The Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK's Ministry of Defence is responsible for providing strategic management of science and technology issues in the MOD, most directly through the MOD research budget of well over £1 billion, and sits as a full member of the Defence Management Board and the Defence Council, the two most senior management boards within the MOD. There is also a Chief Scientific Adviser (Nuclear), responsible for the MOD’s nuclear science and technology programme, currently held by Professor Bill Lee.
List of MOD Chief Scientific Advisers
Sir Henry Tizard, 1946–1952
Sir John Cockcroft, 1952–1954
Sir Frederick Brundrett, 1954–1960
Sir Solly Zuckerman, 1960–1965
Sir Alan Cottrell, 1966–1967
Sir William Cook, 1966–1970
Sir Hermann Bondi, 1971–1977
Sir Ronald Mason, 1977–1983
Sir Richard Oswald Chandler Norman, 1983–1988
Sir Ronald Oxburgh, 1988–1993
Sir David Davies, 1993–1999
Sir Keith O'Nions, 2000–2004
Sir Roy Anderson, 2004–2008
Sir Mark Welland, 2008–2012
Professor Vernon Gibson, 2012–2016
Hugh F. Durrant-Whyte, 2017–2018
Simon Cholerton, 2018–2019 (interim)
Dame Angela McLean 2019–2023
Professor Vernon Gibson, 2023−present