Julie Fitzpatrick

Julie Lydia Fitzpatrick is a Scottish scientist and academic. She was Scotland's Chief Scientific Advisor from June 2021 to August 2025, and formerly Director of the Moredun Research Institute.

Life Fitzpatrick studied to become a vet at the University of Glasgow and she gained her doctorate at the University of Bristol. She holds a Chair in Food Security at the University of Glasgow’s College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences.

In 2021 she became Scotland's Chief Scientific Advisor and ex-officio member of the Scottish Science Advisory Council. This is a part-time role and leads the provision of scientific advice to the Scottish Government. She took over from physicist Sheila Rowan in June 2021. Her term of office will end in September 2025.

As the Scottish Government's advisor she attended Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland to advise on possible future scenarios.

Awards and honours She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2007 and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society of Scotland in 2008.