Talk title: Demystifying research and using it to your advantage
In her talk Dawn will be attempting to demystify research for brewers. She will be tackling the questions that you were afraid to ask like What is research? How can I find it? and, how can I use it? The talk will then take you further and give brewers ideas around how to design research projects, how to get involved in existing research, as well as touching on applying for grant money and the avenues that exist for sharing your research with others.
Location: Main Stage
Time: TBC

Dawn Maskell is Professor of Brewing & Distilling Science at Heriot-Watt University where she is also Director of the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling. Dawn has a BSc (Hons) in Brewing and Distilling, the CIBD Diploma in Brewing and a PhD in brewing yeast physiology.

She is active in the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers where she sits on the Scottish Section Committee, and she spent 10 years as an examiner for Module 2 for the Diploma in Brewing. In 2025 she was awarded Fellowship of the CIBD. Dawn is also a member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists where she has been Chair of the Technical Committee and she is currently serving as Vice-President. Dawn is an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Brewers and a Liveryman by Presentation of the Worshipful Company of Distillers.

In October 2025 Dawn recieved the award of “Mentor of the Year” at the inaugral Women in Beer UK Awards ceremony, where she was also nominated for “Icon” of the year.