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A Look back at Northern Ireland: 50th Anniversary of the Sunningdale Agreement Collapse
The collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement is a pivotal moment in the history of Northern Ireland, highlighting the complexities and challenges of achieving peace and political stability in a deeply divided society. This event matters to the public as it underscores the ongoing struggle for reconciliation and the importance of political dialogue in resolving conflicts. The collapse of the agreement provides numerous compelling story angles for journalists to explore, appealing to a broad audience: The historical context and key factors leading to the Sunningdale Agreement Analysis of the political and social dynamics that led to the collapse of the agreement Personal narratives and testimonies from individuals affected by the events surrounding the agreement The impact of the Sunningdale Agreement collapse on subsequent peace processes in Northern Ireland Comparative analysis of the Sunningdale Agreement with the Good Friday Agreement Reflections on the lessons learned from the Sunningdale Agreement and their relevance to contemporary peace efforts globally As we reflect on the collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement, journalists have an opportunity to delve into these multifaceted narratives, shedding light on the complexities of peacemaking and the enduring quest for stability in Northern Ireland. Connect with an Expert about the History of Northern Ireland: Michael Curran, PhD The Diana and Thomas Klein '84 Assistant Professor of Economics | Villanova School of Business · Villanova University Dr Dannielle Green Senior Lecturer in Ecology · Anglia Ruskin University Timothy Shanahan, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy · Loyola Marymount University Alan Barr Rector · Church of Ireland Rector, Author and Local historian living in Northren Ireland To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Photo Credit: The Irish News
Aston University optometrists take up global industry association roles
Professor Nicola Logan has been named a global myopia management ambassador by the World Council of Optometry Dr Debarun Dutta is the new academic chair of the British Contact Lens Association Aston University School of Optometry is ranked in the top 10 for research in the Complete University Guide 2024 Professor Nicola Logan and Dr Debarun Dutta from Aston University’s School of Optometry have both been appointed to major roles within optometry industry associations. The School of Optometry is regularly ranked highly by both leading national ranking publications and in annual student-led surveys. This includes a top 10 ranking for research and a top five ranking for graduate prospects in the Complete University Guide 2024, and first in the UK for student/staff ratio in health professions (optometry) in the Guardian University Guide 2024. Professor Logan, professor of optometry and physiological optics and deputy head of the School, has been named a global myopia management ambassador by the World Council of Optometry (WCO). She is one of four new ambassadors named by the WCO in collaboration with CooperVision, a leading myopia management company. WCO and CooperVision have developed a myopia management online tool which reflects WCO’s global standard of myopia care. In March 2024, Professor Logan presented her inaugural lecture at Aston University on her research into the nature of myopia, the growing evidence base on strategies to control eye growth in children and translation of these findings to clinical practice. She said about her appointment as an ambassador: “I am thrilled to be appointed as the global myopia management ambassador for the World Council of Optometry. This role provides me with a valuable platform to advance the recognition of myopia as a significant public health concern and to facilitate the translation of research into effective, evidence-based clinical practice strategies for children with myopia.” Dr Dutta, a lecturer in optometry, has been appointed the new academic chair of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA). He will lead the BCLA’s academic output, including offering guidance and advice to the BCLA council about scientific and academic elements of contact lenses. Dr Dutta will initially work alongside current academic chair, Professor James Wolffsohn, Aston University’s head of optometry, who is currently on sabbatical from the University, before taking over when Professor Wolffsohn steps down in 2025. Dr Dutta said: “I am hugely excited at the prospect of delivering academic provision of the British Contact Lens Association, with a specific focus on a highly prestigious conference programme as we grow our reputation as a global leader in contact lens and anterior eye education. This is a rare opportunity to work alongside our association members, fellows, trustees, global ambassadors and volunteers inspiring a new era for the BCLA, and to support our growth and development ambitions through delivery of educational activities within the contact lens and anterior eye specialism.”
