Jeremy Watson is Professor of Engineering Systems and Vice-Dean (Mission) in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, based in the Department of Science Technology, Engineering and Public Policy. He is also Chief Scientist and Engineer at the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Until November 2012, Jeremy was Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department of Communities & Local Government (DCLG).  He worked as Arup's Global Research Director between 2006 and 2013. Jeremy was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s 2013 Birthday honours for services to engineering.

An engineer by training, Jeremy has experience as a practitioner and director of pure and applied research and development in industry, the public sector and academia. He has held research and technical management roles in industry and universities plus voluntary service with the DTI and BIS. His interests include interactions in, and the design of, socio-technical systems, emerging technology identification, development and deployment, and strategic innovation processes.

Jeremy is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the

Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Engineering Technology (Past Chairman: IET Innovation & Emerging Technologies Panel). He became President of the IET in October 2016.

Jeremy serves on the NPL Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC), was a founder Board member of the Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK), and was Chair of the Institute for Sustainability and of BuildingSMART UK. He also recently chaired the NERC Innovation Advisory Board and BuildingSMART UK, and served on the Council of the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).