Alan Aitken is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of St Andrews, UK. Much of his research activity has been in the area of heterocyclic chemistry and he has been active in the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry, attending all but two of their biennial congresses since 1985, contributing an annual review chapter to Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry since 1990 and being an elected member of their International Advisory Committee 1997–99 and 2011–17. Since 2018, he has been a member of the Executive Committee and Publicity Chair for ISHC.