The University of Aberdeen is leading the way in the creation of a pioneering research institute that will develop and enhance international research in the field of transport and rural policy.
The work of the Institute for Transport and Rural Research (ITRR) will be previewed at a special event at the University tomorrow (Friday, December 8).
Invited guests, including notable academics and policy makers from all over the UK, will travel to Aberdeen to take part in an exclusive session designed to showcase the Institute’s potential research capabilities.
The initiative, believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland, is being led by the College of Physical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen under the Directorship of Professor John Farrington, Director of Transport and Rural Research.
Tomorrow’s sneak preview of the work of the centre will discuss current research themes and issues in the transport and rural policy sectors. It will also look at sustainable transport issues and how the Institute will develop research between international academics in the rapidly changing field of transport and rural policy.
Professor John Farrington, Director of the Institute for Transport and Rural Research, said he was delighted to be hosting the one-day preview event at the University of Aberdeen.
He said: “The purpose of this conference is to bring together academics and policy makers from across Britain to discuss research themes and issues in the transport and rural fields. The event is a prelude to the official launch of the Institute early next year.
“The conference will showcase the existing and potential research capabilities of an excellent group of transport and rural researchers from across the University of Aberdeen, the Macaulay Institute, Scottish Agricultural College, and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
“This strong research network will undoubtedly pave the way for a research institute of international excellence and reputation.”
Friday’s event will welcome a number of prominent speakers in the areas of transport and rural policy research including Dr Donna Easterlow, Senior Researcher with the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD), who will discuss key research findings as well as current and future research projects. Hamish Clark, Head of Transport Research at the Scottish Executive, will cover transport policy developments.
Prominent and well-respected academics in the field of transport research will also address the conference delegates. Professor Terry Marsden, Head of the School of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University, will lead the afternoon’s agenda by giving a review of policy-related research in the rural field. The conference will culminate with a presentation by Dr Jon Shaw, a leading academic in the transport arena, who will consider the challenges faced in transport policy research.
This event will also be a welcome to the University for new senior colleagues in Aberdeen including Professor Richard Aspinall, new Director of The Macaulay Institute and Dr Sarah Skerrat, Senior Researcher, Scottish Agricultural College.
Professor Farrington, who will also address the conference with an overview of ITRR, added: “The on-going challenges of sustainable transport issues is a key area of research for the Institute and we hope the results of our research will enable policy makers to identify ways in which policy can be adapted to the particular needs of rural areas of Scotland.”
The Institute for Transport and Rural Research conference is being held in the Linklater Rooms, King’s College, University of Aberdeen, on Friday, December 8, from 10.30am – 3.30pm.