Mr. Mark Reader, PIAgrM

Research Assistant in Rural Economy, for roughly the last ~19 years.  Notable contributions include those to 'Peer-Matching', 'Loss-Making Marginal Spending from Crop Variable Inputs', and on the 'EU Sugar Regime', as well as to 'Best Use of UK Agricultural Land' and 'Biomass/Oil Crops'. I also publish innovative internet services for researchers and farmers.  In recent years, most work has been funded through DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).  Interests include: ways to improve farm efficiency and to decrease resource / ecological footprint (eg through benchmarking and optimisation); re-use of waste; agri-policy; and rural development.  In addition to: 'rules, values and norms' and research on human well-being; and contributions of religious faith to those.  Formerly undertook research in experimental plant sciences (genetics/physiology/biochem), in Western Australia, including a successful technical project.  My career has also included sojourns in Nicaragua and India, as well as agricultural research in Australia, South Africa, the UK, and Peru.

Joined Land Economy / RBU as an unpaid volunteer in April 2003, and appointed to this salaried post from Sept 2003 having met - through formal application - the essential criteria of a more senior research post in Land Economy.

If it were up to me (which it is not) for dissertations, I would require eligible students to WALK (with whatever assistance for human powered travel - eg Litter/Stretcher and Bearers/ Sherpas / etc - may be needed^^) as their travel to Cambridge from Home, or from their Landing point (eg Heathrow) in the UK. 

In the tradition of, for example, one notable scholar who walked a rather long way to start his studies in Edinburgh.  And many others who travelled widely.

^^ 'no student shall be denied entry to Cambridge University owing to financial ability' is in essence, I believe, the formal practice and policy.