Peter Gluckman became President of the International Science Council in October 2021. His term will continue until the General Assembly of 2024.
Peter Gluckman is an internationally recognized biomedical scientist, and currently heads Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures (www.informedfutures.org) at the University of Auckland. From 2009-2018 he was first Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and from 2012-2018 Science Envoy for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was foundation chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA) from 2014-2021.
He trained as a paediatrician and biomedical scientist, publishing over 700 papers and several academic and popular books in animal science, developmental physiology, growth and development and evolutionary biology and evolutionary medicine. A key theme of his research has been on understanding how a baby’s environment between conception and birth determines its childhood development and life-long health – and the impact that this knowledge has for individuals and whole populations. He co-chaired the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (2013-2017). He is chief scientific officer of the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences.
Peter Gluckman has written and spoken extensively on science-policy, risk assessment, science-diplomacy, and science-society interactions. In 2016 he received the AAAS award in Science Diplomacy. He has received the highest civilian and scientific honours in New Zealand. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of London, of the Royal Society of New Zealand a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK) and a member of the National Academy of Medicine (USA). He holds a Distinguished University Professorship in the University of Auckland, New Zealand and honorary chairs at the University College London, University of Southampton and National University of Singapore.