Introducing the new Vice Principal

Posted 11 August 2010

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Professor Peter Mills has taken up the role of Vice Principal at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire.

Professor Mills, a plant pathologist, will be assisting Dr David Llewellyn, Principal of Harper Adams and will  be specifically involved with teaching and research activity at the University College.

He has come to the University College near Newport from the University of Warwick where he has spent the last six years leading a research group in climate change and the impact of diseases on the rural economy.

Before that he was a research director at Horticulture Research International in Wellesbourne where he had responsibility for a large number of research groups. He has also taught at the faculty of agriculture at Queens University Belfast.

Professor Mills, who has a degree in botany from Bedford College, and a PhD from Imperial College London, said: “There are many challenges in the Higher Education sector and with the funding climate changing, we need to respond in the best way.

“There are also many scientific challenges facing society for food production and land use including climate change, sustainability and food security which we are really well placed here at Harper Adams to address.

“Some of my time will be spent  continuing  my research programme, in particular exploring how bringing together different disciplines can help find solutions to topical problems.

“This is  a really exciting move for me. I have always worked for some great organisations and Harper Adams is one of those. I would like to help make sure the University College is really reaching its maximum potential in teaching, research and outreach. ”