Awards, Accolades & Appointments 6 Hutton Highlights February 2022 7 Young barley researcher receives new John Hillman Scholarship The James Hutton Institute and Robert Gordon University (RGU) are investigating how COVID-19 restrictions impacted behaviours around food related practices. The study will look at the nature and extent of these changes across different social groups in North East Scotland and especially those experiencing or anxious about food poverty. The research is part of a PhD studentship awarded by the Macaulay Development Trust to Flora Douglas, a Professor of Public Health based at RGU’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice and Dr Liz Dinnie, a qualitative social researcher and Hutton Science Group Leader for People and Places. The academics will supervise PhD student Josephine Heger as she explores decision-making around obtaining food and feeding since the first lockdown in March 2020 and will look at people’s lived experiences to see whether those changes were sustained in the longer term. A key focus will also be the social, cultural, economic, and political reasons underlying decision-making about food. It is expected that the emerging findings will provide lessons for creating socially just and environmentally sustainable food systems across Scotland post-pandemic. “Looking at food behaviours and how people manage disruptions to their ‘normal’ ways of obtaining food can provide important lessons for policy measures. Not only relating to food but to tackling intractable problems in other policy areas such as health, wellbeing, economic insecurity, community connections, loneliness, and isolation. Food is a cross-cutting policy issue that provides a bridge to address further issues,” explains Professor Douglas. “There’s enormous pressure to re-think food systems and how our food is produced, transported and consumed. This study will illuminate how and why people make decisions relating to food, and help us understand how policy and public communication can most effectively influence those decisions with regard to environmental sustainability and social justice in the future.” PhD student Josephine Heger’s perspective is that “during the pandemic, too many people have struggled to feed themselves and their families well. Understanding those experiences and strategies to cope with disruption, particularly in the context of food insecurity, is vital.” Research on impact of COVID-19 on food practices Comments? The Mylnefield Trust has awarded the inaugural John Hillman Scholarship to Jessica Shadbolt, a PhD student at the James Hutton Institute, for research on barley breeding. The new scholarship celebrates the life and achievements of Professor John R Hillman, an eminent plant scientist and former director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute, a forerunner of the James Hutton Institute. Jessica will undertake barley breeding studies at the Institute under the supervision of barley geneticist Dr Kelly Houston, senior postdoctoral scientist Dr Joanne Russell, a Professor Robbie Waugh, Director of the International Barley Hub (IBH). “I am honoured and grateful to receive the John Hillman scholarship. It’s wonderful to be working on a barley breeding project with real-world impact and to be at the institute at such an exciting time in barley research, considering I’ll be one of the first PhD students at the IBH. I am really looking forward to working with my supervisors and others at the Institute,” said Jessica on receiving the award. Dr Kelly Houston added: “It is fantastic for Jessica to be awarded this studentship in honour of such an eminent plant scientist at a pivotal moment for barley research at the James Hutton Institute due to the establishment of the IBH. Translational crop research has never been more important given the issues surrounding climate change.” On behalf of the trustees of the Mylnefield Trust, Jim Godfrey commented: “Professor John Hillman was an outstanding leader and indeed was the driver of the creation of Mylnefield Research Services Ltd, from which the Mylnefield Trust derived its assets and objectives. He was also visionary about what science could do for all our futures. This Scholarship has been created in his memory, with the hope that his life and work inspire more students of plant sciences. He was internationally renowned and reached many people including starting, and guiding, the careers of many other eminent scientists. Having his name and reputation associated with this Scholarship will ensure future students are recognised in his memory and his spirit of inventiveness, excellence and vision.” The Dee Catchment Partnership, a collective of organisations tasked with looking after the river Dee catchment in north east Scotland, has won the Nature and Climate Action award at the RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards recently. The highest accolade for nature conservation in the country, the awards recognise excellence, innovation and outstanding achievements in Scottish nature conservation. The Partnership’s winning entry, the Easter Beltie Restoration project, rehabilitated the river valley of an artificially straightened stretch of the burn near Torphins, bringing multiple benefits for biodiversity and climate resilience. Partnership Manager Dr Susan Cooksley led the three-month restoration project with River Operations Manager for the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board, Edwin Third. “We are over the moon to have won this fantastic award, exactly one year after the restoration was completed. Our partnership exists to deliver collaborative projects that conserve the unique biodiversity and natural beauty of Deeside, and build climate resilience across the catchment. The Easter Beltie restoration has done exactly that - creating a new area of wild beauty and habitat for a rich diversity of wildlife, and slowing the flow of water which will help to ease flooding issues downstream.” The Nature and Climate Action Award recognises projects that tackle the twinned crises of biodiversity loss and climate change with nature-based solutions. The judges noted that all finalists were of an incredibly high standard, but that the Dee Catchment Partnership was the best example of a project that has taken clear, definitive steps to protect nature and adapt to climate change. The Easter Beltie Restoration project was managed by the Dee Catchment Partnership working with the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board and the James Hutton Institute. Delivery partners were cbec eco-engineering UK Ltd, Edinburgh Napier University, Mclntosh Plant Hire, NatureScot, the River Dee Trust, the River Restoration Centre, Scotland the Big Picture, and the Woodland Trust. The project was funded by Aberdeenshire Council, Cairngorms National Park Authority, the NatureScot Biodiversity Challenge Fund, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and Scottish Forestry. The Institute-sponsored Food and Farming award went to Kinclune Organic Nature Farm. Kinclune is an 1100 acre sustainable organic mixed farm in Angus. They breed organic pure-bred Aberdeen Angus and Limousin cross cattle and maintain a small organic sheep herd. They also breed, produce and show native Highland ponies. The Nature of Scotland awards celebrate the inspirational people, projects, groups and organisations working hard to protect Scotland’s precious natural heritage. The shortlist for the 2021 awards provides a snapshot of the breadth of businesses, charities, the public sector and individuals working towards conserving the country’s unique wildlife and natural environment. Dee Catchment Partnership scoops Nature of Scotland climate action award
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU0MDE=