior Adviser at the Oxford Martin School. Before this, he was a professor at Imperial College London. From 2008 to 2013, he was the UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser. This means he gave scientific advice to the government.
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His Education Journey
John Beddington went to Monmouth School in Wales. He then studied at the London School of Economics. He earned a degree in economics in 1967. He got another degree in 1968. In 1973, he received his PhD degree from the University of Edinburgh. A PhD is a very high university degree.
Science Career and Research
Sir John Beddington's work combines biology and economics. He focuses on how to manage natural resources in a way that can last a long time. This is called sustainable management.
From 1968 to 1971, he was a research assistant at the University of Edinburgh. Then, from 1971 to 1984, he taught population biology at the University of York.
Working at Imperial College London
Sir John joined Imperial College London in 1984. He became a Professor of Applied Population Biology in 1991.
He became an expert in how to manage renewable resources. These are resources that can be replaced naturally, like fish or forests. He advised UK government ministers on science and environmental topics. He also helped groups like the European Commission and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Role as Chief Scientific Adviser
In 2007, John Beddington was chosen for a very important job. He became the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government. He started this role on 1 January 2008. In this job, he gave scientific advice to the Prime Minister and other government officials.
He helped the British government deal with big events. These included the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. He also advised during the eruptions of Icelandic volcanoes. He also helped with the problem of ash dieback disease affecting trees in the UK.
The "Perfect Storm" Warning
In 2009, Sir John Beddington gave an important speech. He warned that the world might face a "perfect storm" by 2030. He explained that this storm would involve three big problems happening at the same time:
- Not enough food for everyone.
- Not enough clean water.
- Not enough energy resources.
He said these problems could lead to public unrest and arguments between countries. People might have to move from areas that are badly affected. In 2023, some climate scientists said his warning was very accurate.
Sir John Beddington finished his role as Chief Scientific Adviser in April 2013. Mark Walport took over from him.
Awards and Special Honours
Sir John Beddington has received many awards for his work:
- In 1997, he won the Heidelberg Award for Environmental Excellence.
- In 2001, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.
- In 2004, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). This was for his work in fisheries science.
- In 2010, he was knighted by the Queen. This is why he is called "Sir John".
- In 2011, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- In 2012, he became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
In 2014, the Government of Japan also recognized him. They thanked him for helping to make science and technology stronger between Japan and the UK.
About His Family Life
Sir John Beddington is married to Caroline Hiller. They got married in 1990. He has a son and a daughter named Emma Beddington, who is a journalist.
