The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) has appointed a new Professor and a Reader to strengthen its programme of research on Climate Change, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Chris Atkinson joins NRI as Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change following a distinguished research career at East Malling Research where he was a Senior Programme Leader and Deputy Chief Executive. During his time at East Malling Research, Chris successfully established a reputation in fruit science and initially worked on understanding the coordination of root and shoot growth in perennial crops, with a focus on rootstock.
He subsequently developed new areas of research looking at the impacts of environmental stress on crop production. This included routes to understanding the links between production and ways to enhance beneficial chemical compounds in fruit, such as antioxidants. More recently he has been focussing on understanding and developing novel systems for crop based production of organic compounds for medical use, such as artemisinin.
Chris brings his previous experience of plant stress physiology to strengthen NRI's work on climate change adaptation. Chris's appointment also allows NRI to expand its engagement with food security issues in UK and Europe whilst bringing his extensive research experience to NRI's global research portfolio.
Şerban Scrieciu will join NRI as a Reader in Economics for Sustainability. Şerban was previously a project manager for the United Nations Environment Programme's MCA4climate initiative, developing innovative methodologies to support governments in preparing their climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Prior to this he was a Senior Research Associate at the Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research where he studied the economics of climate change, energy-environment-economy modelling of climate mitigation policies and interactions between climate change policies and development.
We look forward to Şerban bringing his skills in economic analysis and understanding of climate-economy modelling to work with NRI staff on issues of climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation in a wide range of countries.