Cambridge seeks behaviour change expert to tackle climate crisis as first Hatton Professor of Sustainability

The Hatton Professorship of Sustainability, established to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, recognises His Majesty’s strong connection as an alumnus of Trinity College Cambridge and his efforts in encouraging education in the field of sustainability.

This prestigious Professorship, enabled by Trinity College Cambridge and the University of Cambridge, was devised to help tackle one of the most challenging aspects of climate change and other pressing global environmental problems. 

The first professor to be appointed to this new Chair at Cambridge will be a behavioural scientist, whose insights will effect change in choices and actions taken by the public that could benefit the environment and improve sustainability.

The University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Environmental Sustainability, Professor Bhaskar Vira, said: "Cambridge has many of the building blocks required to address climate change, not just through advancing knowledge, but in connecting discovery, education, innovation, policy and societal engagement. This post will be a key part of this ecosystem, providing research-led insights into individual and societal behavioural responses which underpin climate resilience and sustainability."

The University of Cambridge will advertise the Professorship this summer, with the aim of the successful candidate starting before the end of the academic year 2026/27. The role at the University includes a Fellowship at Trinity College for the new appointee. 

The Hatton Professorship of Sustainability is funded through an endowment of £7 million, made possible by a donation of £5 million from Trinity College and the Hatton Trust, matched by £2 million from the University of Cambridge. 

The new post reflects the commitment of Trinity College and the University of Cambridge to invest in research that can improve people’s lives and the planet. 

Master of Trinity College Dame Sally Davies said: "This endowed Chair in Sustainability highlights the College’s dedication to advancing world-class research that can have a huge impact across the globe. I am proud that Trinity College, in collaboration with the Hatton Trust and the University, has made this seminal Professorship possible."