MEDIA RELEASE: 18th Street in Brandon Named CAA's Worst Road in Manitoba
Potholes and Crumbling Pavement Along 18th Street in Brandon, Manitoba. (Submitted: March 27, 2024) The nominations have been tallied, and the 2024 CAA Worst Road is 18th Street in Brandon. 18th Street's issues with potholes and severe alligator cracking in the pavement have led to this dubious distinction. The road first appeared on the top 10 list in 2022 and has steadily climbed its way to the top. The second and third place spots are also taken by repeat offenders on the top 10 list are Leila Avenue in Winnipeg and Provincial Road 307 in Whiteshell. According to the voter insights, Leila Avenue's unavoidable potholes have damaged many vehicles, costing local drivers thousands of dollars in repairs. Voters also expressed concern over Provincial Road 307 regarding poor pedestrian infrastructure and road maintenance. "The 2024 CAA Worst Roads campaign provides a valuable snapshot of the roads that the public perceives as pain points," says Ewald Friesen, manager of government and community relations for CAA Manitoba, "For 13 years, this campaign has served as a powerful advocacy tool, initiating dialogue with decision-makers and driving positive change for safer roads across the province." CAA's most recent survey data shows that while 78 per cent of Manitobans do not appreciate road maintenance efforts, however, 88 per cent are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction if that means they get a good road at the end of the repairs. The campaign received 486 road nominations from thousands of local voters across 71 municipalities. "Manitobans' frustration about the state of our roads is clear," says Friesen. “We know they voice their concerns to neighbours, friends, or mechanics; this campaign helps bring awareness to decision-makers, providing valuable insights on our preferences for how to prioritize road repair and maintenance." Half of the roads on the top 10 list have debuted this year. These include Highway 26, Pandora Avenue, Richmond Avenue, Grant Avenue, and Munroe Avenue, which are tied for ninth place. Manitoba's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2024 1. 18th Street, Brandon 2. Leila Avenue, Winnipeg 3. Provincial Road 307, Whiteshell 4. Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg 5. Provincial Highway 26, Saint François Xavier 6. Empress Street, Winnipeg 7. Pandora Avenue, Winnipeg 8. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg 9. Grant Avenue and Munroe Avenue, Winnipeg 10. Inkster Boulevard, Winnipeg and Richmond Avenue, Brandon "Municipalities are responsible for thousands of kilometres of roads across the province. Roads, sidewalks, and bike paths are only some of the things that municipal governments fund with limited revenue sources," adds Friesen. "It's important for communities to share their view on what and where investments should be made. CAA Worst Roads is a forum to do that." For more information and historical results, please visit: https://www.caamanitoba.com/advocacy/government-relations/worst-roads
MESOX, a spin-out from the pharmaceutics group at Aston Pharmacy School, develops drug carrier technology to improve medicine formulations The company won the Start-Up prize at the Medilink Midlands Awards 2024 The prize is awarded to a new company that shows a promising future. A spin-out company from Aston University’s pharmaceutics research group has won a medical technology and life sciences industry award. MESOX, which was founded by Aston University pharmaceutics lecturer Dr Ali Al-Khattawi, won the Medilink Midlands Start-Up Award, which is presented to a newly established company that shows a promising future. The Medilink Midlands Business Awards showcase the best collaborations between industry, academia and the NHS across the Midlands. This year’s ceremony was held at the Athena in Leicester on 9 May. The awards were established by Medilink Midlands, which provides specialist business support to boost the region’s economic output from the life sciences industry. Working alongside the Midlands Engine and other strategic alliances, it helps stimulate additional and value-added growth of the Midlands as a prosperous community for life sciences. With in-depth expertise in particle engineering for drug delivery and pharmaceutical spray drying, MESOX uses IP-protected carriers to improve the bioavailability and efficacy of pharmaceuticals, partnering with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to bring challenging therapeutics to market. In its citation, Medilink Midlands described MESOX as “transforming pharmaceutical formulation with its game-changing carrier technologies.” As a winner of a Medilink Midlands award, MESOX will now be entered into the UK National Awards, the ceremony of which takes place on 11 July 2024 in London. Dr Al-Khattawi said: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award, which highlights the outstanding research and development work being done by the MESOX team and the immense potential of our company to transform the medicine formulation development landscape. Through collaboration with other pharmaceutical companies, clinicians, academic researchers, and by engaging directly with patients to understand their needs, we aim to innovate and advance drug delivery science into life-saving therapeutics. “At MESOX, our ambition is to be a global, research-based pharmaceutical company rooted in the Midlands, dedicated to developing life-saving therapeutics at speed and resource-efficiency. Our ultimate goal is to enable healthier lives for patients worldwide and ensure better global access to essential medicines.”
