Ian is Director of International Affairs for the Royal Society - the U.K.’s National Academy of Sciences - where he leads on the Society’s global engagement.  Before joining the Royal Society, Ian worked at the University of York in a number of roles including leading the University’s Brexit contingency planning and serving as the first Director for the York-Maastricht Partnership, the universities strategic relationship with Maastricht University.  Ian is also a former British Diplomat including postings in Moscow and in Washington D.C. where he was Deputy Head of the Embassy’s political section during the 2016 Presidential elections.