National Honours

• Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), 2024 – for services to higher education and sustainability
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), 2012 – for services to scientific research

Qualifications:

After graduating with a BA (Hons) Geography from Exeter University in 1975, Professor Judith Petts, CBE, went out into the commercial world, including international banking (Barclays International) and a retail planning consultancy company, returning to research posts at Nottingham University and then Loughborough University from 1980. She completed her PhD by publications (Loughborough University) in 1996: "Risk Management at the Local Authority Level: Managing the Technical Institutional-Public Interface". She was a lecturer/senior lecturer in Centre for Hazard and Risk Management, Loughborough from 1987, becoming Centre Director in 1997.

In 1999, Professor Petts was appointed to the Chair in Environmental Risk Management at University of Birmingham and became Head of the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences in 2001/2. In 2007 she was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor, taking the Research and Knowledge Transfer portfolio. In 2010 Judith moved to the University of Southampton to become the inaugural Dean of the new Faculty of Social and Human Sciences and then in January 2014 was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise.

Professor Petts moved to take up her appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University in February 2016.

Research interests:

A human geographer, Judith’s research career has been intensely interdisciplinary both in mode of operation and focus of study. Her research has bridged the gap between the formal approaches to environmental management and the social dimensions, enhancing effective institutional decision-making including the optimisation of consensus in decision-making. The research over some 3 5 years has sat at the interface between science and expert knowledge and decision processes and societal attitudes and responses. Judith’s research has made a significant international contribution to theoretical and empirical development of public engagement and risk communication with direct policy impact. The research has engaged with several contexts including emerging technologies; urban governance; health and wellbeing; climate change; waste management; land contamination; business and environment.

EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS (selected only)

Current

• Board Member, Great South West Partnership, 2022-
• Board Member, National Centre for Universities and Business 2022-
• Universities UK - Member of Audit and Risk Committee, 2021-
• Member, Heart of the South West LEP Board, 2016-
• Trustee, Marine Biological Association, 2018-

Previous

• Member, Council of BBSRC, 2014-2018
• Trustee, Sir Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, 2016-2018
• Member, NERC Innovation Advisory Board, 2014-2018
• Member, Global Food Security Programme Advisory Panel, 2015-2018
• Member of RCUK Publiv Engagement Advisory Panel, 2014-2017
• Chair, Defra/DECC Social Science Expert Panel, 2012-2016
• Member DEFRA Science Advisory Council, 2011-January 2016
• Chair BIS Steering Board of the Sciencewise Expert Resource Centre for Dialogue in Science and Innovation, 2014-2016 (member since 2008)
• Member of Environmental Advisory Board of Veolia Environmental Plc (previously Onyx),1999-14
• Member, Government Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Taskforce, 2012-13
• Member EPSRC Science Advisory Network, 2011- 2013 (May)
• Member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, April 2005-11
• Member, EPSRC Council Societal Issues Panel, 2006-11
• Trustee, ThinkTank Science Museum, Birmingham, 2008-10
• Member of HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Panel Geography & Environmental Studies, 2005-8
• Member of Advisory Board Humana UK Ltd, 2007-9
• Member of Royal Society, Science in Society Consultative Group, 2005-2008
• Member ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship Review Panel, 2006-2008
• Member, Council of NERC 2000-6
• Member BBSRC DTI/LINK Bioremediation research programme management committee 2001-8
• Advisor to Research Assessment Exercise Environmental Sciences Panel, 2001
• Specialist Adviser, House of Lords, Sub Committee C - Inquiry on Draft Incineration Directive 1999
• Specialist Adviser, House of Commons Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee Inquiry on Sustainable Waste Management 1998
• Council Director, Institute of Environmental Assessment (Now Institute of Environmental Assessment and Management) 1990-2000
• Board member of the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board 1990-1992
• National Education and Training Advisor, Institute of Wastes Management 1991-1995

Elected Fellow of:

AcSS Academy of Social Sciences - 2006

FRSA Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce - 2003

FRGS Royal Geographical Society -1999