Staff Activities & Staff Leaving the Institute

The role of IGER staff in academic and business oriented activities

Current and recent appointments to prominent positions include:

Professor Chris Pollock, CBE chairs the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), the Research Priorities Group for Sustainable Farming and Food and the Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Science Panel for the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. He serves on the Science Advisory Committee for the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy panel for BBSRC and the Awards Panel for the Royal Agricultural Society of England. He is an Honorary Professor at the Universities of Wales (Aberystwyth) and Nottingham.
Professor Howard Thomas is an Honorary Professor at Aberystwyth University and a Trustee of the Tansley Fund. He is a Consulting Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation.
Professor Mike Theodorou is an Honorary Professor at Aberystwyth University. He is a. member of the Hybu Cig Cymru (Welsh Lamb and Beef Promotions) Research and Development Advisory Group and member of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Farming for the Future Advisory Group.
Professor Mervyn Humphreys serves as the UK representative on the International Board of Eucarpia and is Secretary of the Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section. He is a member of the UK Plant Genetic Resources Group and an Honorary Professor in the Institute of Rural Studies, Aberystwyth University.
Prof Les Firbank is a member of the BBSRC Sustainable Agriculture Strategy Panel, the BBSRC Review of Environmental Change, the South West Rural Research Priorities Board, the DEFRA Livestock LINK Programme Management Committee, the Strategic Advisory Committee for Research Councils’ RELU (Rural Economies and Land Use) Research Programme, the University of Exeter Centre for Rural Policy Research Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Editorial Boards for the journals Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, International Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Journal of Environmental Management.
Prof Phil Haygarth holds Visiting Professorships at the University of Plymouth and the University of Cranfield. He acts as Coordinator for Defra R&D on Land and Water-Related Issues (jointly with Dr Kit Macleod). He is a member of the NERC/BBSRC Soils Research Advisory Committee and is the UK Leader on the EC COST Action 869 Programme on “Mitigation Options for Nutrient Reduction in Surface Waters and Groundwaters”. During the autumn, he was Conference Organiser for both the BBSRC/NERC Horizons in Soils Research International Workshop and for the International Phosphorus Workshop in Silkeborg, Denmark. He was the Invited Editor for a special issue of Soil Use and Management entitled Agriculture, Phosphorus and Eutrophication – a European Perspective and an invited participant in the UK-US International Workshop on Bio-Soil Interactions and Engineering in Boston, Mass (1-4 April 2007). He serves on the UK Research Councils’ Soils Research Advisory Committee and is Deputy Manager of the BBSRC Cross Institute Programme for Sustainable Soil Function (IGER / RRes).
Professor David Scholefield is an Honorary Professor at the University of Plymouth. He is chairman of South West Soils Discussion Group.
Professor Phil Morris is an Honorary Professor in the Institute of Biological Sciences, Aberystwyth University and a member of the Biotechnology Resources for Arable Crop Transformation (BRACT) Advisory Group.
Professor Ian King is an Honorary Professor of Swansea University Medical School.
Prof Nigel Scollan was the recipient of the SAS Sir John Hammond Memorial Prize for 2007 for outstanding contribution to Animal Science. Nigel was invited to an Honorary Professorship at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in March 2007. He was also invited to a Special Professorship in Animal Nutrition at the University of Nottingham from 1st August 2007. He was on the committee for the British Society of Animal Science Council Meeting in January 2007, was the Chairman of the BSAS Publications Committee throughout the year; and on the EU ProSafeBeef Board.
Dr Michael Abberton is Chair of the Steering Group of the International Trifolium Network and is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Crop Wild Relative Advisory Group.
Dr Jessica Adams won the Peoples Choice Award for her poster on Bioethanol at the BA Festival of Science in Norwich in 2006 and was subsequently invited to Downing Street Reception for talented young scientists (14 March 2007).
Dr Tim Carver is a member of Defra's Sustainable Arable LINK Programme Management Committee.
Mr Arthur Davies is Vice Chairman of Wales Panel of Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies and a member of the British Grassland Society, Research and Development Committee.
Mr Mick Fothergill is the UK representative on Cost Action 852 "Quality legume-based systems" Management Committee.
Dr David Hatch is a member of the Industrial Advisory Group for the School of Biological Studies, University of Plymouth and is a member of the Steering Group for the Organic Studies Initiative, Duchy College.
Dr Phil Hobbs was the o-organiser of the Defra Workshop on Increasing the Uptake of Anaerobic Digestion at the University of Exeter University in September 2007 and also hosted the FP6 ‘EU Agro-Biogas’ Project Meeting at Exeter in the same month.
Dr Mike Humphreys is a member of the Board of Advisors, PAGEN Centre of Excellence, Poznan, Poland and the UK Representative on the Management Committee for EU COST 851 "Gametic Cells and Molecular Breeding for Crop Improvement”.
Dr Alison Kingston-Smith is a member of the Society of Experimental Biology Education and Public Affairs Committee and also a member of the Annals of Applied Biology Editorial Board.
Dr Kit Macleod has been appointed as an Honorary University Fellow in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Earth Resources, University of Exeter.
Dr Athole Marshall is a member of the European Seed Association, Forage Plants and Amenity Grasses Section.
Dr Tom Misselbrook co-ordinates the Defra Ammonia Research Programme and is the joint co-ordinator of the FAO RAMIRAN Network.
Dr Jon Moorby is a National member of the Executive Council of the British Grassland Society, a member of BGS Publications and Communications Committee and a member of the Dairy Science Forum.
Mr Charlie Morgan is Secretary of the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies
Dr Phil Murray is a member of the Institute of Biology Finance Committee and the Royal Entomological Society Meetings Committee. He is co-organiser of the North Wyke Science Fair with Andrew Bristow and Patricia Butler.
Mr Robert Orr is a National Council Member and Trustee of the British Grassland Society.
Dr Helen Ougham was a member of the panel assessing pre-proposals and full applications to BBSRC's Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Pilot Fund (February and October 2007) and continued as a member of BBSRC's Genes and Developmental Biology Committee.
Prof Nigel Scollan was the recipient of the SAS Sir John Hammond Memorial Prize for 2007 for outstanding contribution to Animal Science. Nigel was invited to an Honorary Professorship at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in March 2007. He was also invited to a Special Professorship in Animal Nutrition at the University of Nottingham from 1st August 2007. He was on the committee for the British Society of Animal Science Council Meeting in January 2007, was the Chairman of the BSAS Publications Committee throughout the year; and on the EU ProSafeBeef Board.
Dr Danny Thorogood is a member of the Board of the International Turfgrass Society and is a member of the Working Group for the foundation of the European Turfgrass Society.
Dr John Valentine is a member of HGCA Cereal Evaluation Ltd, Oats and Other Cereals Committee, the British Society of Plant Breeders Cereal Group, the International Oat Conference committee, the Welsh Energy Research Centre Steering Group, the Welsh Assembly Government Biomass Steering Group and the KEF West Steering Group. Dr Valentine’s biomass work featured as lead item on BBC Wales News, 3 January 2007.
Dr Pete Wilkins served as chairman of the Herbage Crop Group for the British Society of Plant Breeders. He also served on NIAB's Herbage Trials Advisory Committee.

Retirements and staff taking up other positions

28/03/2007 - CHRISTOPHER (CHRIS) POLLOCK, Institute Director

Professor Chris Pollock retired from the Institute during 2007, having joined as a Higher Scientific Officer in 1974. A native of Birmingham, Chris had worked at Cambridge University Botany School, after obtaining a BA Class 1 in Natural Sciences, Trinity Hall, Cambridge and a PhD in Microbiology at Birmingham University. Chris had a long and distinguished career at the Institute which resulted in him publishing over 100 referee papers in basic plant physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, applied to edaphic stress responses in higher plants. Chris led the Institute from 1993 until the date of his retirement. During this period the Institute had to cope with significant changes in funding patterns. It largely down to his leadership that the Institute survived, prospered and the building blocks were in place to lead to a new era within the University of Aberystwyth.

Chris undertook a great deal of work outside of the Institute, being a member or chair of a number of important committees and boards related to agriculture and the environment. His contributions to science and agriculture was rewarded in the receipt of a number of honours, including in 2002 he was made CBE. We would like to wish Chris a long and happy retirement, but know that he is already taking on other roles, and is presently the Science Advisor to the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government and he is also continuing to be a member of prestigious boards and committees.

30/04/2007 - HOWARD (SID) THOMAS, Strategic Development Director

2007 marked the retirement of Howard (Sid) Thomas as Strategic development Director. Sid joined WPBS in 1972 and, apart from a period of sabbatical leave in California, has remained at Aberystwyth. He was promoted to Band 3 as Head of the Plant and Cell Biology Department in 1989. Sid’s background was in basic plant science, where he made a significant contribution to IGER’s international reputation, particularly in our understanding of the regulation of leaf senescence and chlorophyll catabolism. However, he contributed much more widely and was a major force in the progressive integration of IGER science in the period following its formation recognising the need to set up effective linkages with other research organizations worldwide. Sid also helped to develop the mechanisms to ensure that the Institute developed its resource base to ensure that it remained able to deliver excellent and relevant research. We wish him well in his retirement.

31/03/2007 - TIMOTHY (TIM) CARVER, Principal Research Scientist

Dr Tim Carver retired at the end of March 2007 after having joined the Welsh Plant Breeding Station in 1975 to work on resistance to cereal mildew at the cell level, an area in which he enjoyed a high international reputation. He was awarded a D.Sc in 2001. Following a sabbatical in Minnesota in 1982, he was invested as ‘Distinguished Friend of the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota’ to mark more than 20 years of collaboration and publication of 26 joint research papers in 2003. He was also appointed Defra Fellow and a member of the Sustainable Arable LINK Programme Management Committee.in 2003. He was an Editorial Board member of the Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology Journal. Tim is a keen sailor: we wish him well in his retirement.

31/10/2007 - R (AURIEL) EVANS, Assistant Personnel Officer

Auriel left the Institute in 2007 after more than 40 years service. Her initial appointment was as a Shorthand Typist in July 1966. Following a promotion in 1976 she then became Personal Secretary to a number of Directors, including Professor Cooper, before joining the HR Section in 1997 as an Assistant Personnel Officer where she was a key member of the team until taking up her new appointment at Aberystwyth University. All her colleagues wish her success in her new post.

28/02/2007 - ANTHONY (TONY) GORDON, Science Liaison & Info Manager

Dr Tony Gordon retired from IGER in 2007 after more than 30 years, first at the Grassland Research Institute, Hurley and latterly at Aberystwyth following the formation of what was to become the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research. Tony had a distinguished research record in the physiology and biochemistry of forage species. For many years he worked with George Ryle and colleagues on the challenging problem of source-sink relations in grasses and clovers, publishing a long series of important papers. At Aberystwyth he specialised in legume physiology, working with a number of colleagues including Frank Minchin and Leif Skot. His work always used state of the art techniques, beginning with radioisotope labelling and gas exchange and moving into enzymology, molecular biology and transgenics. He was one of the early adopters of mutants as tools for physiological studies. He was well connected at the international level, with collaborators in Australasia, Russia, continental Europe and the United States. In 1997 Tony was asked by the then Director of IGER, Chris Pollock, to join his office as manager of communications, a position of increasing importance as BBSRC policies and expectations were placing particular emphasis on aspects such as outreach and science audit. Tony took on many important tasks, including coordination of Institute submissions to the 4-yearly assessment process and making arrangements for the associated Visiting Group exercise. IGER was always complimented for the professionalism and efficiency of its performance on these occasions, reflecting Tony's hard work and organisational skills. Tony was also responsible for the public face of IGER through the widely-admired annual publication IGER Innovations, which he edited, and the Institute Website, which he managed. Amongst other achievements, mention should be made of Science Café, a public engagement activity he has led over the past 5 years and which has consistently been one of the best attended event of its kind in the country. In addition he was responsible for the programme of Stapledon lecturers and IGER debates. Visiting Groups have rated IGER's outreach performance very highly, and Tony played a major part in making this possible.

31/05/2007 - TERENCE (TERRY) MICHAELSON-YEATES, Senior Research Scientist

Terry Michaelson-Yeates retired in 2007 after 34 years service. Terry was well known in many parts of the world for his contribution to white clover and red clover breeding. In particular, he was responsible for a unique series of inbred lines of white clover that have been extensively used in a range of studies exploring the genetic control of important traits. Terry also played a major role in the development of interspecific hybrids involving white clover which he and colleagues have developed to the point of commercial release. Terry’s role linking field and glasshouse studies made him a mainstay of clover breeding and genetics for a long time. In later years he led a red clover breeding programme producing new varieties representing a major advance and providing farmers with new options for the future.

31/05/2007 - ANDREW (ANDY) PARRY, Network Manager

Andy joined in October 1973 as an Assistant Scientific Officer in the Developmental Genetics Department before transferring to work in Herbage Seed Research in June 1975. He applied and was appointed as an Assistant Programmer (SO grade) in December 1979 and was promoted to HSO in the Statistics Unit in April 1985. He was regraded to HEO in 1987. He completed his career as Network and Central Services Manager in the Computer Section.

24/12/2007 - DAVID SCHOLEFIELD

David was IGER’s main innovator of nutrient cycling models and led the way on much of IGER’s systems thinking, being a potent influence on Science Group, where his integrated thinking aided the Institute’s success in the 2005 visiting group. David’s career journey started with studies at Leeds and Bath Universities, with a fundamental grounding in principles of chemistry and physics, before he focused on soil-related issues when he joined the Grassland Research Institute at Hurley in 1977. He moved to North Wyke in 1986 and his key career milestones include establishment of the Rowden drainage experiment in the 1980s, publication of the NCycle model in 1991, with subsequently new understandings on nitrate leaching and denitrification. His contribution to understanding of nitrogen cycling in grasslands was fittingly marked with his closing keynote at the 12th Nitrogen Workshop in 2003. David was a visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth and taught numerous PhD students and despite his great international profile never neglected matters closer to home where he was chair of the South West Soils Discussion Group. David was also an athlete who enjoyed running and tennis, and was a keen contributor to BBSRC Sports Days. As a mentor and colleague he leaves a mark on North Wyke that will have a sustained legacy. We thank him for his contribution and wish him well in his retirement.

08/05/2007 - ROBERT (BARRIE) SHEARER, Financial Controller

Barrie retired in May 2007 after almost 25 years service in the Finance Department. His initial appointment was as an Accounts Officer following his transfer from the Scottish Institute of Agricultural Engineering. He was promoted to Station Secretary of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station in 1986 and Financial Controller of IGER in July 1994. Barrie was a key member of the Finance Department and he provided invaluable experience and support to the science base throughout his time in the organisation.

31/10/2007 - DELWYN WARD, Groundsman

Delwyn retired from IGER at the end of October 2007 after over 40 years service. It is a remarkable achievement to work for an organisation for such a long time and the Institute owes him a great debt of gratitude for all the hard work he put into maintaining the lovely grounds at Gogerddan over the years. It was remarkable how he managed to keep everything in really good shape although working mainly by himself. Institute staff benefited considerably from being able to enjoy walking around the grounds and numerous favourable comments were received from visitors on how fortunate we were to have such beautiful surroundings to work in. We all wish him well in his truly well-deserved retirement.

04/08/2007 - PETER (PETE) WILKINS, Principal Research Scientist

Dr Pete Wilkins retired at the end of July 2007. He started work in WPBS on 1st September 1968 in the Plant Pathology Dept. and became an SSO in Herbage Plant Breeding Dept in 1980. Pete progressed to become an internationally recognised and highly respected grass breeder. In fact during the last 20 years he has probably been the most successful perennial ryegrass breeder in the world. One of the first varieties Pete produced was AberElan (released in 1993) which was an advance in terms of grass nitrogen use efficiency and yield. In 1999, AberDart was released which was one of the first perennial ryegrass varieties to show improved sugar content. AberDart won the NIAB Variety Cup 2003 in recognition of its improved quality combined with excellent agronomic performance – the first grass variety ever to achieve this award! In the last few years before he retired, Pete produced varieties with significant improvements in digestibility and sugar content while maintaining high yields, such as AberStar and AberZest. These excellent varieties all testify to Pete’s vision and his considerable focus in producing innovative and commercially important outputs from his work. At the same time he produced a steady supply of good scientific papers from the research that underpinned his breeding programmes. His consistently high level of success in perennial ryegrass breeding has been recognised and much appreciated by IGER and its commercial seed company partner in forage breeding, Germinal Holdings. Pete was well-liked and respected by his colleagues and he maintained a very supportive operational breeding team. We wish him all the very best in his retirement.

Other staff leaving the Institute during the year having spent many years at IGER include:

Bill Fisher retired on 31st May 2007 after many years of service on dairy research both at the National Institute for Research on Dairying at Shinfield, Reading and at IGER Trawsgoed.

John Toler retired on 31st March 2007 after 40 years of service, initially in the WPBS Developmental Genetics group and latterly fulfilling the role of Controlled Environment Coordinator at IGER Aberystwyth for many years.

Richard Weller retired on 31st July 2007 after many long years of service, working initially at the National Institute for research in Dairying at Shinfield, Reading and then, for the last 16 years, heading up the organic research at IGER Trawsgoed.

Sue Heywood left IGER on 31st July 2007 after 22 years service, more recently in the Plant Microorganism Interaction Group and then the Legume Breeding and Genetics Team.

Tim Martyn left IGER North Wyke on 6th April 2007 after 13 years service, latterly as an Extension Officer attached to the Behavioural and Community Ecology Team and then the Air & Climate Team.

Christopher Raine left the IGER North Wyke Farm on 30th April 2007 after 12 years service, including some early years as a member of the Ecophysiology & Grazing Group.

Gareth Lewis left IGER on 14th September 2007 to develop his own business.