Aberdeen Convention Bureau (ACB), an arm of VisitAberdeenshire, has recognised the efforts of the city’s academics who were instrumental in securing 49 conferences with 74,000 delegates to the region during 2025 at an awards ceremony on Thursday 5 February.
The main award on the night, the ‘James Clerk Maxwell Ambassador of Excellence Award’ went to Dr Jenna Ross OBE recognising her work to confirm The Nuffield Farming Scholarship conference that took place in November 2025 at P&J Live, the furthest north that the conference has been in its 78-year history. Jenna’s vision to showcase the very best of food and farming in the area, as well as highlighting the Nuffield Farming travel scholarship to young people within Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, was demonstrated.
Thanks to her drive and commitment Jenna worked collaboratively to arrange partnerships with regional organisations to ensure smooth travel to the conference, sponsorship of young people, and confirm in-kind support from regional food and drink producers. In addition to the conference, Jenna has been at the forefront of driving an Expo to showcase local agribusinesses and charities and has been pivotal in involving charities that support mental health, wellbeing, and wider health in this subject area.
Dr Jenna Ross OBE receiving the 2026 James Clark Maxwell Award from Fiona Anderson from category sponsor Northlink Ferries.
Laura Wilson, Head of Convention Bureau, said: “Business events are a high value, high volume and a highly measurable form of tourism that also raise the profile of the North-east's academic and business credentials. The Ambassador Awards was a night of celebration and recognition of those who are core to confirming conferences and events in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 2025 was a successful year within the region for business events, thanks to Ambassadors willing to go above and beyond their usual day to day. The evening ensured that this activity and the impact of this activity, did not go unrecognised.
“The award was inspired by James Clerk Maxwell’s pioneering role in bringing the British Association for the Advancement of Science to Aberdeen in 1859, and his work to develop a venue to accommodate the event, the place we now know as the Music Hall. We believe James Clerk Maxwell could well have been the original academic ambassador for the city, and we’re proud to honour his legacy with this special award, with the approval of the University of Aberdeen and of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation in Edinburgh.
“Dr Jenna Ross OBE is the worthy winner of this accolade, thanks to his continuous contribution, influence, and support when attracting conferences to the North-east. Congratulations to Jenna."
The other winners were:
- Best Event Under 200 Delegates: Scottish School Psychology Conference
- Best Event between 200 and 500 Delegates: Society for East Asian Archaeology
- Best Event over 500 Delegates: Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference
- Collaboration Award: 10th Annual Grampian Research Conference
- Impact Award: Nuffield Farming Scholarship
- Developing Ambassador Award: Kamo Sende, SLSS International Research Conference
The event was supported by Aberdeen City Council; Aberdeen City & Shire Hotels Association; Scottish Citylink Coaches; Appetite for Business; Hilton Aberdeen TECA & Aloft Aberdeen TECA; NorthLink Ferries and Premier Coaches.