The James Hutton Institute is an interdisciplinary scientific research institute in Scotland established in 2011, through the merger of

Scottish Crop Research Institute The Scottish Crop Research Institute more commonly known as SCRI was a scientific institute located in Invergowrie near Dundee, Scotland. As of April 2011, when SCRI merged with the Macaulay Land Use Institute it is now part of The James Hutto ...

(SCRI) and the

Macaulay Land Use Research Institute The Macaulay Institute, formally the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and sometimes referred to simply as The Macaulay, is a research institute based at Aberdeen in Scotland, which is now part of the James Hutton Institute. Its work covers ...

. The institute, named after Scottish geologist

James Hutton James Hutton (; 3 June O.S.172614 June 1726 New Style. – 26 March 1797) was a Scottish geologist, agriculturalist, chemical manufacturer, naturalist and physician. Often referred to as the father of modern geology, he played a key role i ...

, one of the leading figures of the

Scottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment ( sco, Scots Enlichtenment, gd, Soillseachadh na h-Alba) was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century ...

, combines existing Scottish expertise in agricultural research, soils and land use, and works in fields including

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...

and energy security, biodiversity, and climate change. With more than 600 employees, the institute is among the largest research centres in the UK. It is a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

under Scottish law. The institute has its main offices in Aberdeen and

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

with farms and field research stations at Glensaugh and

Balruddery Balruddery House by Longforgan in Perthshire, Scotland, was designed by David Neave for James Webster circa 1820. In about 1879 it was bought by James F White, who had previously leased Castle Huntly in Longforgan. James White and his son J Marti ...

. The Dundee site also hosts the Plant Sciences department of the University of Dundee. The James Hutton Institute also formally contains Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) which has staff based in Edinburgh,

, Aberdeen and Ayr. BioSS undertakes research, consultancy and training in mathematics and statistics as applied to agriculture, the environment, food and health. Strategic oversight of the development of BioSS is provided by a Strategic Planning Group composed of senior representatives from BioSS' principal stakeholders. BioSS and the James Hutton Institute are two of a family of six organisations termed the Main Research Providers for the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). In 2012, the institute announced that it was formally joining the

Natural Capital Initiative The Natural Capital Initiative (NCI) is a partnership of UK science organisations which promotes and supports decision-making across government, business and the private sector that results in the sustainable management of our natural capital. It i ...

, a leading UK partnership that brings together policymakers, scientists, business, industry to find the most effective ways safeguard important ecosystems and natural capital. Projects led by the institute to establish an International Barley Hub and an Advanced Plant Growth Centre in Dundee have been supported through the Tay Cities Deal with a £62m investment.

References

{{authority control Agricultural organisations based in Scotland Research institutes in Scotland Environmental research institutes Agricultural research institutes in the United Kingdom 2011 establishments in Scotland Organisations based in Aberdeen Organisations based in Dundee 2011 in science Public bodies of the Scottish Government Government agencies established in 2011 Science and technology in Aberdeen Science and technology in Dundee Charities based in Scotland