Jacob Nickles

Jacob Nickles serves as a Research Fellow at the School of Geography and Planning, University of Sheffield, with key roles including:

• Co-lead of the Institute for Sustainable Food Controlled Environment Agriculture cluster
• Researcher in the 'H3 - Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People' project under UKRI's Transforming UK Food Systems program

His work focuses on developing low-input hydroponic systems and bridging academia-industry gaps through commercial partnerships. Research spans Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) with emphasis on hydroponic and aquaponic system design across contexts from low-cost classroom setups to intensive laboratory environments. His interdisciplinary approach integrates business, science, and engineering to optimize sustainable food production in resource-constrained settings while prioritizing technology transfer and public engagement through science communication.

Recent publications reveal evolving expertise from foundational urban horticulture analysis (2020 Nature Food paper) to sustainability assessment of peri-urban systems (2024 Life Cycle Assessment study), culminating in 2025 material science innovation with rebonded foam as soilless growing media. This trajectory demonstrates increasing technical sophistication in sustainable agri-tech solutions while maintaining strong interdisciplinary connections between environmental science, engineering, and practical business applications.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the source material.

Nickles has secured approximately £500,000 for international greenhouse projects in the Middle East and manages significant UK research initiatives including an Innovate UK 'Future Farming Innovation Fund' project with a vertical farm. He currently co-supervises a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with a polyurethane foam manufacturer, leveraging his unconventional business background to facilitate industry-academia collaboration. His funding portfolio emphasizes practical technology transfer and commercial implementation of sustainable agricultural systems.

As co-lead of the Controlled Environment Agriculture cluster, he directs research on sustainable food systems within the Institute for Sustainable Food. His current UKRI-funded 'H3' project develops modeling frameworks for low-input hydroponics in semi-controlled environments, while ongoing industry partnerships span from Sheffield-based vertical farms to global manufacturing entities testing novel growing media solutions.