Professor Philip White elected Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh

"We are fortunate to have Philip; his work is outstanding and underpins our reputation for plant sciences"

Professor Philip J. White, a research specialist in plant ecophysiology at the James Hutton Institute, has received the honour of being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) has announced 87 new UK and International Fellows in 2021 to add to its more than 1,600-strong fellowship. Fellows are elected following a rigorous examination of their achievements, professional standing and the contribution they and their work make to wider society.  

On the announcement, Professor White said: “I am very proud and honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This recognition is, in part, a reflection of the very talented and motivated team of people I work with.”

Professor Dame Anne Glover, President of The Royal Society of Edinburgh, said: “As Scotland’s national academy we recognise excellence across a diverse range of expertise and experience, and its effect on Scottish society. This impact is particularly clear this year in the latest cohort of new fellows which includes scientists who are pioneering the way we approach the coronavirus; those from the arts who have provided the rich cultural experience we have all been missing, and some who have demonstrated strong leadership in guiding their organisations and communities through this extraordinary time.

“Through uniting these great minds from different walks of life, we can discover creative solutions to some of the most complex issues that Scotland faces. A warm welcome is extended to all of our new fellows.”

Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute, congratulated Professor White: "I am delighted to hear Philip is to receive this richly-deserved honour. We are fortunate to have him; his work is outstanding and underpins our reputation for plant sciences. Philip has also been generous with his time for others and makes a great contribution to mentoring and helping those around him."

The RSE's mission is the advancement of learning and useful knowledge and since its establishment in 1783, it has made a major contribution to Scottish society through its fellows. It is unique in Britain and distinctive internationally in the breadth of its Fellowship, which ranges across the sciences, medicine, engineering, the social sciences, arts, humanities, business and public service.

This year’s cohort includes Professor James Curran, who served as chair of the James Hutton Institute Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020 and is now chair of Climate Ready Clyde. Professor Curran was also Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency from 2012 to 2014.

The 2021 list of RSE Fellows also recognises many individuals who have made a positive impact during the global COVID-19 pandemic, either as a result of their academic research or through their contribution to arts or for the role they have played in communicating complex information with the public.

Notes to editors

Professor Philip J. White graduated from Oxford University with a BA in Biochemistry in 1983. He was awarded a PhD in Natural Sciences (Botany) from the University of Manchester in 1987, followed by a DSc in 2016. He is currently a Full Professor (Chair) at Huazhong Agricultural University (China), an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham (UK) and a Visiting Associate Professor at the Comenius University (Slovakia). He sits on the Science Boards of The Centre for Fertilization and Plant Nutrition (Israel) and The International Magnesium Institute (China). He has been Consultant to the Universities of Nottingham and Warwick, to Defra (UK), to The World Bank and to the FAO/IAEA for projects related to plant mineral nutrition and the biofortification of edible crops. He has served on many committees, including those assessing the quality of research in UK Higher Education Institutions (REF2014). He has published over 200 refereed papers and has an h-factor >60. He has featured in Clarivate Analytics’ annual list of Highly Cited Researchers six times since 2014. 

A full list of the new RSE Fellows can be found on the RSE website.