Speakers

Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf

President Elect, International Science Council

Robbert Dijkgraaf is a distinguished mathematical physicist and academic leader who has made significant contributions to international science advice and policy. He recently served as Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands (2022–2024).

Dijkgraaf’s research focuses particularly on the interface between theoretical particle physics and mathematics, a blossoming field that has led to many unexpected breakthroughs in both disciplines.

Dijkgraaf has a long track record in science policy and advice, as president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2008-2012), chief science advisor to the Dutch government, and in the Innovation Platform, advising the cabinet on research and innovation policies. He was co-chair of the InterAcademy Council (IAC), serving from 2009 to 2017 and co-president of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) from 2014 to 2017.

Dijkgraaf is a (foreign) member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Academia Europaea and the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, and is an ISC Fellow.

Professor David Garza

Chair of Universitas 21 and President of Tecnológico de Monterrey

David Garza is Chair of Universitas 21 and President of Tecnológico de Monterrey, a non-profit private Mexican university system comprising Tecnológico de Monterrey, Tecmilenio and the Academic Medical Center TecSalud.

Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec) is recognised for academic excellence, educational innovation, entrepreneurship, a strong global outlook and close industry links. With a presence in 32 cities across Mexico, Tec serves over 60,000 university students and 27,000 senior high school students, and consistently ranks among the top five universities in Latin America and the global top 200 (QS and THE).

David has held senior academic and leadership roles at Tec for nearly 40 years and led the design and implementation of the Tec21 educational model. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Colorado State University.

Baroness Katherine Grainger

Chancellor, University of Glasgow

Katherine Grainger is the current Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. She was inaugurated in 2020, becoming the first female chancellor of the university. Grainger is also a decorated Olympian, holding the distinction of being Britain's most decorated female Olympian, with one gold and four silver medals from five Olympic Games. She also holds a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Glasgow. 

Professor Sir David MacMillan

James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry, Princeton University

David W. C. MacMillan was born in Bellshill, Scotland, and received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Glasgow, where he worked with Dr. Ernie Colvin. In 1990, he began his doctoral studies under the direction of Professor Larry Overman at the University of California, Irvine, before undertaking a postdoctoral position with Professor Dave Evans at Harvard University in 1996. He began his independent career at the University of California, Berkeley, in July of 1998 before moving to Caltech in 2000 as the Earle C. Anthony Chair of Organic Chemistry. In 2006, Dave moved to Princeton University as the A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Chemistry. He served as Department Chair from 2010–2015 and is currently the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry and a Ludwig Distinguished Scholar. Dave shares the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Benjamin List “for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis.” He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2022. His research interests encompass a wide range of organic chemistry, including the development of new areas in organocatalysis and photoredox catalysis.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Chairperson, Biocon Group

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, a healthcare visionary, a global influencer, and a passionate philanthropist. The impact she has made as a leading woman in science has made her a role model globally. She is committed to equitable access to healthcare through affordable innovation as she pursues a path of making a difference to billions of lives globally. She is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan (2005) and the Padma Shri (1989) most coveted National Civilian awards and has several other global recognitions to her credit.  She is the first woman business leader and second person from India to sign the Giving Pledge initiative in 2016, committing to give the majority of her wealth to philanthropic causes.

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli

President, Royal Society of Edinburgh

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli was Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow from 2009 to 2025. An economist, his research interests are monetary economics, central bank independence, fiscal policy, international finance and macroeconomics. Sir Anton is President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He is a member of the University Grants Committee, Hong Kong and also Chair of its Research Group. From 2017-2020 he was Chair of the Russell Group of UK research-intensive universities. He has been a member of the Scottish Government’s Council of Economic Advisers, a special adviser to the UK House of Commons Treasury Select Committee on monetary policy and has advised the European Commission and the World Bank. He holds honorary degrees from McGill University and Nanka University.

Martijn Quinn

Deputy Head of Unit - DG Environment, European Commission

Martijn Quinn is a senior European Commission official who is currently responsible for developing the EU’s “Green Diplomacy”.  

He worked in the European Parliament and in the private offices for three Commissioners as well as in the Commission departments for trade, enlargement, justice and environment.

He was a visiting professor at the law faculty of Bangor University teaching a course on EU environmental policy and has lectured and written on various aspect of EU policy.

Sir Steve Smith

International Education Champion, UK Government

Professor Sir Steve Smith is the UK Government International Education Champion. He was previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter from 2002-2020. In November 2020 he was also appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education.

Sir Steve holds a BSc, an MSc, and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Southampton. He served as President of the world academic body in his field (the International Studies Association) from 2003-2004.

Sir Steve was President of Universities UK (UUK) from 2009-2011; Chair of the UCAS Board from 2013 – 2019; Board member of the Russell Group (2012-2020); Chair of UUK’s International Policy Network and Chair of UUK’s International Strategic Advisory Board (2015-2020); Member of the UUK Board (2006-2020). He is currently a Fulbright Commissioner, a Non-Executive Director of Unite Students, Chair of the Liveable Exeter Place Board, and a Patron of Exeter College.

From 2007 until 2010, he led for higher education on the Prime Minister’s National Council of Excellence in Education. Sir Steve was knighted in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to higher education locally and nationally.