Meet our Stakeholder team

Our main Stakeholder Manager is based at the Scottish Marine Institute, and is assisted by colleagues in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Stakeholder Manager - Ian Macfarlane

Originally a research scientist, Ian started a private contract research organisation in the 1970’s and subsequently started up a further 26 technically-based businesses in a dozen countries.

Turning his attention to commercialisation of Scottish university research output in 1997, Ian has recently specialised in transfer of scientific know-how to the commercial end-user community.  His role in BioMara is to engage with and manage the outreach activity that will result in the translation of the work of BioMara scientists into a practical contribution to the low carbon economy.  He is keen to engage with regulators, statutory advisors, NGOs with biorenewable interests, suppliers to the renewable industry and potential & current end users, especially those within the BioMara geographical region of the west of Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Stakeholder liaison- Elaine Groom

Dr Elaine Groom is a project manager and scientist with 19 years' experience of research delivery, development and management.  Following five years postdoctoral research at University of Birmingham, she joined the QUESTOR Centre in 1996 and is now General Manager.  She has broad experience of scientific delivery in academia and in collaboration with industry. Her role in BioMara is to support delivery of stakeholder engagement in the Irish cross-border area.

Stakeholder liaison - Caroline Gilleran

Dr Caroline Gilleran's role in BioMara is to assess microbiological processes for energy production from marine algal biomass. Based at DKIT in Ireland, she also she also supports technology transfer and the dissemination of research outputs to key stakeholders in the Republic of Ireland.

If you would like to be contacted by one of our stakeholder team, please email us at: biomara@sams.ac.uk