Sir William Stewart, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, will present this year's Weipers Memorial Lecture entitled 'The Other Side of the Fence - a Glasgow Botanist and Whitehall' at 5.30 pm on Thursday 20th September.

Commenting on the lecture Sir William said: "The pace of technological change is outstripping the ability of the general public and the politicians they elect to comprehend fully what is going on. Yet science is not always an exact subject - it, too, is full of uncertainties, whilst certainties are demanded. Coupled to all of this is the fact that particular advances are being made in the life sciences which impact on the health and well-being of each of us as individuals. What does the future hold?"

After graduating from the University of Glasgow in Botany, Sir William went on to become an expert in his field and has held appointments as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Cabinet Office and as the first head of the UK Office of Science and Technology. Sir William is also the first person to receive two honorary degrees from the University of Glasgow. Earlier this month he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the University in his capacity as President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, which held its annual festival here. Ten years ago Sir William was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree.

The Sir William Weipers lecture is an annual event held in memory of the first director and dean of the Glasgow Veterinary School. This lecture was originally scheduled to take place in May, but was postponed due to foot and mouth restrictions.