The New Year Honors recognized leading figures in agricultural science and agritechnology, with Professor Lorna Dawson receiving a peerage and Professor Simon Pearson receiving an MBE for their contribution to British agriculture.
Professor Dawson, Director of the Center for Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute, was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) on the recommendation of King Charles for her contribution to soil and forensic innovation.
For more than 35 years, she has helped transform soil science from an overlooked field into a powerful forensic tool, while advancing the understanding of soils that support sustainable land management and food production. Her research plays a central role in strengthening the use of scientific evidence in the UK and international criminal justice systems.
She has advised on over 200 criminal cases, written over 150 expert witness reports and given evidence in over 25 cases, including the World’s End Murders and the Sheku Bayoh Hearings. Her research is widely recognized for establishing soil and plant material as reliable forensic evidence.
Responding to the honour, Professor Dawson said: “I am deeply honored and deeply humbled to have been named a Dame in His Majesty’s 2026 New Year Honors List,” adding that this reflected “the extraordinary contribution of the James Hutton Institute’s Center for Forensic Soil Science and the many dedicated collaborators who work with us.”
She also emphasized the broader relevance of her field, saying: “Soil science may seem like an unknown discipline, but its applications make a real difference to societies in the UK and around the world, from the foundations of sustainable land management, to producing safe and nutritious food, to providing robust scientific evidence to support criminal justice systems.”
Also on the list of winners was Professor Simon Pearson, Founding Director of the Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Food Technology (LIAT) at the University of Lincoln, who was awarded an MBE for his services to agricultural innovation and education. He was appointed by Defra for his work driving the productivity, sustainability and resilience of UK agriculture.
Professor Pearson, who grew up on a farm and lives near Boston in Lincolnshire, founded LIAT at the university’s Riseholme campus in 2016. The institute brings together expertise in artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering, crop science, environmental sustainability, food manufacturing and supply chain, and is a national exemplar for university-led agri-food innovation.
Under his leadership, the University received the Queen’s Jubilee Award in 2023 for its contribution to the success and sustainability of the UK food and farming industry.
He also oversaw the development of a £2.2m climate-smart greenhouse research facility and helped secure £5m of UK Research and Innovation funding to create an Agritech Innovation Cluster with the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia.
Professor Pearson also led the UK Government’s independent review into automation and robotics in the horticulture sector, which informed industrial strategy, and described Lincoln and LIAT as ‘leading agritech innovation institutions’.
On receiving the MBE, he said: “I am extremely grateful and proud to have won this award. My journey began in Lincolnshire as the son of a farmer and continues at the University of Lincoln. The agricultural industry has always been driven by innovation.”
He added: “We are currently accelerating this by incorporating science from at least 50 different fields to create new technologies for the next generation of farmers, particularly the use of robotics and artificial intelligence. We hope these technologies will benefit not only farmers but also consumers, and help support food security for all.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Juster said Professor Pearson’s leadership had transformed the university’s role in this area. “Simon’s leadership and vision have transformed the role our university plays in the future of food and farming in the UK,” he said, adding that the MBE reflected “our shared ambition to make Lincolnshire a national hub for agri-food innovation”.
The recognition of Professor Dawson and Professor Pearson in the New Year Honors highlights the increasingly central role of science, technology and innovation in supporting sustainable farming, strengthening public trust in evidence and securing the future of food production in the UK.
