Jim Reilly, 49, a PhD Student at the University of Aberdeen, hailing from Doncaster, is attending Parliament to present his bioscience research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of STEM for BRITAIN on Monday 13 March.
Jim’s poster is on his research about how intense farming changes land use around the world, and how this affects food security. It will be judged against dozens of other scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind.
Jim was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament.
On presenting his research in Parliament, he said: “I hope my work will be of interest to MPs and to the wider public because it covers a topic of concern to everyone - food security. I hope to meet a number of MPs and other scientists to discuss the applications and future development of this important work.”
Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said: “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best new researchers.
“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and STEM for BRITAIN is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”
Jim’s research has been entered into the biosciences session of the competition, which will end in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.
Judged by leading academics, the gold medalist receives £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.
The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society and the Council for Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from the Clay Mathematics Institute, Research Councils UK, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Society of Chemical Industry, Institute of Biomedical Science and the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research.