Our annual Celebration of Science event will be held on 1 December 2026 at the Institute of Physics, London. This year, the event combines the Science Council’s annual Recognition Awards celebrations with our biennial Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture.
Celebration of Science brings together professionals from across the scientific landscape to celebrate excellence, share ideas, and acknowledge the remarkable contributions that strengthen the scientific community.
We look forward to welcoming and connecting with our community at the event.
Please note, this event is invite only. If you would like to register your interest in attending this event, please complete this form.
Recognition Awards 2026
The Recognition Award winners will be announced publicly on the night of the event, and their stories will be shared on our channels in the following weeks. This year we have announced a new award, the Inclusion Champion Award, which will spotlight an individual or team that has demonstrated impact on advancing inclusion within the science professions.
The award categories are:
- CSci Award
- CSciTeach Award
- RSci Award
- RSciTech
- Science Council Volunteer Award
- Apprentice Ambassador Award
- Elevating the Science Workforce Award
- Inclusion Champion Award
Winners of the 2025 Recognition Awards photographed with Science Council CEO, Prof Della Freeth, and President, Prof Catherine Ross.
Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture
The Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture is held in honour of the Science Council’s founding president. High profile speakers – such as Sir Paul Nurse OM CH FRS, Director of the Francis Crick Institute, in 2024 – are invited to consider issues of policy and policy-making that impact scientists and their application of science.
We are delighted that this year’s speaker is Prof Catherine Ross, Chief Scientific Officer for Scotland and Science Council President. As Chief Scientific Officer, Catherine is Scottish Government’s most senior clinical advisor for Health Science professional issues, and head of profession for the scientific workforce in the NHS in Scotland.
Professor Ross is a Clinical Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Biologist and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the National Institute of Prevention and Cardiovascular Health in Ireland and the European Society of Cardiology. Catherine has been awarded a number of Honorary Fellowships including the Royal College of Pathologists, Academy for Healthcare science and The Physiological Society. She is the recipient of a number of prestigious awards including the Outstanding Women in Science award presented by Princess Anne, the Ulster University Distinguished Graduate Award and the UK Advancing Healthcare Award for the Most Inspiring Leader.
She is a Visiting Professor at Edinburgh Napier University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Ulster University. Catherine is a non-executive director of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and a member of the Council of Ulster University.
Catherine holds a number of senior leadership positions Nationally and Internationally, She is currently a Board member of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions within the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Chair of Associations Advocacy Committee and Chair of the European Society of Cardiology Taskforce on Allied Professionals. She represents Scotland on the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE) Board. In recognition of her work supporting women leaders has been an invited delegate for the UK UN Women delegation on the UN Commission on the Status of Women.f the event, and their stories will be shared on our channels in the following weeks. This year we have announced a new award, the Inclusion Champion Award, which will spotlight an individual or team that has demonstrated impact on advancing inclusion within the science professions.
