The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Knowledge made useful

The RSE, Scotland’s National Academy, contributes to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Scotland through the advancement of learning and useful knowledge.

Established in 1783

The RSE draws upon the considerable strengths of and varied expertise of our Fellows.

Learn more

Awards

We support world-class research to enhance capacity and realise benefit for Scotland and its people.

Vacancies

We are currently advertising two vacant positions in our Team.

Wellcome East Room

Venue Hire

Combining elegance and modern equipment, our rooms offer the perfect location for any event.

Events

We host an events programme which covers a wide range of topics across the full academic spectrum.

RSE Energy Inquiry

Scotland’s Energy Future

The RSE’s Energy Inquiry aims to contribute to the important debate around Scotland’s energy supply, demand and use; a debate that needs to recognise our moral and environmental responsibilities. It will also look to inform the policy and decision-making at a Scottish, UK and international level that will ultimately decide whether the path Scotland chooses to follow provides the resources needed at acceptable financial, moral, ethical and environmental costs.

Evidence Gathering

The Energy Inquiry Call for Evidence seeks to gather answers to 15 questions across a broad range of energy issues, including the energy landscape, climate change, the energy mix, and ethics, social issues and impact on communities. Find out more about how to submit evidence and our planned outreach events here.

News & Events

As the Committee undertakes this project – gathering evidence, meeting stakeholders, and producing its final report – you can keep up-to-date with all of its work, outreach efforts, and meetings here.

Upcoming Events

Wilfred Owen’s Edinburgh Enlightenment

From late June to November in 1917, the soldier-poet Wilfred Owen recovered from shell shock at Craiglockhart War Hospital, near Edinburgh. For the last ten years, Neil McLennan has been researching Owen’s time in Edinburgh to better understand his experience and the influence the city had on him.
Tuesday 15 August 2017 6:30pm

‘A rank reiver’: Kinmont Willie’s sword comes home

As the exhibition in Dumfries and Annan, ‘Swords in the Stories’, draws to a close, Dr Valentina Bold reflects on the significance of its key object, ‘Kinmont Willie’s’ sword. Recently discovered in the Annan Museum collection, this is a material culture object with strong links to intangible culture.
Thursday 7 September 2017 6:30pm

Putting the ‘f’ in Chemistry: Molecular exploration through the footnotes of the periodic table and our nuclear waste legacy

The subtleties of structure and bonding in compounds of uranium, the heaviest naturally occurring element, and its neighbours in the f-block are still poorly-understood. Drawing on our research to make exotic new molecules from these metals, this lecture will explore what chemistry can teach us about these complicated but important metals.
Monday 18 September 2017 6:00pm

Spotlight on Scotland’s Biodiversity

2011–2020 is the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. This two-day conference will examine Scotland’s progress in achieving the Aichi biodiversity goals and themes.
Tuesday 10 October 2017
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