Claire is Chief Science Policy Officer at the Royal Society, the independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth. The Society’s Fellows include many of the world’s most distinguished scientists and recent projects have informed public debate and decision-making on issues from AI and the future of work to the roles of greenhouse gas removal technologies.

Previously Claire led the Government Office for Science, which supports the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA). The GCSA provides science advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and builds capacity across government to provide and use scientific evidence.

Claire originally joined the Civil Service to develop Foresight, an innovative programme of science-based strategic futures projects, covering topics from UK flood risk in 2080 to cognitive enhancement.While leading Foresight she was awarded a CBE and became a Faculty member of the World Economic Forum. During a total of nearly 20 years as a senior civil servant she worked for three GCSAs, led capability reviews of the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office while at the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, and was Director of Strategy at the Department for Business.

Claire has worked on strategy and science in decision-making in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Her career includes periods at McKinsey & Co and the Confederation of British Industry. She helped launch a hands-on science centre in her home town (Bristol), and has held non-executive roles in a variety of research and teaching institutions including the King’s College London, the University of the West of England and Newnham College, Cambridge. While on King’s Council she worked with Dame Alison Wolf to establish King’s Maths School, to support outstanding young mathematicians. She trained originally as a geophysicist and her most recent publication is How does government listen to scientists?