 He has been co-Convenor of the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum since 2003, a voluntary group he helped establish to support a greater understanding of earth sciences in Scottish schools and colleges and chairs the Earth Science Trust.Also in 2003 he was appointed by Scottish Ministers to serve on the Scottish Science Advisory Council, a national forum which provides strategic advice to the Scottish Government on scientific issues.He was the Council's first Independent Co-chair till he stood down as both Co-Chair and a member of the Council in 2009.