About
Dr. Laura Vickers is a Senior Lecturer in Plant Biology and Associate Head of the Sustainable Systems Section at Harper Adams University. She coordinates the Agricultural Sciences and Production Systems MSc program and manages the BASIS partnership. Her research focuses on plant adaptability to environmental stress, particularly drought and water stress, with a specialization in antitranspirants. She also explores entomology (aphids), urban farming, and postharvest quality of fresh produce.
Education:
- BSc
- Postgraduate Certificate (PgC)
- PhD
Research Interests:
- Plant adaptation to drought stress and antitranspirant mitigation
- Urban agriculture and its ecosystem services
- Insect plasticity in indoor production systems
- Maximizing yield and marketability in fresh produce
- Green infrastructure and health/wellbeing benefits
Recent Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes antitranspirant efficacy in crops like rapeseed and wheat, urban agriculture benefits, and vertical farming technologies. Collaborations with industry partners (e.g., Black Soldier Fly composting) highlight applied agricultural solutions.
Advising & Grants:
- Supervises/co-supervises 8 PhD students across topics like urban agri-tech, vertical farming, and antitranspirant applications
- Funding sources include Commonwealth scholarships, Digital Farm, and the UK Urban AgriTech
Labs/Teams: Active in the Crop Science Group and Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems at Harper Adams. Engages with policy advocacy groups and industry through webinars on future farming trends.
