STFC Food Network+ Extension

Project Description

STFC Food Network+ (SFN 1.0 hereafter) brought together STFC researchers and facilities with research and industry in the agri-food sector (>700 members with >80 non-academia). The network has built an interdisciplinary community including NERC, ESRC and BBSRC-funded researchers, working to provide a sustainable, secure supply of safe, nutritious and affordable high-quality food using less land, with reduced inputs, in the context of global climate change and declining natural resources. SFN 1.0 has kick-started innovative interdisciplinary projects providing key opportunities for the research community, industries and policy makers, making a meaningful contribution to the food system. It has supported over 40 small projects covering areas such as forecasting crop yields using SENTINEL data, radio astronomy; investigating the microstructure architecture of snacks and arsenic in rice using Diamond and ISIS facilities; assuring the authenticity of fruit juices and high value products such as avocadoes, packaged salads through Raman Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; predicting successful cattle pregnancy through IR Thermography and the application of Blockchains for food safety and cryogenics to food supply chains to reduce food waste.

STFC Food Network+ Extension (hereafter SFN 2.0) offers exceptional value to the STFC by building on and substantially extending existing investments on SFN 1.0 that have proven themselves highly capable of wide-ranging user engagement with STFC CAPABILITIES in (a) data science, (b) technology and (c) facilities for better understanding and addressing food challenges in via THEMES of (i) Sustainable production, (ii) Resilient supply chains and (iii) Improved Nutrition and Consumer Behaviours. Over the life of the SFN 2.0, it will galvanise the research community in the UK and beyond to deliver new models of interdisciplinary, co-designed, user-engaged research through a GIVE framework:

While continuing to have focus on STFC core capabilities in the UK, the SFN 2.0 would aim to create an impact by globalising STFC capabilities across the targeted international countries and widening Network+ membership and partnerships of SFN with global partners.

Leveraging on the innovative project initiation by SFN 1.0 (14 of which included industry participation) and its relations with multiple policy and business stakeholders, SFN 2.0 will provide platform to further realise impact on ground by co-developing and perhaps also co-funding impact-driven projects of national importance with non-academic beneficiaries. SFN 2.0 will also focus on new area of research in all the food themes including but not limited to smart farms, palm oil, aquaculture, permaculture, insects, cultured meat, innovative production systems such as hydroponics, vertical farming and food for space stations, food safety, transparency, diets for healthy ageing population, acceptance of new healthy/ innovative products, alternative proteins whilst reducing waste and demands on land, energy and water.

While continuing to focus on increasing its visibility within the UK, SFN 2.0 would aim to highlight the core capabilities of STFC by leveraging on its expertise in high speed computing, thermal engineering, big data analytics, sensor technologies, Blockchain and other disruptive technologies internationally through regular knowledge exchange activities, partner visits, and STEM activities.

Early Career Enhancement: SFN 2.0 will engage early career researchers from STFC and food research to build capacity for long-term sustainability of SFN. Involve existing STFC Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) as well as with food industry/policy/ international organisations for providing secondment or internship opportunities to early career researchers (PhDs/Post-doc/ Lecturers - both UK and international) in one of the SFN themes.