Professor Deb Roberts

Professor Deb Roberts is Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Science at the James Hutton Institute.  As Director of Science she is responsible for developing and delivering the Institute’s science strategy, for protecting research integrity, and delivering the Institute’s commitment to open science.  Deb trained as an agricultural economist and, prior to moving into her current position, her research focussed on understanding how agricultural and environmental policies affect economic development and social wellbeing in rural areas. A particular focus was on the factors influencing growth in rural areas and how best to retain the benefits of developments within the areas in which they are based. Deb holds an Honorary Chair in Real Estate at the University of Aberdeen. She is a past President of the Agricultural Economics Society, a past Director of ClimateXChange, and is currently Chair of the Scottish Environment Food and Agriculture Research Institutes (SEFARI) Directors Executive Committee.