Ioanna Akoumianaki

James Hutton Institute

Ioanna Akoumianaki is a biologist and catchment‑to‑sea scientist whose research spans the deep ocean, estuaries and river catchments. Her work has traced the movement of carbon and nutrients through connected systems and explored how ecosystems build resilience in the face of change. Over the course of her career, she has moved beyond disciplinary boundaries to work at the science–policy interface, ensuring that robust evidence informs environmental decision‑making and supports sustainable futures across land, water and sea.

Ioanna joined the James Hutton Institute in 2013 to work at the intersection of water policy and science. As Senior Science–Policy Specialist, she led evidence synthesis across multiple projects and collaborated with water‑industry stakeholders in Scotland, the UK and internationally. The role centred on translating research into legislation and practice and embedding evidence within decision‑making processes.

In her current position as Policy and Impact Officer for SEFARI Gateway and the Agile Policy Centre within UKRI’s Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People Hub, Ioanna serves as a boundary spanner with impact delivery at the core of her work. Responsibilities include linking government priorities with research insights, co‑developing agile responses to policy needs, advancing policy living labs as spaces for integrated approaches to sustainable land use, and tracking how evolving policy needs translate into impact through clear pathways connecting research, decisions and practice.