Aston Institute of Membrane Excellence’s Dr Matt Derry was joined by Dr Alan Goddard and France-based research partner Dr Mona Semsarilar They discussed the BIOMEM project, which received £3m from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder programme BIOMEM will develop a bioinspired membrane to selectively extract compounds from water (like finding a favourite chocolate in a box) In the latest Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) podcast, three researchers discuss the international BIOmimetic selective extraction MEMbranes (BIOMEM) project and how it will feed into AIME’s work. BIOMEM will develop a bioinspired membrane technology to selectively extract compounds from water, using 50-75% less energy than current state-of-the-art nanofiltration technologies. The membranes will work at low pressures and at low concentration of the target molecule. Podcast host Dr Matt Derry was joined by fellow AIME researcher Dr Alan Goddard and Dr Mona Semsarilar from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)). The BIOMEM project, which involves collaborators from across Europe, is being led by Dr Torsten Bak from Danish company Aquaporin, with Dr Goddard the research lead at Aston University. Dr Goddard explained: “You might want to work on a biotechnology process where you've made a high value chemical that you want to extract from a complex mix, and at the moment you might have to concentrate your solution up, and you might have to do six or seven filtration steps. We want a filter that does it in a single step using a biological transporter. “And if you can do that in a single step in a platform technology, you'll make all these brilliant biotech processes more commercialisable, reduce your reliance on petrochemicals, and to maybe oversell what we can do, save the planet.” Dr Derry likened it to a quick way to find your favourite chocolate in a box at Christmas. Rather than scrabbling through, taking out one type at a time until you find your favourite, the process can immediately separate it out with minimal effort. Aquaporin has developed a membrane that can selectively transport only water molecules to quickly purify water, which is already in use across the world, and even out of this world, for space missions. Dr Bak and the team will bring their membrane expertise to the project. The team at CNRS, led by polymer scientist Dr Semsarilar, is working on a number of projects for BIOMEM, including developing a type of crystalline material called trianglamine, which they can modify through chemical processes to be hydrophobic or hydrophilic to make things like water channels or adsorption sites, which can be embedded in polymer network for purification processes. Other researchers at AIME, including Dr Derry and Professor Paul Topham, will work on the ‘glue’ to stick the biological elements of the membranes to the non-biological polymer matrix. BIOMEM will also benefit from the input of partners across Europe including dsm-firmenich, University of Copenhagen and Tampere University. The podcast was recorded just after the project kick-off meeting with all the project partners, which was held at Aston University in May 2024. Listen to the full podcast on the Aston Originals YouTube page.
In the crowded landscape of "experts," establishing a leading Thought Leadership program that gets your team noticed requires showcasing your organization's expertise on your website in a flexible, customizable, and SEO-compliant manner. As the demand for dynamic content and seamless integration grows, having various options to display your expert content can significantly enhance your online presence. At ExpertFile, we believe that embracing flexibility allows you to cater to different needs, preferences, and technical setups, ensuring your expert content is accessible, engaging, and easily manageable. In this post, we will explore the benefits of flexible integration options when profiling your organization's expertise, focusing on three key solutions: Customizable Embeds, WordPress Plugins, and RESTful API. The Power of Choice: Why Flexibility Matters Flexibility in integration options empowers organizations to tailor their online presence according to their unique needs. Whether you are a small business with limited technical resources or a large enterprise with a complex marketing stack, having a range of integration choices allows you to adapt and optimize your expert content for maximum impact. Without predefined, easy-to-follow, and well-documented integration options, organizations can face expensive and time-consuming integrations and development. At best, this results in sub-par integrations that fail to leverage your experts' insights effectively. At worst, your Thought Leadership program is abandoned before it even starts. Flexible solutions not only simplify the integration process but also enhance the user experience, improve SEO performance, and enable seamless connectivity with existing tools. These options also provide the flexibility to move your expert content quickly and easily to a new CMS if you decide to make broader changes to your website. Let's delve into the specific benefits and features of Customizable Embeds, the WordPress Plugin, and the RESTful API. 1 | Customizable Embeds: Effortless Integration for Any CMS Customizable Embeds provide a seamless and efficient way to integrate expert profiles into your website, no matter what content management system (CMS) you use. With our intuitive embed builder technology, creating custom integrations is as simple as a few clicks, eliminating the need for extensive IT support. This solution is perfect for organizations looking for a quick and hassle-free method to showcase their expertise. Key benefits include: Ease of Use: Embeds created using an Embed Builder guides you through the process of creating custom embeds, making it accessible