Jack Hannam served as BSSS President from 2023-2024 and we wanted to pay tribute to her tenure, highlighting key achievements and milestones for her and the Society; which collectively led to her receiving an Outstanding Contribution Award and the Engineering, Science & Maths Award at the Women Leaders Awards in Milton Keynes in June 2025.
Professor Jacqueline Hannam (Jack) is an outstanding leader, mentor, and advocate whose tireless dedication has shaped the soil science sector and inspired a new generation of professionals. As President of the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) at Cranfield University, Milton Keynes, she has steered the society through a period of considerable change, ensuring stability, growth, and progress.
A passionate champion of soil health, Jack has represented the sector on a global stage, chairing discussions, speaking on expert panels, and forging international partnerships. Her work has taken her to prestigious events, including the IUUS Centennial in Florence, where she hosted an all-female expert panel, and COP 29 in Baku, where she led critical discussions on financing soil health initiatives. She has also provided expert testimony before the House of Commons and the Canadian Senate, ensuring soil science remains a priority in policymaking.
Under Jack’s leadership, BSSS has seen record-breaking membership growth, reaching an 88% member satisfaction rate. Her tenure also saw the approval of the first-ever apprenticeship standard for soil science, paving the way for future professionals. She has been a key driver of the society’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative, embedding inclusivity into the sector’s core policies and practices.
Dedicated to outreach and education, Jack co-founded Soapbox Science Milton Keynes, a platform showcasing female scientists and engaging the public in soil research. She also spearheaded the Zoom into Soils webinar series, which attracted 1,065 live attendees and 3,500 replays on YouTube, facilitating crucial knowledge exchange. Additionally, Jack played a leading role in curating the World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow, which brought together over 1,000 scientists and won multiple awards, including:
- Gold Sustainable Initiative Award (M&IT Magazine Awards)
- Best Business Event (2023 Scottish Thistle Awards)
- Best Environmental, Social, and Governance Event (2023 ICE Awards, UK and Germany)
Further cementing her legacy, Jack oversaw the opening of the world’s first and most extensive soil archive, a groundbreaking resource for soil science research in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
As one of the few female presidents in BSSS history, Jack is a role model who embodies resilience and excellence. She has balanced her professional achievements with her personal life, recently earning a promotion to professor at Cranfield University, while continuing to support her family.
Jack’s unwavering passion, strategic leadership, and boundless energy make her an exceptional person. She is not just a leader—she is an innovator, advocate, and inspiration to all who have the privilege of working with her.
We are delighted that as a result of her hard work and dedication, she was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Engineering, Science & Maths Award at the Women Leaders Awards in Milton Keynes in June 2025.
Key Achievements:
- Global Advocacy for Soil Science: Chaired and spoke at major international conferences, including IUUS Centennial in Florence, SB 60 in Bonn, BSAS Conference in Belfast, and COP events in Baku and Riyadh, where she led crucial discussions on soil health and sustainability.
- Policy Impact: Provided expert testimony before the House of Commons and the Canadian Senate, influencing key policy decisions on soil management and environmental sustainability.
- Leadership in the British Society of Soil Science: Led the society through a period of transition, achieving record membership growth and an 88% member satisfaction rate.
- Pioneering Workforce Development: Spearheaded the approval of the first-ever apprenticeship standard for the sector, creating pathways for future soil scientists.
- Championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Integrated transformative EDI approaches into the society’s policies, ensuring a more inclusive and diverse sector.
- Educational Outreach and Public Engagement: Co-founded the Soapbox Science Milton Keynes branch, inspiring young female scientists and connecting practitioners with the public.
- Knowledge Exchange Initiatives: Developed the Zoom into Soils series, attracting over 1,065 live attendees and 3,500 replays on YouTube, enhancing global engagement in soil science.
- Thought Leadership in Publications and Events: Advocated for increased journal publications and chaired expert panels, strengthening the sector’s research impact.
- Establishment of the World’s First Soil Archive: Oversaw the opening of a global soil archive, preserving diverse soil types for future research in combating the Climate and Biodiversity Emergencies.
- Balancing Leadership and Family: While excelling in her professional career, Jack also achieved a promotion to professor at Cranfield University, Milton Keynes, all while supporting her family—Adam, George, and Olive.
- An Award winning approach: In her role as President Elect, she was instrumental in the curation of an international World Congress event held in Glasgow which brought over 1000 scientists from across the world to disseminate cutting edge research. This congress won several awards including Gold Sustainable Initiative Award at the M&IT Magazine Awards, Best Business Event at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards, Best Environmental, Social and Governance Event at the 2023 ICE Awards (UK and Germany
