We are delighted to announce that three students will be starting their Master of Research (MRes) projects at Harper Adams University this Autumn – all tackling important topical subjects and with financial support from the WCB Education Charity.
Tom Nash
Tom Nash’s project is entitled ‘Optimization of ‘net zero’ strategies in UK beef and sheep sectors’. He will be developing a framework that will help farmers in their decision-making when they try to balance between maintaining long-term whole farm profitability, sustainability, GHG emission mitigation and carbon sequestration strategies that move the farming system towards ‘net zero’. Over the next few months, he will receive training and support to develop his skills in the areas of advanced research methods, biodiversity and ecosystem services, farm management economics, agricultural systems modelling, and linear programming. He will also further his practical experience in the application of carbon balance modelling and on-farm decision support.
Tom will be carrying out his studies part-time as he works as a data analyst for Promar International. His supervisors at Harper will be Professors Karl Behrendt (Director of Studies), James Lowenberg De-Boer and Jude Capper.
Liz Tree
Liz Tree’s research project is titled ‘An evaluation of the impact of the Farms for City Children (FFCC) programme on participants’ awareness and overall wellbeing’. The project will include focussing on the impact of FFCC’s outreach activities on children’s connections to the wider environment, their comprehension of how agriculture is relevant to them and their overall understanding of the farm to fork journey. The project will also critically evaluate how the work of FFCC can contribute to supporting the development of childhood wellbeing.
Having the opportunity to evaluate this work – and hopefully provide suitable data to help it to develop further and possibly rethink aspects of how it operates - is very exciting!
Liz recently graduated from Harper Adams University and as a WCB Young Butcher is already familiar with the WCB. In the first few weeks, Liz will study her Research and Information Skills taught module at Harper Adams University to underpin the project work. She will also be getting to know the team at FFCC and gaining knowledge on the project objectives and research ethics before she starts any project design or data collection work.
Claire Toogood and Claire Robertson, who are both experienced lecturers at Harper Adams will be jointly supervising Liz during the course of her project. Donna Edmonds, FFCC’s Chief Executive Officer, has been highly supportive of this research being carried out.
Aine Murray
Aine Murray’s project has the title ‘The potential role of Ruminant By-products in the Carbon Footprint (CfP) Calculations of Meat’.
She will be looking at the existing literature on animal by-products on an international basis and reviewing existing calculations with a view to proposing the most suitable way of having a comprehensive CfP for the ruminant meat sectors. This work is particularly important as existing CfPs for beef and sheep frequently do not take full account of the contribution of the animal by-product sector.
Aine will be working on this project on a part-time basis over two years as she is currently employed in the supply chain department of Linden Foods/ABP in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. In her first year, she will be focussing on the four taught modules which will enable her to conduct the work in this complex area. Her supervisor will be Martin Anderson, a Senior Lecturer at Harper. Further Assistance will be given by Dr Stephen Woodgate, a Harper Adams Fellow and former President of the World Renderers Association.
Congratulations to Tom, Liz and Aine. we wish you all the best of luck with your studies!