Wendy Ewart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wendy Ewart
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Ewart in 2010
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton and the University of Bristol |
| Known for | Deputy Chief Executive and Chief of Strategy, MRC; Director of both UK Biobank and the Francis Crick Institute |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Medical Research Council |
Wendy Ewart is a British scientist who worked for the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is a big organization in the UK that helps fund important health research. She worked there from 2008 to 2014.
Her Education
Wendy Ewart studied at two well-known universities. She earned a special degree called a BSc in physiology and biochemistry from the University of Southampton. Physiology is the study of how living things work, and biochemistry looks at the chemicals inside them.
Later, she earned a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Bristol. Neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system. After she retired, the University of Bristol gave her another special degree, an honorary doctorate, to celebrate her achievements.
Her Career
Before joining the MRC, Wendy Ewart worked at the Wellcome Trust from 1991 to 2003. The Wellcome Trust is a large charity that supports research to make people healthier. There, she helped manage programs that gave money for research, including projects in developing countries.
From 2003 to 2008, she led the research strategy for the medical school at Imperial College London. This means she helped plan what kind of medical research they should focus on.
In 2008, Wendy Ewart became the director of strategy for the MRC. In this important role, she helped create the MRC's plan called "Research Changes Lives." This plan was introduced in June 2009.
In January 2012, she was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive and Chief of Strategy. This made her one of the top leaders at the MRC. While in this role, she also helped lead two very important projects: the UK Biobank and the Francis Crick Institute.
- The UK Biobank is a huge project that collects health information from half a million people in the UK. Scientists use this information to learn more about diseases.
- The Francis Crick Institute is a large research center in London where scientists study biology and medicine.
Wendy Ewart retired from the MRC in 2014. Dr. Jim Smith took over her role.
Awards and Honours
Wendy Ewart has received several awards for her important work:
- She became a Fellow of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London. This was to recognize her excellent achievements.
- In 2015, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This is a special honor given by the Queen for services to medical research.
- In 2016, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bristol.
