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Recognising Research Excellence
[January 28, 2014]

Recognising Research Excellence


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) LINCOLN, New Zealand, Jan. 28 -- Lincoln University issued the following news release: The Lincoln University Research Committee has announced the recipients of the 2013 Excellence in Early Career Research Awards. Three academic staff members have been named: Dr William Godsoe, Dr Sharon Forbes and Dr Majeed Safa .



The awards recognise research excellence among academic staff who have less than five years of research experience since completing their PhD, with winners being selected on criteria such as the quality and originality of their research; peer recognition via publications and speaking invitations; success with external funding; and awards from other learned bodies.

As well as the formal recognition of their achievements, all recipients receive $5,000 to be applied to a project of their choosing.


Dr William Godsoe is an ecologist based at the Bio-protection Research Centre at Lincoln University. His work focuses on identifying the ecological factors most needed to anticipate the distributions of invasive species. Many factors can alter a species' distribution, such as dispersal, evolution and other living things. As such, his research specialises in using mathematical results to find the best way to make predictions given these potential unknowns.

Dr Sharon Forbes is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Lincoln University. With academic qualifications in both viticulture and commerce, Sharon's research focuses on the business of food and beverage, particularly with regards to wine, and especially when it comes to questions of consumer behaviour. Some examples of this research include ascertaining the drivers and value-creation gains to New Zealand food and beverage companies in establishing environmental programmes and practices, and how these should be communicated to retailers and consumers.

Lincoln University Lecturer in Agricultural Engineering, Majeed Safa, hails from Iran where he was Research Director and Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs at Azad University. His research areas include modelling energy consumption in agriculture, energy benchmarking, and the development of sustainability plans. His current research project explores the possibility of estimating nitrogen content in clover and grass using thermal images and artificial neural networks (ANN). The project is the first step toward optimising fertiliser consumption on farms using precision agriculture techniques.

Regarding the awards themselves, Lincoln University's Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship and Research), Stefanie Rixecker , said "It is part of Lincoln University's overall research programme that we recognise and support the career development of our researchers at all stages of their development.

"As well a proving themselves on the international stage, the researchers recognised have demonstrated well focussed, industry relevant research programmes aligned with Lincoln University's position as New Zealand's specialist land-based university." CC AutoTriage1pm-140128-30TagarumaMar-4615710 30TagarumaMar (c) 2014 Targeted News Service

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