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Leading Forensic Soil Scientist Professor Lorna Dawson Awarded Damehood in New Year Honours
Award celebrates the internationally renowned scientist’s 35‑year career applying soil science to land management, food security and criminal justice.
Professor Lorna Dawson, Head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute, was recommended for the award by His Majesty the King for her services to innovations in soil and forensic science.
An internationally renowned soil scientist, Professor Dawson has over 35 years of experience in managing and conducting research in soil and plant interactions, particularly their application in the criminal justice system.
She has reported and advised on over 200 criminal cases and written over 150 Expert Witness reports, both in the UK and abroad. Additionally, she has presented evidence in more than 25 cases, including the World’s End murders and the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry.
Professor Dawson has previously been awarded a Commander of the British Empire, having been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 2018. She has also received a Special Recognition award at the 2017 Pride of Britain awards ceremony and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Royal Scottish Geographical Society, the British Society of Soil Science and the Royal Society of Biology.
Professor Dawson said:
“I am deeply honoured and immensely humbled to be recognised with a Damehood in His Majesty the King’s New Year 2026 Honours List. This award reflects the extraordinary contributions of the Centre for Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute and the many dedicated collaborators who work with us.
“Soil science may seem an unsung discipline, but its applications — from underpinning sustainable land management, producing safe, nutritious food, to providing robust scientific evidence that supports the criminal justice system — make a real difference to society in the UK and across the world. I am grateful for the support of my family, my professional networks, and the wider scientific, policy, policing and legal communities, whose collective passion and expertise have made this pioneering work possible.”
