Industrial Strategy Lead, University of Cambridge

Dr Konstantina Stamati is the founder and Director of the Cambridge Grand Challenges (CGC), an interdisciplinary framework of engagement that started from the social sciences and is now operating in multiple disciplines across Cambridge. Reflecting on the industrial strategy, the Cambridge Grand Challenges connects academia with 'real-world' industry and government needs and highlights ways in which innovative knowledge exchange collaborations can be formed across the disciplines.

Dr Stamati is managing the Cambridge Social Sciences Partnership (a cross disciplinary network of 26 departments and institutes plus a growing network of more than 60 non-academic partners from the commercial, government and charitable sector) and she is responsible for setting up the partnership’s development strategy. In this role Konstantina is bringing together her passions for research, education and collaboration across a wide range of areas and expanding the University’s work with its strategic partners.

With her extensive experience of strategic relations, together with a deep knowledge of the research landscape, previously, Konstantina was the Head of Research Partnerships for the Forum for Sustainability and the Environment and Head of Partnerships and Development for the ESRC Doctoral training Centre and led the 'Cambridge Foresight 2065 visions' project – part of the Government Foresight 'Future of Cities' project while working at the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy exploring how better use of science and technology can deliver better policy.

A plant geneticist, Dr Stamati has extensive experience in plant biotechnology and applied plant science, spanning both academic and commercial research in the agricultural crop sector, including 6 years with NIAB and 4 years at SCRI (The James Hutton Institute). She has extensive scientific experience in plant conservation and gene expression, especially in wheat and barley and rice, and has been involved in various cross-sector activities bringing together academics and businesses.

Konstantina has a first degree in Food Sciences and Management from Cardiff University, a MSc in Food Biotechnology from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Dundee.