‎Head of Digital Environment, Natural Environment Research Council

Policy Fellow Alum, Centre for Science and Policy

Dr Simon Gardner has more than 15 years’ experience in environmental regulation, having worked extensively across the European Union with a wide variety of government ministries, arms-length delivery bodies, and research councils, developing expertise in the science-policy interface, evidence-based policy, environmental regulation, European legislation, and brokering trans-national research agreements. His goal is to bring together the best available knowledge and expertise to develop robust evidence-based approaches to meeting environmental challenges.

In his previous role as Head of Innovation at the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Simon worked with the business and academic communities to develop impact from innovation within environmental science. He previously worked for the Environment Agency, where he managed evidence partnerships between the Agency and external organisations in order to share data and information, expertise, and research. He has worked in a variety of roles at the Environment Agency as a Senior Scientist and Policy Advisor, and as a Senior Manager in Data Innovation for NERC.

Dr Gardner holds a First Class Joint Honours BSc degree in Biology and Geography from the University of Exeter, a BSc in Business Management from the University of Bradford, and a DPhil for research on the impacts of climate change on the growth and physiology of hybrid poplar from the University of Sussex. He has authored a number of published scientific papers, and most recently contributed a chapter to the book, ‘Water system science and policy interfacing’.