Dr Jonathan Cooper

Dr Cooper is acting course manager for undergraduate environmental programmes. Dr Cooper manages honours research projects for environmental undergraduates and acts as departmental lead for masters research projects. Dr Cooper holds a BSc in sustainable development from the University of St Andrews and a PhD in environmental management from the University of Central Lancashire. His research on the water-energy-food nexus in agricultural policy has been published by Routledge; his work on energy crops has been published recently by Elsevier. Jonathan welcomes contact from prospective postgraduate research students interested in developing proposals related to his interests.

Research Interests

• Agricultural/Environmental Policy
• Agricultural Geography
• Agrivoltaics
• Climate Change Policy
• Energy Policy
• Environmental Land Management
• Geographies of Energy
• Low Carbon Transitions
• On-Farm Energy
• Rural Development
• Rural Sociology
• Science and Technology Studies
• Sustainability Indicators
• Sustainable Development
• Upland Management
• Urban Agriculture
• Waste Management and Resource Efficiency
• Water-Energy-Food Nexus

International Projects

Dr Cooper (along with co-applicant, the Royal Scientific Society, Jordan) received £20,000 from the Royal Academy of Engineering under the Frontiers of Engineering for Development scheme for a project entitled 'Enhancing food security through urban farming systems in Jordan'. Dr Cooper was the lead applicant for this project during 2020-21. More information can be found here.

Dr Cooper (along with partners, the South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, UK) received £159,413 from the Royal Academy of Engineering under the GCRF Africa Catalyst Phase 3 scheme for a project entitled ‘Growing agricultural engineering in Africa'. Dr Cooper led the University's involvement in this project during 2019-21.

Dr Cooper (along with partners, the South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, UK) received £70,000 from the Royal Academy of Engineering under the GCRF Africa Catalyst Phase 2 scheme for a project entitled ‘Planning for the growth of agricultural engineering in Africa by supporting the establishment of AfroAgEng’. Dr Cooper led the University's involvement in this project during 2018-19.

Dr Cooper sits on the Advisory Board of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Tunisia and advises on agricultural matters.

Undergraduate Teaching

• Contemporary Countryside and Environmental Issues (C4012)
• The Natural Environment and Climate Change (C4019)
• Wastes, Manures and Renewables (C5007)
• Research Methods for Environmental Scientists (C5010)
• Climate Change and Environmental Valuation (R5024)
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (C6001)
• Sustainable Energy (R6022)

Postgraduate Teaching

• Advanced Research Methods: Social Sciences (F7031)
• Land Use and Management (R7040)
• Rural Land Policy Development (R7049)
• Sustainable Farming Systems (C7060)
• Sustainable Energy and Carbon Management (C7086)

Selected Publications

Cooper; J. C. (2023) ‘Energy and Industrial Crops’ in: Samuel, A. and Dines, L. (eds) Lockhart and Wiseman’s Crop Husbandry including Grassland, 10th ed, Oxford: Woodhead, pp. 455–464.

Cooper, J. C. (2022) ‘Farmer Perceptions of Carbon Sequestration’ Soil and Water Winter Conference, Harper Adams University, Newport, 13^th January.

Cooper, J. C. (2021) ‘Stakeholder Perceptions of Agricultural Engineering in Africa’ in: Taylor, A. J., Opara, U. L. and Smithers, J. (eds) Agricultural Engineering in Africa, Pretoria: Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering, pp. 66–69. 

Stormonth-Darling, J., Symonds, R., Cooper, J. C., Burton, S. and Ransom, J. (2020) Homeworking and Vacant Office Space: Can Urban Agriculture Fill the Void?, Liverpool: UKUAT (UK Urban AgriTech). 

Cooper, J. C. (2019) ‘The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Agricultural Policy’ in: Koulouri, A. and Mouraviev, N. (eds.) Policy and Governance in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 64–74. 

Cooper, J. C. (2017) ‘Rural Land Use in Conflict? Energy and Food in the UK’ in: Eastham, J. et al. (eds.) Contemporary Issues in Food Supply Chain Management, Oxford: Goodfellow, pp. 198­–203.

Research Supervision

• MRes thesis: Vertical farming: the role it plays in addressing the challenges climate change poses to agriculture in the UK
• MRes thesis: Vertical farming in the United Kingdom: consumers' and producers' perceptions of its sustainability
• MSc thesis: The role of sustainability in consumer choices on dairy products
• MSc thesis: The feasibility of carbon sequestration in agriculture: UK farmer perspectives on climate mitigation practices
• MSc thesis: Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites in England: a review of policy
• MSc thesis: Forest managers' perceptions of the impacts of climate change on forestry in the UK
• MSc thesis: Building resilience within agriculture: the impacts of drought and flooding on Welsh beef and sheep systems
• MSc thesis: Livestock farmers' perceptions of veganism in Wales
• MSc thesis: The role of land agents in advocating renewable energy and its benefits to landowners
• MSc thesis: Organic farming in Shropshire: barriers, perceptions and motivations
• MSc thesis: Renewable energy schemes on agricultural land: case study research from North Nottinghamshire

• Possible PhD projects: https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/research/phd-projects.cfm

Professional Memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers