22 March 2000 Chinese Professorship for Lincoln Scientist

China's Year of the Dragon opened with a roar of success for Lincoln University soil scientist Ron McLaren who now has the distinction of being a professor twice over – once at home and once in China, where he has recently been appointed a ‘Guest Professor’.

The honour acknowledges Ron's teaching and research contribution to Huazhong Agricultural University in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province.

For Ron, a soil scientist with a specialisation in heavy metal contamination, it's the second professorship awarded to him in 12 months. In June last year he was promoted to a personal chair in soil science by Lincoln University.

The Chinese honour follows visits Professor McLaren has made to China, with reciprocal visits to New Zealand by Huazhong scientists, working collaboratively on soil fertility studies for agricultural production on China's Jianghan Plains.

Specifically the work is aimed at identifying appropriate rates of sewage sludge application for agricultural land which will benefit soil fertility but minimise potentially harmful effects. As elsewhere in the world, heavy metals such as cadmium, copper and zinc are present in the sewage sludge originating from both domestic and industrial sources.

"China has used sewage on the land for centuries," says Professor McLaren, "but in the old days there was little industrial contamination. Now that must be taken into account.

"With China in the process of developing large-scale sewage treatment plants, sludge disposal will become a real issue. Through our research at Lincoln University we are able to advise and pass on techniques for studying the effects of waste application to soils.

"One approach to avoid the possibility of transferring metal into the food chain is for the sludge-treated land to be used only for non-food crops. We do that in New Zealand, for example, when we make use of sludge from the Bromley treatment works as a fertiliser in areas of forest on the Canterbury Plains. On the Jianghan Plains in China where we are working, sludge can be applied to crops of cotton and oilseed rape, so the food chain isn't affected."

Two other scientists from New Zealand are working with Professor McLaren on the China project. The work is funded by an Asia 2000 grant and originated with a visit to China by Professor McLaren about 18 months ago supported by a New Zealand-China Travel Award.

Teaching at Huazhong University, which has about 7000 students, is not as difficult as might be imagined, says Professor McLaren. He lectures in English with an interpreter alongside him – sometimes it is his own Lincoln colleague Dr Hong-jie Di – and as he is teaching at mainly doctoral and masters levels the students are very attentive and keen to learn.

He lives on campus during his periods there, as do all the Huazhong University staff.

Professor McLaren says that life in China is very interesting and his Chinese colleagues are excellent hosts. His next stint back at Huazhong is in October, and fellow Chinese scientists will be visiting Lincoln again in December.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand