Hutton Unearthed Campaign Launch
A new fundraising campaign, James Hutton Unearthed, has been launched by The James Hutton Institute to help strengthen its financial resilience and protect the independence that underpins its groundbreaking environmental and food security research.
Accessible at unearthed.hutton.ac.uk, the new platform brings together a range of ways to engage with the Institute, including donating to the Unearthed campaign, subscribing to the newsletter, joining events, or becoming a Friend of Hutton through its dedicated membership programme.
The launch of James Hutton Unearthed marks the Institute’s first public-facing donation site, offering an easier and more accessible way for individuals, corporate partners, and alumni to engage directly with its work. The campaign showcases the Institute’s wide-ranging impact across four areas – Land, Food, Water, and Energy – which visitors can explore in depth to unearth the pioneering research taking place in Scotland and beyond.
Donations made to the Unearthed campaign will support core activities that enable the Institute to respond quickly to emerging challenges, invest in innovation, and protect its scientific independence.
The James Hutton Institute plays a vital role in delivering the science across land, food, water, and energy that will help nurture the planet for future generations. By launching Hutton Unearthed, the Institute invites supporters to help strengthen the foundations that allow this work to thrive.
A call for collective action
Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of The James Hutton Institute, said, “People trust Hutton science. The greatest gift to science is independence: the freedom to think boldly and to innovate and focus on where we can make the biggest difference. Through the James Hutton Unearthed campaign, we can build on that independence – ensuring our researchers have the stability and support they need to tackle the urgent challenges facing our land, food, water and energy.”
Campaign launch event
The campaign was introduced at a Burns Supper event featuring bestselling crime author Ian Rankin and the Hutton’s Head of Soil Forensics, Professor Dame Lorna Dawson. The two discussed their long‑standing collaboration and the growing importance of forensic soil science in criminal investigations.
Professor Colin Campbell, Professor Dame Lorna Dawson, Ian Rankin and Susan Davies, Chair of The James Hutton Institute.
Ian Rankin said, “I was delighted to attend a dinner to celebrate the launch of James Hutton Unearthed in Edinburgh and to have the opportunity to reconnect with Lorna, who I’d consulted with for In A House of Lies. The character of Professor Lee Ann Inglis – a soil forensics expert – was based on my conversations with Lorna, so getting the science right was important! The James Hutton Institute plays such a key role in modern science, not just soil analysis but responding to the major environmental challenges of our age. The new campaign will help raise much needed funding for this important work.”
If you have any questions, you can reach the Philanthropy Team at philanthropy@hutton.ac.uk.