Science for Sustainability Hub

SDG 2: No Hunger

Solutions for improving food production systems

Name Areas of research Description
Benjamin Bach

data visualization

data science

public engagement

Working on data visualization and making data accessible and understandable by experts and non-experts. Data visualization is essential in understanding complex processes and data sets. Especially, techniques from storytelling and visual communication have huge potential to communicate findings and information to large and diverse audiences. 
     
Nicholle Bell

environmental adaptation

natural capital

technologies for environmental monitoring

Applying advanced analytical technologies  to understanding how peatlands, Earth's largest terrestrial carbon store, adapt to human activities and climate change. Many believe peatlands store carbon due to the antimicrobial properties of certain molecules, however until now our ability to 'see' inside peat has been hindered by the fact that peat is the most complex mixture on Earth.
Simone Dimartino

bioprocessing

adsorption technologies

additive manufacturing

Broadly interested in adsorption technologies for applications ranging from manufacture of new healthcare products and foodstuff to CO2 capture.
Appolinaire Djikeng

tropical livestock

genetic improvement

smallholder farmers  

Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH). https://www.ctlgh.org/resources/publications/
Alan Duncan

pastoral livelihoods

livestock systems

climate uncertainty

Leads the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action for University of Edinburgh. The Observatory is focused use of early warning technologies to better prepare for drought in East Africa. It's goals are to enhance wellbeing and reduce hunger among East African pastoral communities.
Sian Henley 

ocean science

polar regions

ocean governance

Focussed on making ocean science more sustainable and employing science to make human use of our fragile oceans more sustainable. Also interested in ocean science and observations to underpin effective evidence-based decision-making for ocean governance, policy and management to protect and restore them.
Alex Hutchison

data & AI for good

climate change

responsible innovation

The Data for Children Collaborative with UNICEF is a joint partnership between UNICEF, The Scottish Government and the University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation Programme which seeks to enable improvement in outcomes for every child. We draw on the strengths of our partners and their network to bring insight and solve problems using data and responsible innovative data practices, with a focus on delivering against the Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to provide the platform that brings together the appropriate data and expertise to answer our challenge questions for children across a variety of themes and geographies.
Susan Jarvis 

sustainable Food systems

 agritech

animal welfare science 

Interested in Sustainable Food Systems, and in particular the role of animal welfare science to ensure sustainable and socially acceptable food production systems. Leads the delivery of UG programmes and courses in Global Agriculture and Food Security, as well as the DDI Agritech Talent programme aimed at upskilling learners in data science and technology relevant to sustainable food systems.  
Marc Krautzberger

renewable energy

technological solutions to manage the nexus between climate change and poverty, social science and policy

Interested in how policymakers and firms manage competing demands (e.g. economic vs. environmental goals) in the process of developing and providing technological solutions in response to societal challenges.
Gary Loake

biotechnology

agritechnology

Interested in cultured plant cells as sustainable biomanufacturing platforms for high value chemicals, and sustainable solutions for crop protection. 
Dimitri Mignard

water-energy-food nexus

agritechnology

desalination

Technologies for irrigation, desalination and energy access, assisting with access to clean water, food production and reforestation, all using clean energy, and dedicated to serve poor communities in low income countries. 

Andrew Millar

science policy

biotechnology

Interested in systems thinking, open research practices and science policy for partnerships, and potentially to biotechnology for a circular economy in industry, food and health. 
Dominic Moran
environmental, agricultural and food systems economics
Interested in definitions and metrics of sustainability, economic appraisal of technological options using non-market valuation, and behavioral and political appraisal of technology adoption. 
Adrian Muwonge 
digital health and agrictech
Develop tools to support Agriculture and Public health in LMICs
Diego Oyarzún

biotechnology

synthetic biology

AI

 data science

Computational modelling and data science for better biotech solutions to global sustainability challenges.
Bart Pander Autotrophic biotechnology business Interested in non-photosynthetic autotrophic microbiology and biotechnology.
Carys Redman-White

one health

modelling

social sciences & policy

Modelling antimicrobial use and resistance at the livestock-human interface in LMICs, with the aim of contributing to policy guidance for increased food security and health of livestock-keepers in LMICs as well as long-term global sustainability of antimicrobial drugs.
Lynne Regan

biotechnology

agritechnology

human health 

Expertise in biomaterials, such as hydrogels, made exclusively from recombinant proteins produced by bacteria. This method contrasts with those that use petrochemically derived components to synthesise such materials.  
Christian Schnier
veterinary health, internet of things
SEBI livestock (https://sebi-livestock.org/) closely works with the Gates foundation to mobilise and improve data and evidence to help the livestock community make better investments that improve livelihoods for smallholders in low and middle-income countries.
Joyce Tait

life science innovation

policy and regulation

responsible innovation

Focus on genetic technology solutions to challenges relevant to Net Zero and biodiversity policy objectives, considering: development of business models and value chains for innovative technologies; regulatory systems, standards and guidelines and how they can support of constrain innovation. 
Christopher Wood

biotechnology

AI

bioinformatics

Developing new methods for protein design. We collaborate broadly to apply our methods to address challenges in sustainability, both in agriculture and industry. We have a particular interest in developing protein-based sensors as well as novel enzymes that incorporate unnatural cofactors to expand their chemistry.