7 May 2004 Lincoln Agricultural Qualifications a Passport to Exciting Careers

Agricultural science qualifications from Lincoln University have been passports to travel for Alistair Black of Riverton and Hamish Brown of Cromwell.

Both have Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) degrees from Lincoln and last month the pair graduated again from Lincoln with doctorates, Alistair with his PhD in Pasture Science and Hamish with his in Plant Science.

Now with top, internationally recognised qualifications in their hands the world is at their feet. Alistair is starting a research career as a grassland scientist in Ireland, near Dublin, and Hamish has job applications in for Japan and Germany after already spending time in Queensland, Australia, with the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) during his studies.

Both have also presented scientific papers at conferences in Australia.

"The university careers of Alistair and Hamish show just what exciting and worthwhile opportunities are out there for agricultural students and graduates," says the supervisor of their doctoral studies, plant scientist Dr Derrick Moot.

Originally from Riverton, where his parents farm Coopworth sheep, Alistair did his doctoral research at Lincoln University on the role of Caucasian clover in relation to white clover in New Zealand's pastoral system, explaining better liveweight gains under Caucasian clover-ryegrass pastures than white clover-ryegrass regimes. The work was part of a Meat and Wool New Zealand clover research project at Lincoln University led by Mr Dick Lucas and Dr Moot.

Hamish, from a sheep and beef farm in Central Otago, did his doctoral research on the yield and water use of dryland forage crops in New Zealand. From his results he developed on-farm management strategies to maximise the production and utilisation of Lucerne without compromising crop survival.

"Both projects have made very useful contributions to our knowledge of pastures and pasture management," says Dr Moot," and it's the sort of practical, applied research that is the hallmark of Lincoln."

While Alistair and Hamish are looking at research positions, their Lincoln degrees also equip them for on-farm careers. They have graduated at a time of a bumper revival of enrolments in agricultural courses at Lincoln. Farming leaders see this increase in numbers as serving well the future staffing needs of New Zealand's primary sector.

Agricultural qualifications available through Lincoln University include the Diploma in Farm Management, Bachelor of Agriculture, Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture), Graduate Diploma in Organic Agriculture, Postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Science, Postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Engineering and Undergraduate Certificate in Agriculture, plus masters and PhD degrees.

For the names of course advisors and contacts for these various qualifications see Lincoln University's website www.lincoln.ac.nz or phone the University 0800 10 60 10.

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