UCL research chief to head research council

David Delpy, Vice-Provost (Research) at University College London, is to become Chief Executive of the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). He takes up the post on 1 September, succeeding Sir John O’Reilly, who held it for the standard four-year term.

Since 1991 Delpy has been Hammamatsu Professor of Medical Photonics at the university, where was also Head of the Medical Physics and Bioengineering Department from 1992 to 1999 until he became Vice-Provost.

Delpy said, “The contribution that engineering and physical sciences make both to society in general and to the UK economy in particular is increasingly important. The EPSRC plays a vital role in ensuring that we remain internationally leading in research and economically competitive and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that the UK’s position is not just maintained but continues to improve.”

The EPSRC is the largest of the seven UK research councils funded by the government through the Office of Science and Innovation, with an annual budget of around £740 million a year for research and training.