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Professor Peter Gregory:
new director for Scottish Crop Research Institute,
Invergowrie
Editorial
Filed 11 Nov 04
One of the key appointments in Britain’s
agricultural science sector has been confirmed by the Scottish Crop
Research Institute (SCRI).
Professor Peter Gregory, currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor
for Enterprise at the University of Reading, will become Director
of SCRI when Professor John Hillman retires next April.
Professor Gregory’s appointment comes at
a crucial time for agricultural, biological and environmental research
in Scotland, as the Scottish Executive’s Environment and Rural
Affairs Department prepares to publish its new research strategy
this autumn.
With a staff of 350 and an annual budget of almost
£15 million, SCRI is the cornerstone of crop research in Scotland,
and has developed collaborative research links with over 300 institutions
in 54 countries.
: 
Professor Peter
Gregory
Appointed as new director of SCRI as from April 2005
(For enlargement of image Click
Here)
Photograph kindly supplied by SCRI
To open article Click Here
Professor Gregory said
“I am greatly honoured to be appointed to take forward the
achievements of John Hillman and his team. SCRI is facing new
challenges offering significant research opportunities, and is
well equipped to tackle them thanks to the core strengths and
international networks that it has built up over many years.
“SCRI is the bridge between rural production and urban well-being.
It has an unrivalled track record in delivering fruit, cereal,
potato and other plant products that are of direct benefit to
the UK economy and for human health and well-being.
“The Institute has steadily broadened its focus from scientific
excellence in agricultural and plant science research to embrace
the wider implications of its work for the environment, the economy
and society at large.
“SCRI also has a central role in advancing closer working
and collaboration with other research institutes and universities,
as well as with the private sector throughout Scotland and beyond.
“I am excited about taking over the reins at this very interesting
point in SCRI’s history, and further developing the innovative
spirit and collaborative commitment that are evident in all the
Institute’s work.”
Peter Gregory has been Professor of Soil Science
at Reading University since 1994, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor since
1998. His responsibilities have covered research and enterprise
activities. Since 1995, he has led international research projects
to determine the impact of climate change on agriculture and soils,
and he is currently the leader of Global Environmental Change and
Food Systems, a programme focussing on human food security.
He has degrees in soil science from the universities
of Reading (BSc 1972) and Nottingham (PhD 1977), and joined Reading
as a lecturer in 1980, becoming Reader in Soil Science in 1988.
Between 1988 and 1993 he worked as a research scientist for CSIRO
in Perth, Western Australia, returning to Reading as Head of the
Department of Soil Science from 1994 to 1996, and Dean of the Faculty
of Agriculture and Food from 1996 to 1998. He was elected a Fellow
of the Royal Agricultural Society of England this year for his outstanding
contributions to agricultural research.
His research interests are in the interaction
of plant roots with soil and the production of food crops. These
interests have allowed him to work for extended periods in Australia,
Syria, India, Nepal and West Africa.
Professor Bernard King, chairman of SCRI, commented:
“This is a crucial appointment, not just for SCRI but for agricultural
and environmental science in Scotland and the UK as a whole. I am
delighted that Peter has accepted the post.
“He will bring to SCRI a unique blend of hands-on research
experience coupled with international management expertise in
environmental research. He also has institutional management experience
of a high order that will contribute greatly to the debate on
the future development of Scotland’s agricultural and biological
research institutions. These will be ideal qualities to guide
the Institute through the challenging times ahead.”
SCRI is the UK’s lead centre for research
on potatoes, barley and soft fruit crops and, in addition, carries
out research on a wide range of temperate, sub-tropical and tropical
crops, e.g. cassava, groundnut, cotton, pistachio, mahogany and
coffee. It is a major international centre for crop genomics, metabolomics
and bioinformatics, as well as basic plant pathology.
Since its founding in 1951 as the Scottish Horticultural
Research Institute, the institution’s breeding programmes have
been responsible for many of the world’s most widely-used varieties
of fruit and potatoes. About half the world’s commercial blackcurrant
bushes are derived from SCRI cultivars. The ‘Glen’ series
of raspberries accounts for over 96% of the Scottish and 70% of
the UK certified stocks, while 7-8% of the UK maincrop potato area
is planted to SCRI varieties including the ‘Pentland’
series, and more recent releases which are named after Scottish
castles and other features. SCRI has responsibility for Bioinformatics
and Statistics Scotland (BioSS).
The development of a new variety of swede, named
the Gowrie, at SCR| was recently featured on this website (1,
2).
SCRI is grant-aided by the Scottish Executive
Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) and has charitable
status. It is one of five Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research
Institutes (SABRIs) which, together with those of the Biotechnology
and Biological Sciences Research Council, form the agricultural
and food research service of the UK
The current head of SCRI, Professor John Hillman,
is due to retire in April 2005. At the time of his retiral this
website intends to comment on his major achievements during his
tenure as director of SCRI.
When recently addressing the Royal Society of
Edinburgh, Professor Hillman warned of the dangers of emerging policies
while emphasising the rich opportunities if only they could be siezed
before Scotland (and the rest of the UK) fell far behind in a competitive
world (3). His words ring true. The new director will face many
challenges in the attempt to maintain the prowess of the SCRI in
a less than favourble political atmosphere. With his excellent credentials
let us all hope he succeeds.
References
1. Editorial (2004). Gowrie swede:
a new variety
See SCIENCE HOMEPAGE, filed 19 Oct 04, www.land-care.org.uk
Click
Here to View
2. Bradshaw, John (2004). Swede
breeding in Scotland
See SCIENCE HOMEPAGE, filed 23 Oct 04, www.land-care.org.uk
Click
Here to View
3. Irvine, James (2004). Scotland's land: RSE
Conference 30th September 2004. Reviewed.
See SOCIAL/ECONOMIC/POLITICAL HOMEPAGE, filed 04 Oct 04,
www.land-care.org.uk Click
Here to View
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