Dr Chandrika Nath

Dr Chandrika Nath has over 20 years’ experience of working at the science/policy interface in a wide variety of national and international contexts.

A former glaciologist, she is currently Executive Director of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the leading global organisation supporting collaboration in Antarctic Research and providing advice to the Antarctic Treaty System. With an international membership of 44 nations and 9 scientific unions, SCAR plays a leading role in facilitating international scientific collaboration in Antarctic Research, coordinating over 30 research groups across all disciplines and organising the Antarctic community’s most well attended international conference every two years. It also provides advice and information to international bodies such as the UNFCCC and the IPCC.

Prior to joining SCAR, Dr Nath was Acting Head of the the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), an office providing scientific advice to Members of both Houses of Parliament. She has briefed UK policymakers on a wide range of areas spanning environment, energy, security, ICT and international development.

Dr Nath has a keen interest in capacity building and has worked with parliaments and researchers across the world to support uptake of research evidence in policy-making. She has authored a number of guidance documents for researchers on how to brief policymakers (see below). From 2008-2013 she ran a charitable programme to support uptake of research by the Parliament of Uganda alongside her work for the UK Parliament. She also has a longstanding interest in science communication, and has presented a number of radio programmes and podcast series.

Prior to working for Parliament, Chandrika worked as a glaciologist at the British Antarctic Survey from 1998-2002. She has a PhD in High Energy Physics from Oxford University.