Hutton Highlights, September 2019

SEFARI Gateway’s funded programmes continue to see increasing demand from stakeholders and researchers. While Fellowships remain the most popular, both Responsive Opportunity Fund (RoF) and the Think Tank -‘Spark’ are increasingly popular and have exceeded projected uptake for the year. Consequently, a small-award RoF scheme was introduced over the summer to maintain a flow of opportunities to researchers prior to Gateway’s new operational plan commencing in October 2019. Of the current Fellowships, those on “Integrity Monitoring Technologies for Food Supply Chains” and an “Audit of research in the area of the Cairngorms National Park” are entering their reporting phase so there will be news on their outcomes shortly. Current and recently-begun projects support the Just Transition Commission (within the net zero initiative) and work with NFUS on the challenging issue of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Gateway’s latest Fellowship call “Woodland Creation” with Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority was very well subscribed and at least two more Fellowships are planned before Christmas. Topics are being defined for a range of remits including the Scottish Government’s Arctic Policy Framework and so please lookout for the calls and the next Think Tank and Responsive Opportunity calls will be mid- October and mid-November respectively. Further social media training sessions will open bookings shortly, too, as demand has been strong in the past. Impact monitoring by the Gateway is revealing diverse benefits including a strong desire across agendas for knowledge partnerships with researchers. In June SEFARI was invited to facilitate a workshop as part of the Scottish Government’s (Ministerial) Science and Research Summit - Collaborating for Excellence. Gateway Director Charles Bestwick subsequently joined the Scottish Science and Research Working Group convened following the Summit. SEFARI Gateway – opportunities aplenty 22 Hutton Highlights Some dates for your diary September 2019 23 Comments? Date Event Location Who should come and why? 2 October 2019 42nd TB Macaulay Lecture Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Political/policy/academics/stakeholders/general public - Designed to stimulate thinking and dialogue about contemporary environmental issues. This year’s globally- recognised speaker is Oxford Prof Dieter Helm CBE. 7 November 2019 Hutton Research Symposium West Park Conference Centre, Dundee Staff, students, Board members get a chance to hear from selected colleagues about their work, with the aim of sparking more internal collaborations and joined up working within the Institute 19-20 November 2019 Food Matters Live – Reception and Speakers in programme ExCeL Centre, London Food industry and general public – public exhibition in London ExCeL bringing together hundreds of exhibitors and speakers to visitors interested in the global food and drink industry. Unique event dedicated to creating cross-sector connections focusing on the future of food, drink and sustainable nutrition 13 February 2020 SSCR/Bulrush Soft Fruit Open Day Dundee, venue TBC Anyone in the soft fruit industry April 2020 SSCR Potato Winter Meeting James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie Primarily SSCR members but also anyone in the potato industry 11-13 May 2019 Pint of Science 2020 Locations across the UK, TBA Join us in the pub to hear from some of our researchers about what they’re working on and why 2 July 2020 Arable Scotland Balruddery Farm Highlights from this year’s event can be found here , click here t o look ahead at what can be expected in 2020. July 2020 Fruit for the Future James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie Anyone in the soft fruit industry 13 August 2020 Potatoes in Practice James Hutton Institute, Balruddery Farm Anyone in the potato industry