Diverse range of research in the spotlight at third annual Harper Adams conference

6 September 2023

Diverse research across a wealth of subjects has been discussed at the third annual Harper Adams Research Conference.

A packed programme drew on research being carried out by Harper Adams employees, Postdoctoral Researchers and PhD students.

Well done @tonks_aimee !!
— Tom Pope (@ipm_tom) September 5, 2023

Throughout the day, subjects covered ranged from the different ways farmers perceive regenerative farming to the sustainability of alternative proteins, and from the impact of novel arable technologies on archaeological sites to the analysis of nutraceutical extracts for use in helping prevent periodontal disease in dogs.

Meanwhile the University’s Food Academy hosted a series of poster presentations throughout the day, with both staff and postgraduate researchers displaying their work – and discussing it with each other during refreshment breaks and at lunch.

Will Jones a maths student working with me over the summer looking at #carbon calculation for #NetZero on farms @HarperAdamsUni presenting at our research day. Carbon calculation should be easy right? pic.twitter.com/DZWa8Wzeax
— Ed (diffuse prior) Harris (@EdHarris9000) September 5, 2023

Opening the conference, Harper Adams Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Lee spoke of how Harper Adams University’s role as a specialist institution put it at the forefront of the fight to feed a growing global population nutritiously – while protecting both people and planet.

He spoke of how projections now suggested there may be 11 billion people on Earth by the close of the century – and how the work of researchers at Harper Adams would meet the challenge of feeding them.

Professor Lee said: “For us here at Harper Adams, that is our mission - and it is fantastic to be a University whose mission is to provide those solutions for sustainable living.”

Speaking after the conference, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) at Harper Adams, Professor Dawn Arnold, added: “Today has been a celebration of the excellent research taking place at Harper Adams University.

“It has been a fantastic day – everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and there were lots of great presentations from researchers working across the breadth of the diverse range of subjects and disciplines Harper Adams covers.”