20 Facts About Hilary Lappin-Scott

Hilary Margaret Lappin-Scott FLS FLSW PFHEA FAAM FRSB was born on 1955 and is a British microbiologist whose field of research is microbial biofilms.

In 2009 Hilary was elected as the second female President of the Society for General Microbiology in 70 years and served in this role until 2012.

Hilary Lappin-Scott has been President of the International Society for Microbial Ecology at the same time, serving two terms in this role.

Hilary Lappin-Scott is currently Pro-Vice Chancellor for Strategic Development and External Relations at Swansea University.

Hilary Lappin-Scott received the honour of Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 New Year Honours list.

Hilary Lappin-Scott started her research career as a postdoctoral work at the University of Calgary, Canada in the group of Bill Costerton, a pioneer in biofilm research.

Hilary Lappin-Scott moved to a faculty position at the University of Exeter in 1990, where she became a personal Chair in Microbiology in 1999.

Hilary Lappin-Scott has supervised 50 students through their PhDs, edited 7 textbooks and published extensively in the area of microbial biofilms.

Hilary Lappin-Scott left Exeter in 2008 when she was appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Bangor University, Wales, from where she was later appointed in 2010 as Chair in Microbiology and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Strategic Development and External Relations at Swansea University.

Hilary Lappin-Scott finished her term as Pro-Vice Chancellor in 2019 and is currently Honorary Distinguished Professor at Cardiff University.

Hilary Lappin-Scott was a REF2014 panel member and is a REF2021 panel Chair.

Hilary Lappin-Scott joined in 1984 and was Convenor of the Environmental Microbiology group in 1996.

Hilary Lappin-Scott served as the Scientific Meetings Officer in 2004, introducing a new Division theme structure for conference planning and establishing the SGM Prize Medal.

Hilary Lappin-Scott was then elected President in 2009, being only the second female President in SGM history, following a gap of over 60 years from the first female President, Marjory Stephenson.

Hilary Lappin-Scott is an Honorary Member of the Society.

In 2016 Hilary Lappin-Scott attracted the British Science Festival to Swansea University, the legacy of which continues in the form of the Swansea Science Festival, an annual event which aims to inspire generations around science and its applications in everyday life.

Hilary Lappin-Scott has had major roles in the International Society for Microbial Ecology, serving two terms as president from 2006 to 2010, and she was involved in founding the ISME Journal.

Hilary Lappin-Scott is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, the Royal Society of Biology, the Linnean Society, the Learned Society of Wales, and the European Academy of Microbiology.

Hilary Lappin-Scott received an Honorary Doctorate from Orebro University, Sweden, in Feb 2020.

Hilary Lappin-Scott is the current President of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies.