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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Today’s research shaping the agri-food industry of tomorrow

    Date published: 17 September 2019

    Research plays a vital role for our agri-food industry in developing many of the new technologies, and techniques that improve productivity and sustainability.

    DAERA funded postgraduate student Samuel Hawe discussing his research with DAERA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Denis McMahon.

    This was a key message delivered at the recent Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Postgraduate Symposium.

    Over 120 delegates attended the event at the Stormont hotel to hear the postgraduate students deliver presentations and poster displays of the findings from their research. The presentations covered a wide range of topics including beef production, rural poverty and social isolation and the management and control of bovine TB, among many others.

    DAERA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Denis McMahon, welcomed everyone to the symposium and highlighted DAERA’s ongoing commitment to strengthen the scientific expertise available to the wider agri-food sector.

    Guest speaker Dr Sam Strain, Chief Executive, Animal Health and Welfare NI) in his address delivered sound advice for the PhD students as they continue with their studies and then in their future careers.

    The students thoroughly enjoyed the event as it gave them an opportunity to promote and highlight the findings of their research which they have invested heavily in over the last three years.

    The event also recognised the quality of the presentations and posters displayed by the students. Awards were presented to students Katie Lawther, Paul Cottney, Sophie Redpath and Naomi Rutherford.

    DAERA plans to open the 2020 Postgraduate Studentship Competition in December 2019. Awards are made for a three year PhD Research Studentship aligned to DAERA Priority Research Areas, which will be published at launch of the competition.

    Further details of DAERA’s postgraduate research.

    Notes to editors:

    1. The department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the department’s internal records management system. The department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
    2. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook.
    3. All media enquiries to DAERA Press Office, pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or tel: 028 9052 4619.

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