Winner of the Innovator/09 Knowledge Exploitation Award
Gaining external recognition
The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA)
The Innovator/09 Knowledge Exploitation Award was awarded to the newly vested Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera). Formed from the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) and divisions of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Fera’s role is providing robust evidence, rigorous analysis and professional advice to Government, international organisations and the private sector. Though Government-owned, the majority of its funding is acquired by open competition and private sector income.
“We’ve been involved in technology transfer, or knowledge transfer, for a number of years – all Government laboratories are under increasing pressure to make the most of their intellectual assets, and applying for the Knowledge Exploitation Award helped with our external recognition. Winning this award confirms our efforts and it’s good to have that external vote of confidence. In terms of building our innovation culture, it means a lot to us.” comments Dr Louise Byass.
She continues, “Exploiting intellectual property and innovation was important within CSL but it’s even more important now that we have become Fera. We’ve undertaken a review and had a re-organisation which has reaffirmed the importance of innovation, and we now have a new programme called Science Strategy Research and Innovation which will bring the innovation agenda forward.”
Fera organises its research and science teams around the thematic science areas required by its client base, from chemical residues and contaminants to crop and food security and environment risk. The wildlife management programme is the area from where the submitted project was drawn. Explains Dr Byass, “The project put forward for the award is just one example of several innovation projects that Fera is currently working on. We chose it primarily because the applications of that technology affect many people, for example in aviation safety and wind farm planning.” Ironically, as Fera was applying for the award, an aeroplane accident in New York’s Hudson River, apparently caused by a flock of birds, hit the headlines. The data gathering system developed by Fera would almost certainly have provided information that could have averted the tragedy.
Head of Programme Dr John Allan describes the project: “We utilise a radar unit, developed in the United States, which is one of only two units in the UK, both in use by Fera. We have added value and versatility to the operation and increased its application with the creation of software to offer more explicit information on bird species identification, behaviour, turning patterns and frequencies. This information is vital for use in wind energy planning, flight safety at airports, protection of bats and predictive collision risk assessment. The interpretation algorithms we have created are unique, enabling the gathered data to be more effective and more specific. Condensing the data into a form that is useful to airport managers, wind farm developers etc. is usually represented graphically, in density maps. Comparisons of movement, for instance when birds turn to avoid wind turbines, can be made under different weather conditions or at night. We can then determine impacts on future planning and on the environmental impact of bird populations.
“Conventional ornithology is prone to a number of problems: it is difficult to see very far, observers get tired and are often inconsistent, and birds can’t be seen at night or in fog. With this radar and our interpretation systems, consistent, continuous, objective data gathering – which can be re-analysed at any time – is a positive outcome. When our information is used at a public enquiry, for example, it carries far more weight.” John concludes, “Our role is to provide the science that gives the impartial expert assessment to deal with developer demand and Government priorities.”
Dr Steven Hill, Head of Research Councils UK Strategy Unit, commented, “Research Councils UK value the many diverse ways in which their research investments can lead to benefits for the UK society and economy. We were delighted to support this award which aims to reward and celebrate the successful commercial exploitation of basic research.”