to users of all technical skill levels. Whether you're a marketing professional or a web developer, you can effortlessly integrate expert content into your website. Versatility: Customizable Embeds work seamlessly with any CMS, ensuring that your expert content is displayed consistently across different platforms. This flexibility allows you to maintain a cohesive online presence without the need for extensive reconfiguration. Quick Implementation: With no heavy lifting or IT support required, you can quickly integrate expert profiles into your website, saving time and resources. This speed and efficiency are particularly beneficial for organizations with limited technical capabilities. ExpertFile Feature: Embed Builder: The ExpertFile Embed Builder provides an intuitive interface for creating custom integrations, enabling users to test drive the embed options and see real-time results. This hands-on step-by-step approach ensures that your expert content is displayed exactly as desired, generating an optimal user experience. Ask us about getting access to the Embed Builder View live Embed Integrations (University of Delaware, & Aston University) 2 | WordPress Plugin: SEO-Friendly and Visually Appealing For organizations using WordPress, the a WordPress Plugin offers a seamless and SEO-friendly solution to integrate expert content into your website. A plugin can provide users with an easy way to add valuable expert content to any WordPress site, ensuring a beautiful and modern presentation and is an easy to understand concept given the wide variety of plug-ins available today. Key benefits include: SEO Enhancement: The WordPress Plugin is optimized for search engines, helping your expert profiles rank higher in search results. By leveraging SEO best practices, you can increase the visibility of your expert content and attract more organic traffic to your website. Customizable Design: The plugin offers customizable design options, allowing you to match the appearance of your expert profiles with the overall look and feel of your website. This consistency in design enhances the aesthetic appeal and professionalism of your site. User-Friendly Integration: With an easy-to-use interface, the WordPress Plugin simplifies the process of adding expert profiles to your website. This user-friendly approach ensures that even non-technical users can manage and update expert content with ease. ExpertFile Feature: WordPress Plugin: The ExpertFile WordPress Plugin provides a straightforward and efficient way to integrate expert profiles into any WordPress site. With customizable, modern design options, you can ensure that your expert content is a beautiful addition to your website, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality all packaged in a common understandable plug-in form. View ExpertFile in the WordPress Plugin Store View live WordPress Integrations (Florida Institute of Technology & NJIT) 3 | RESTful API: Ultimate Control and Customization For organizations seeking complete customization and control over their expert content, access to RESTful API is the ideal solution. This powerful tool enables you to integrate expert profiles into your existing marketing stack, allowing seamless connectivity with CRM systems, CMS platforms, and other tools. Key benefits include: Complete Customization: The RESTful API gives you full control over how and where your expert content is displayed, enabling you to create a tailored and unique presentation. This level of customization ensures that your expert profiles align perfectly with your brand and marketing strategy. Seamless Integration: By connecting with existing tools in your marketing stack, such as CRM or CMS platforms, the RESTful API streamlines the process of managing and displaying expert content. This seamless integration enhances efficiency and ensures that your expert profiles are always up-to-date. Scalability: The API is designed to handle large volumes of data, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes. Whether you have a few expert profiles or hundreds, the RESTful API can accommodate your needs, providing a scalable solution for displaying expert content. ExpertFile Feature: API: The ExpertFile RESTful API offers unparalleled flexibility and control, allowing you to integrate expert profiles into your existing marketing stack. By providing easy connectivity with tools such as your CRM or CMS, the API ensures that your expert content is displayed exactly as desired, enhancing both functionality and user experience. Developers: Access detailed documentation View live API Integration (Vanderbilt University) Conclusion: Embrace Flexibility & Future Proof Your Integration In conclusion, the ability to flexibly integrate expert content into your website is essential for showcasing your organization's expertise in a dynamic and engaging manner. Without predefined, easy-to-follow, and well-documented integration options, organizations can face expensive, time-consuming integrations and development that make integration less likely and result in sub-par presentations. By not leveraging your experts and their insights in the best way possible, you miss out on significant opportunities to enhance your online presence. Whether you opt for Customizable Embeds, a WordPress Plugin, or the RESTful API, each solution offers unique benefits that cater to different needs and technical setups. By embracing these flexible integration options, you can enhance your online presence, improve SEO performance, and ensure seamless connectivity with existing tools. To learn more about how ExpertFile can help you profile your organization's expertise with flexibility and ease, visit our website and explore the various integration solutions available. For more information on promoting your thought leadership through the power of "Expertise Marketing" download our free guide.
