RELU events for National Science and Engineering Week/Festival of Social Science 2007

The Rural Economy and Land Use programme is organising events around Britain to mark National Science and Engineering Week/Festival of Social Science 2007.

Three high profile debates on issues on the theme of Power and Responsibility – Who Decides: You Decide will take place at the Royal Academy of Engineering, 29 Great Peter Street, London SW1P 3LW.

The environment would be fine, if only scientists were in charge
6.00-7.30 pm, Friday 9 March 2007

Speakers will be Bill Sutherland, the Miriam Rothschild Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Cambridge, and Principal Investigator on RELU project “Management Options for Biodiverse Farming”; Susan Owens, Professor of Environment and Policy and Fellow of Newnham College, University of Cambridge; Mark Avery, Director of Conservation at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; and Andy Stirling, Professorial Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex.

Consumers cannot be left to themselves to decide what to eat
6.00-7.30 pm, Monday 12 March 2007

Speakers will be Bruce Traill, Professor of Food Economics in the Department of Agricultural and Food Economics at Reading University and Advisor to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations; Dr Tom MacMillan, Executive Director of the Food Ethics Council; Dr Michelle Harrison, Director of the Henley Centre and Gareth Edwards-Jones, Professor of Agriculture and Land-Use Studies at University of Wales, Bangor and Principal Investigator on the RELU project “Comparative merits of consuming vegetables produced locally and overseas”.

Farmers should be responsible for controlling livestock diseases
6.00-7.30 pm, Wednesday 14 March 2007

Speakers will be Professor Jeff Waage, Director of the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College; Sean Rickard, Senior Lecturer in Business Economics at Cranfield University, formerly Chief Economist with the National Farmers´ Union; Michael Winter, Professor of Rural Policy and Director of the Centre for Rural Research at the University of Exeter and John Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales and member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

We hope that you will be able to attend one or more of the debates. To book please complete the booking form and return it by 1st March to: the ESRC Conference Desk, Tel: 020 8542 8223; Fax: 020 8542 9333; esrc@vistaevents.co.uk.

We want to attract as wide a range of audience as possible. Please circulate this invitation to friends and colleagues who may be interested.

Several RELU research projects are also organising events around the country:

"Tilapia: a barn full of fish?" organised by Stirling University will be at Perth Agricultural Centre, Huntingtower Perth from 10 am to 1 pm on Friday 9 March and Stirling Auction Mart from 9.30 am to 1 pm on Wednesday 14 March. The Tilapia is a hardy, adaptable, warm water fish with considerable potential for solving the protein problems of developing countries while satisfying the increasing demand for fish in the developed world. This event, which includes fish tasting, will demonstrate the tilapia production system, market considerations and health implications, and highlight its potential for farm diversification.

"Does local food drive development locally and overseas?" organised by the University of Wales, Bangor will take place at the Welsh Assembly Government Buildings, St Asaph Business Park from 10 am to 3.30 pm on Tuesday 13 March. This symposium will consider if, and how, provision of local food can enhance social and economic development. Presenters will discuss the benefits to the regional economy of sourcing local food, the practicalities of establishing local food supply chains, and the trade-offs local food presents between local and international development.

"Involving stakeholders in the management of food chain risks", organised by the Institute of Food Research will be at Norwich Research Park from 6 pm to 10 pm on Wednesday 14 March. This event comprises a series of workshops to investigate the best ways to involve people in decision making regarding food risks and to help improve the way that food risks are considered and communicated. The workshops will concentrate on a particular scenario based on food poisoning and the consumption of chicken.

For more details about these and other events see www.esrcfestival.ac.uk.