Professor Richard (Dick) Godwin holds Emeritus, Honorary and Visiting Professorships in agricultural engineering from Cranfield University, Czech University of Life Sciences and Harper Adams University respectively and in this capacity he supervises research student programmes and provides academic leadership. A former Director of Research, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Food Production and Rural Land Use and Pro Vice Chancellor of Cranfield University at Silsoe, he is an internationally recognized researcher and educator in the field of agricultural soil mechanics, soil and waste management and precision agriculture. His contributions have resulted in improved fundamental understanding of soil dynamics and force prediction methods; the development of improved soil engaging tools and methods; and the transfer of principles to machine designers, extension advisors and practicing farmers. Working with colleagues, he coordinated the early projects in Precision Farming at Silsoe, the results of which are beginning to have significant effects on agricultural production and nitrogen management internationally.
His work has improved the efficiency of food production and reduced the environmental impact of agriculture. The transfer of this technology through teaching students from approximately 100 countries has helped in the application of his work and that of many others toward improved production systems, increased quantity and quality of food production, ‘the sustainability of soils’, and the improvement of the environment. In addition to agricultural applications of soil dynamics, Godwin has led investigations into the placement and retrieval of buried telecommunications cables from the sea bed, the estimation of the rolling resistance and lateral forces encountered by aircraft undercarriage wheels landing on soil surfaces and the improvement of buckets for hydraulic excavators.
As an educator, Godwin has supervised or is currently supervising, over 60 doctoral student theses. He has taught numerous courses in soil mechanics/dynamics, precision farming and soil and water management. In addition to developing masters’ courses in agricultural engineering, precision farming and soil management, he has developed and delivered practical short courses for manufacturers, advisors and farmers. He has held short - term appointments/fellowships in the USA, Canada, Australia and Sri Lanka.
His publication record includes more than 110 refereed journal publications, 200 conference proceedings, and numerous Keynote presentations. Honors include Awards for papers from the Douglas Bomford Trust and the ASABE, the former for papers in a complete volume of the Journal of Biosystems Engineering devoted to precision agriculture.
He was awarded the:
Godwin is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers and the Royal Agricultural Society of England and Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and the Royal Academy of Engineering. He received honorary Doctoral degrees from both the Slovak University of Agriculture and Harper Adams University.
Academic Department: Engineering
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