Career advice: Expert provides tips for acing job interviews
Later this month, a whole new class of graduating seniors will hit the job market. University of Delaware career expert Jill Gugino Panté has advice for them and others seeking employment that can help boost confidence and chances for success when entering job interviews. Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center in UD's Lerner College of Business & Economics, provided the following tips: Hand write your answers to common interview questions. Research shows that people have a better chance of remembering information if it’s handwritten. So, rather than typing answers out on your computer, grab an “interview prep” notebook and start writing down your stories to have a better chance of remembering them when it comes time to interview. Practice saying your answers out loud. Written communication is very different from verbal communication. Once you have your answers written down, practice them out loud. This allows you to warm up your voice and get used to talking about yourself out loud. You can do this alone in a room or with a trusted friend who will give you honest feedback. Fan out notes around your screen. Now that most interviews have moved to a virtual format, take advantage of having some extra help. Put post it notes around your screen instead of in a notebook at your side so your eyes and attention stay toward the camera. Exercise beforehand. Of course, you don’t want to run a marathon right before your interview, but you can do some quick exercises to get your blood and endorphins pumping which can have a positive effect on the body and mind. I personally like to dance to an upbeat song that triggers happy memories. To set up an interview with Panté, visit her profile and click on the "contact button." This will send a message directly to her.
Aston University hosts event to foster innovation in crisis and disaster research
The two-day conference brought together academics and policy experts Its aim was to strengthen crisis and disaster research cooperation between institutions in Taiwan and Nepal with Hounslow Borough Council and Birmingham City Council The event laid the groundwork for ongoing cooperation and knowledge exchange in disaster management. Aston University has welcomed a delegation of global disaster management experts to a two-day conference aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in crisis and disaster research. The event held at Conference Aston from 12 to 14 May 2024 brought together leading academics, policy experts and industry professionals, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation between institutions in Taiwan and Nepal together with Hounslow Borough Council and Birmingham City Council. Since mid-2019, a concerted effort has been underway to harness innovative technologies for geoclimatic hazards monitoring in Nepal, the Philippines and Bhutan. Supported by the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction in Taiwan, this initiative has seen meaningful partnerships between British and Taiwanese stakeholders, driving advancements in real-time data capture for earthquake activity, rainfall patterns and wind dynamics crucial for effective crisis and disaster governance. Dr Komal Aryal, a lecturer in crisis and disaster management at Aston University, said: “I was wonderful to welcome such esteemed experts and colleagues to campus for this important event. “Sharing success stories and addressing implementation challenges to emerging technologies in local crisis and disaster management is vital in strengthening digital research infrastructure and networks at the grassroots level in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, the Philippines and other Himalayan regions. “The event served as a nexus for fostering partnerships among academia, policymakers, industries, emergency services and humanitarian volunteers across the UK, Nepal and Taiwan. “These collaborations are essential for driving impactful solutions and strategies in disaster management.” Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who attended this important event around disaster management. “It was wonderful to see the renewed commitment to enhancing crisis and disaster research cooperation which are integral to developing comprehensive and sustainable disaster response frameworks. “I am delighted to see draft plans produced for future joint collaborative activities, laying the groundwork for ongoing cooperation and knowledge exchange in disaster management.” Rev. Weilien Lin, programme secretary, Church and Society Committee, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, said: “This conference marks a significant step forward in our collective efforts to enhance global resilience to disasters. “By bringing together diverse expertise and fostering meaningful partnerships, we are better equipped to address the complex challenges posed by natural and man-made crises.” Professor Yie-Ru, from Chiu Tzu Chi University, Taiwan, said: “Aston University and Tzu Chi universities have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate more closely in addressing disaster and crisis management studies not only in Taiwan and the United Kingdom but also abroad. “This partnership marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to enhancing global preparedness and response to emergencies, fostering cooperation and knowledge exchange across borders.” Mayor Narulal Chaudhary, general secretary of Municipal Association of Nepal elected mayor of Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, said: “This relationship with Aston University stands as a testament to how collaboration can foster disaster resilience and fortify crisis management efforts, especially in regions like the Himalayas in South Asia where vulnerability to natural disasters like earthquakes is significant. “As someone elected as the mayor of Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, a region highly susceptible to earthquakes, I believe that such collaborations are crucial in equipping communities with the knowledge and resources needed to mitigate risks and respond effectively in times of crises.”
