The Council and Executive of the British Science Association (BSA) are extremely saddened by the death of Professor Lisa Jardine.
 

Our tribute

Imran Khan, Chief Executive of the British Science Association, said: "The BSA was extremely proud to have Lisa as its President. She also played an active role in her years as President Elect and immediate Past President - challenging and encouraging the organisation into reviewing our mission and vision for a new age.

"We remember her as a curious thinker with a fierce intellect, and a true champion of broadening and diversifying the community of people engaged in science. In particular, she believed in changing how science is seen in our society, positioning it as a central part of our culture. We will miss her contribution enormously, and our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time."

Earlier this year, the BSA – in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum – named a new Award Lecture after Professor Jardine's father, Jacob Bronowski. Speaking at the time, she said:

"My father Jacob Bronowski wrote: 'science and art equally are expressions of man's marvellous plasticity of mind' - for him creativity was an identically powerful driver in science and in the arts. How fitting, then, that the V&A and the BSA should join ranks to create a Jacob Bronowski Award Lecture which celebrates innovation on the cusp between art and science. My family and I are only too happy to give his name to it."

Her work and honours

Professor Jardine was Professor of Renaissance Studies at University College London and Director of the Centre for Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Projects and Centre for Editing Lives and Letters.

She was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge and Jesus College, Cambridge. She held honorary doctorates of Letters from the University of St Andrews, Sheffield Hallam University and the Open University, and an honorary doctorate of Science from the University of Aberdeen.

She was a Trustee of the V&A Museum for eight years, and for five years a member of the Council of the Royal Institution. She was non-executive director of TNA.

She served as Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority – the UK government regulator for assisted reproduction. In 2013 she was elected a Member of Academia Europaea.

Her published works span over fifty scholarly articles in refereed journals and books, and seventeen full-length books. Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland's Glory, won the Cundill International Prize in History for 2009.

In memory 

Professor Jardine's wonderful interview on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs is available to listen to on BBC iPlayer here.