Climate change research grant for Stirling’s Falconer
UNIVERSITY of Stirling researcher Dr Lynne Falconer has been awarded a £1.5m grant for a project that aims to help the aquaculture industry use data to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Dr Falconer, of the Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling, has been awarded a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship award for her proposal to use data from salmon farms located on the coasts of Scotland and Norway to develop tools for better decision-making, as the industry faces up to the effects of global warming.
Together with her research team, she will use a combination of fieldwork, data analysis and predictive modelling to develop a framework of tools for industry to develop future responses to short- and longterm changes. Dr Falconer said:“The Fellowship provides an outstanding opportunity to establish my own research team and lead an ambitious programme of research that will have real-world impact.”
“Marine aquaculture is an important contributor to the global food system. But climate change is a threat, as fish production is highly influenced by the farm environment. Even small changes in the farming conditions can affect fish growth, health and welfare. Dr Falconer is one of 97 Fellows awarded in the current round of the Future Leaders Fellowships scheme, worth a total of £96m.