Conference highlights the essential role research plays in Myerscough higher education programmes

This year, the annual event was split into three main areas, promoting the whole concept of research and its impact on learning, with a mixture of in person and online activities, and poster presentations.

In the Animal Welfare section – which featured subject areas including animal studies, equine studies, farriery and veterinary nursing – guest speakers included:

Anya Westland – ‘Rest to Run: Why recovery matters’

Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock – ‘One Health, One Welfare, One Partnership: Towards safer eventing in sport’

Finn Stockdale – ‘Assessing Aardvarks in Waterberg, Limpopo, South Africa’

Kristin Hammond: ‘Healing beyond borders’

Penny Wellman: ‘Who’s keeping keepers?’

Dr Cat Trickett – ‘Mental wellbeing in farriers’

Rachel Smith – ‘Domestic cat personality and its effect on interactions with people’

Jess Aikman: Differences in reproductive output of ex-situ grey parrots between zoo regions’

In greenspace, the event was chaired by Dr Andy Hirons, and a number of online topics and speakers were offered in horticulture and arboriculture, including:

Associate Professor Amanda Rasmussen (University of Nottingham) - Getting to the root of the problem: Challenges in cutting propagation of UK broadleaves

Ryan Munroe (NVK Nurseries, Ontario) - Improving tree root quality in nursery production

Julie Smith (University Centre Myerscough) – Biodiversity in young woodlands

Dr Duncan Slater (University Centre Myerscough) - Woodpecker habitat preferences in urban woodlands

And in sport, the theme, led by Research Lead Dr John Fry, was ‘Contemporary Research with Practical Applications’, with the opportunity to showcase staff and student research, including expert panel debates, and research workshop activities.

Sessions included:

Professor Graeme Close (Professor of Human Physiology, Liverpool John Moores University) - Academic Theory and Applied Practice in Sports Science

Interactive Research Activity in The Golf Science Studio

Student Research Showcase and Industry Project Research Presentations

Across the afternoon, industry project poster presentation provided a development opportunity for degree students to share their research and ideas, with poster presentations by programme learners across a wide range of study areas taking part.

The event has successfully showcased our student work and shown what a diverse range of research we undertake at University Centre Myerscough.

This event could not have been made successful without the support to the teaching and support staff, students and of course industry representatives, friends and family, and research collaborations which make this all possible.