Professor Sander van der Linden has been appointed to the new DSIT College of Experts, a network of independent specialists who will give the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) fast, flexible access to leading scientific and technical expertise.
Prof van der Linden said "This an important opportunity to bring cutting-edge research and evidence to UK policymakers on the impact of social media, online harms, and AI on people’s everyday lives. I look forward to providing evidence-based advice to the Chief Scientific Adviser at DSIT."
The College was formally launched on 18 June 2026 at the Royal Society in London, bringing together members from universities, industry and research institutes across the UK.
Professor van der Linden is one of 71 members selected through a competitive process involving 1,200 expressions of interest. Members volunteer up to five days a year to support government work, from short advisory conversations to workshops and peer review.
The launch of the College of Experts at the Royal Society brought together an extraordinary group of independent specialists from across the UK, spanning AI, quantum, life sciences, cyber security, and far beyond. The experts volunteer their time to support us, reflecting a real commitment from the UK’s research and innovation community to contribute to government policymaking. Seeing DSIT colleagues and world-leading academics and practitioners in the same room was a powerful reminder of what this department can achieve when it draws on the best available expertise.
Professor Chris Johnson, DSIT Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the College of Experts, said:
“The launch of the College of Experts at the Royal Society brought together an extraordinary group of independent specialists from across the UK, spanning AI, quantum, life sciences, cyber security, and far beyond. The experts volunteer their time to support us, reflecting a real commitment from the UK’s research and innovation community to contribute to government policymaking. Seeing DSIT colleagues and world-leading academics and practitioners in the same room was a powerful reminder of what this department can achieve when it draws on the best available expertise.”