* Paul Kerswill , sociolinguist and former senior lecturer at Reading University, has been appointed to a chair in the department of linguistics at Lancaster University.
* The Royal Society of Edinburgh has appointed the following new members of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee: Wilson Sibbett (chair) Wardlaw professor of physics, St Andrews University; Steven Beaumont , professor and director, Institute of System Level Integration; Geoffrey Boulton , vice-principal and regius professor of geology, Edinburgh University; Muffy Calder , head of department and professor of computing science, Glasgow University; Kenneth Calman , vice-chancellor, Durham University; John Coggins , professor and dean of biomedical and life sciences, Glasgow; Julie Fitzpatrick , professor, chief executive and scientific director of the Moredun Group; Peter Grant , professor, head of the School of Engineering, Edinburgh; Peter Morgan , professor and director of the Rowett Research Institute; Stuart Monro , scientific director, Our Dynamic Earth; Richard Morris , professor of neuroscience, Edinburgh; John Nicholls , chief executive officer, Photonic Materials; Barbara Spruce , group leader, Translational Cancer Research, Dundee; Stuart Reid , professor of veterinary epidemiology (joint position) Glasgow and Strathclyde universities; Jonathan Seckl , head, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine and professor of medicine, Edinburgh; Joyce Tait , professor and director of the Economic and Social Research Centre Innogen Centre, Edinburgh; Chris van der Kuyl , founder, president and chief executive officer, VIS Entertainment; and Graham Wren , director, Scotland, AEA Technology.