Speakers
Politics and Pathology
Catherine is the Chief Scientific Officer at Scottish Government, Scottish Government’s most senior clinical advisor for Healthcare Science professional issues, and head of profession for Healthcare Scientists in Scotland. She provides expert professional advice to Scottish Ministers and Policy Officials and leadership for all aspects of policy which impact on the scientific workforce including education, research and clinical practice. She is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction for all of the scientific services in Scotland, and leads on international health issues from a scientific professions perspective.
Catherine is a Clinical Scientist and has worked in the NHS for over 25 years having spent most of her clinical career specialising in non-invasive cardiac imaging and is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Biologist and holds a number of Fellowships including Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.
She has previously held the post of Scientific Lead at NHS England, and prior to that led the Clinical Leadership Portfolio for Healthcare Scientists at the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England.
Catherine holds a number of senior leadership positions Nationally and Internationally and has served as the President of the Professional Body for Cardiac Scientists. She is the current Vice-Chair of the Science Council, the international awarding body of Chartership in Science, as well as a member of the Science Council Board of Trustees and Chair of the Policy Advisory Committee. She is currently a Board member of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions within the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and is the current Secretary/Treasurer of the Board and Member of the European Society of Cardiology Taskforce on Allied Professionals. She represents Scotland on the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE) Board and is a member of the International (IFMBE) scientific programme committee. 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.
Catherine’s professional interests include Workforce, Professional Identity and Research and is an Editorial Board member of the British Journal of Cardiology and peer reviewer for a number of international scientific journals. She has led and been involved in a number of STEM initiatives aimed at inspiring children and in particular girls, to pursue a career in science.