The James Hutton Institute is delighted to announce that Dr Kerry Waylen has been appointed as the International Land Use Study Centre (ILUSC) deputy director.
A senior researcher in the Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Department, Dr Waylen joined the Hutton in 2010 after carrying out PhD research into community-based conservation in the Global South at Imperial College London. She specialises in finding ways to achieve 'joined-up' approaches to natural resource management and has worked on a range of interdisciplinary projects involving environmental management, both internationally and within Scotland.
Currently, Kerry is leading a team of collaborators at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) to explore how natural capital data and framings can be used to inspire changes for sustainability. She’s also involved in a Scottish Government-funded project to mainstream nature-based solutions in Scotland and supports research on enrolling private sector actors and resources for sustainability as part of the European-funded MERLIN project.
In 2022, the Hutton researcher was selected as one of Scotland's Leaders in Biodiversity Conservation Science.
Her new role will see Dr Waylen serving as part of the leadership team for the ILUSC, an innovation centre supported by the Macaulay Development Trust, which focuses on enabling just transition in land use and promoting high-impact land-based science.
She will work alongside Professor Lee-Ann Sutherland, director of ILUSC, who said: “I am delighted to have Kerry step up into a formal role within ILUSC. Kerry brings a wealth of experience in land use governance and an enthusiasm for impact that will be really beneficial as ILUSC enters its next stage."
Commenting on her appointment, Dr Waylen said: “I am excited to work with Lee-Ann and colleagues to support the future work and impact of ILUSC.”