The harmful impact of stigma on individuals struggling with opioid addiction
People in recovery from opioid use disorder often struggle with decisions to tell others about their past substance use, treatment, and/or recovery. Although disclosures that go well can lead to social support that is helpful for recovery, disclosures that go poorly can lead to stigma that can harm recovery. Valerie Earnshaw, associate professor in the College of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware, specializes in speaking about addiction and stigma and can speak on this phenomenon. She recently spoke about this topic a the annual Marion H. Steele Symposium at UD. Earnshaw charted the growth of the opioid crisis in the United States, discussed stigma as a complex social process with the power to affect health outcomes and shared her work on an intervention she designed to help people with the disclosure process. She can be contacted by clicking her "View Profile" button.
Aston University scientist to help make crop monitoring easier and cheaper
Photonics expert Dr Sergey Sergeyev to help make crop monitoring easier and cheaper with remote sensing The technology can be placed on drones and flown over crop fields to provide real-time information about crop health Remote sensing is an essential tool to provide real-time information about crops to estimate yields. An Aston University photonics expert has received a Royal Society Industry Fellowship grant to help make crop monitoring easier and cheaper with remote sensing technology. Dr Sergey Sergeyev of Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT) has received £174,000 to improve polarimetric LIDAR, a technology that uses light to remotely observe plants. LiDAR, an acronym for Light Detection and Ranging, involves light sent from a transmitter which is reflected from objects. Devices with this technology can be placed on drones and flown over crop fields to provide real-time information about crop health to help farmers forecast the success of their crops. Polarimetric synthetic-aperture radars (SARs) and polarimetric LiDARs are the most advanced, cost-effective sensors for crop monitoring. They are often used onboard aircraft and satellites and have been in use for three decades. However, current polarimetric LIDAR systems have low spatial resolution, a slow measurement speed and use expensive components that limit their cost effectiveness. Dr Sergeyev will be working in collaboration with Salford-based digital and AI farming company Fotenix to meet farmers' need for a cost-effective solution to check if their plants are adequately watered and disease-free. The team will aim to advance recently patented AIPT technology of the polarimetric LIDAR, making it affordable for farmers in the UK and worldwide. The project, called POLIDAR, will run from 2024 to 2025. Dr Sergeyev said: “Aston University’s patented technique will be modified by using a laser emitting four time-delayed pulse trains with different states of polarisation. By comparing the input states of polarisation and states of polarisation of light reflected from plants, it will reveal information about the distance to plants and plants' leaf texture, such as water stress and pathogen infection. Unlike state-of-the-art solutions we suggest an all-fibre design with a minimum number of bulk components that reduces the footprint, cost and weight. Dr Sergeyev added: “My project's motivation is driven by the global and UK agenda on increased food production, requiring novel remote sensing approaches towards ICT farming. “As declared at the World Summit on Food Security in 2017, the growth in the world's population requires increased and more efficient agricultural production. “Remote sensing is an essential tool to systematically address the challenging task of enhanced agricultural efficiency by providing real-time information about crop traits for yield estimation.” The announcement coincides with UNESCO Day of Light which marks the role light plays in science, culture and art, education and sustainable development. It is held on 16 May every year, the anniversary of the first successful operation of a laser. ENDS World Summit on Food Security in 2017 The future of food and agriculture: Trends and challenges (fao.org) https://www.fao.org/3/i6583e/i6583e.pdf UNESCO Day of Light The International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The broad theme of light will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace. The International Day of Light is held on May 16th every year, the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman. The laser is a perfect example of how a scientific discovery can yield revolutionary benefits to society in communications, healthcare and many other fields. About Aston University For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally. Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020. Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world. For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk