Hutton Highlights, June 2019

6 Hutton Highlights Awards, Accolades & Appointments Ecological Sciences researcher Professor Alison Hester has contributed to new guidance from the Natural Capital Finance Alliance (NCFA), aimed at helping financial institutions conduct rapid assessments of natural capital risk. Already piloted by banks in Colombia, South Africa and Peru, the guide promotes the use of the recently launched Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure (ENCORE) tool, which enables financial institutions to understand and assess their exposure to natural capital risks. The Rapid Natural Capital Risk Assessment allows an organisation to identify quickly the areas of highest natural capital risk. The Sector/Asset Analysis uses data on drivers of environmental change and the state of natural capital asset, to assess the likelihood of disruption of relevant ecosystem services. The Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Switzerland (SECO), co-funders of the project with the MAVA Foundation, see the degradation of natural ecosystems as a material threat to future economic growth. Until now, the financial community has not been able systematically to assess and manage such risks. The collaboration with the NCFA to create a natural capital framework for financial institutions addresses that. Practical tools like ENCORE define the link between environmental change and economic consequences, so market players are able to make sustainable financing decisions.” Professor Alison Hester contributes to new guidance for assessment of natural capital risk Comments? Professor Hester, who was a member of the Advisory Panel of the project, commented: “The importance of natural capital should never be underestimated. It is our ‘stock’ of geology, soil, air, water and all living organisms, providing fundamental life-support functions and underpinning the global economy.” The guidance is available at www.globalcanopy.org Excellence accolade for innovative Hutton-IGS Knowledge Transfer Partnership A Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the Institute and Scottish-based agri-tech business Intelligent Growth Solutions Limited (IGS), has been assessed as “Outstanding” by the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Grading Panel. The partnership was to develop innovative crop systems to produce high-quality products year-round with a limited environmental footprint. The work was undertaken by KTP Associate Matthew Reid and other scientists from the James Hutton Institute working with IGS to test and validate its revolutionary vertical farming systems. The project was specifically focused on basil and the impacts of light variations on its growth in an indoor Totally Controlled Environment Agriculture system. The research has provided significant empirical evidence to show how IGS’s systems can positively impact the yield, quality and consistency of produce. The results achieved have demonstrated the complex interactions between plants and light sources and show that yields can be increased by approximately 100 per cent compared with a glasshouse when growing in this environment using dynamic, multi-spectral lighting. “This increases our value proposition to existing and potential customers which is a significant result for the IGS business” enthuses IGS CEO David Farquhar. “The credibility of working in partnership with the James Hutton Institute as a world-leading authority in plant science reinforces our decision to locate our demonstrator farm here [Invergowrie].” The KTP has been fundamental for the development of the Institute’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre project, which is to be supported under the Tay Cities Deal. The initial work of the KTP has snowballed into a multi-million-pound capital investment programme that will transform the science undertaken across the entire Institute and have impacts on its scientific direction and interaction with industry for many years to come. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are part of a UK-wide programme linking commercial organisations with academic institutions to help support and shape the future of British businesses. KTPs seek to strengthen the competitiveness, wealth creation and economic performance of the UK by stimulating innovation through collaborative projects between businesses and research organisations. June 2019 7 Professor Lorna Dawson, head of Forensic Soil Science at the Institute and advisor to the SEFARI Strategic Research Programme, has been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Fellows are elected following a rigorous examination of their achievements in their relevant fields. Their role is to help the RSE to provide independent and expert advice to policymakers, support aspiring entrepreneurs, develop research capacity and leadership and engage with the public through events. Professor Dawson has over 30 years’ experience in managing and conducting research in soil and plant interactions. Lorna pioneered the discipline of forensic soil science globally in particular its application in the criminal justice system. Lorna is a registered expert with the National Crime Agency and works with police forces, lawyers and agencies in soil trace evidence provision. In 2017 she was awarded the Pride of Britain Special Recognition award and in 2018 she was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to soil and forensic science. She is a Professor at RGU, Chartered Scientist and a Fellow of the Institute of British Soil Scientists. She has supervised over 20 PhD projects and has published over 100 refereed journal papers, books and book chapters. For a full list of newly inducted RSE fellows, visit the RSE website. Professor Lorna Dawson honoured with Expert Witness 2019 award and announced as RSE Fellow Our annual Postgraduate Student Event, which showcases the excellent science being undertaken by postgraduate students at the James Hutton Institute, took place at the Birnam Arts and Conference Centre, Birnam in March. The event provides a valuable learning experience for Hutton students in communicating their work to the wider scientific community and promotes a collegiate atmosphere. It broadens awareness and knowledge of the varied projects undertaken at the Institute and is an opportunity to celebrate the work of students and their supervisors. The gathering identifies four students to be carried forward to the SEFARI event and “Science for Life Lecture”. These students are identified from the oral presentation winners. Two students are selected from the oral session and two from the Academic Dragons Den Session. The event sessions required different styles of communication to reflect the different stages of a PhD studentship: a poster session for 1st-year students, an oral session for 2nd-year students and an ‘Academic Dragons Den’ session devoted to short oral presentations from 3rd / 4th-year students. The students had to impress a panel of judges who assessed presentation skills, the quality of data interpretation and handling of questions. The event featured a talk by James Hutton Institute alumnus Dr Peter Orrell, who has begun his own startup company MycoNourish Limited. He described the process of developing an idea, starting up a company and accessing available help resources. PhD research showcased at Hutton postgraduate event