EPS Early Career Researchers (ECR)

The Early Career Researchers (ECR) was established in 2020 to give early career members of EPS a way to influence our work. Every member starting out in their plant science career is invited to join the network. Members of the ECR will be kept in the loop about opportunities of interest within EPS. 

The Executive Committee – a group of EPS's ECR steers the group, organize networking events and workshops, have recently been formed. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are unfortunately not able to organize a physical EPS ECR meeting.

Join us on Slack platform where we talk about plant-related research.

If you have any ideas that you would like to share, please contact our Events team.

EPS ECR provides:

  • Postgraduate training for the next generation of plant researchers

  • Public outreach opportunities

  • Improved understanding of plant science through student-led seminars

  • Quarterly EPS newsletter which shares upcoming exclusive opportunities for ECRs

Sponsored by :

EPS ECR Lead

Valerio Giuffrida 

(Edinburgh Napier University)

v.giuffrida@napier.ac.uk

I am a lecturer in Data Science at the Edinburgh Napier University. My research focuses in image-based analysis of plants using machine learning, particularly for regression tasks.

 

    
Executive team

Andrew Romanowski 

(Plant Sciences, Uni of Edinburgh)

andrew.romanowski@ed.ac.uk

I am a circadian biologist that has delved into the world of alternative splicing, photobiology and bioinformatics, now amalgamating all to answer biological questions.

 

Cristina Rosique-Esplugas

(UK Centre of Ecology & Hydrology)

crisiq@ceh.ac.uk

I am a trained botanist and plant ecologist with a PhD in Evolutionary Biology. Currently I am working in project addressing the social and ecological impacts of silvo-pastoral systems in Colombia, with efforts towards a sustainable Amazonian landscape.

Emma Bush

(Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh)

ebush@rbge.org.uk

I study plants and their role in human society, with particular interests in tropical plant phenology and the value of biodiversity in climate adaptation.

 
 

Alan McCluskey

(SASA)

alan.mccluskey@sasa.gov.scot

I am interested in quarantine plant pathogens which would be of consequence to the Scottish agricultural sector. Currently working on BRIGIT, a consortium of 10 UK institutes focused on safeguarding against the introduction and establishment of the bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa.

    

Funding team

Lucas Frungillo 

(Plant Sciences, Uni of Edinburgh)

lucas.frungillo@ed.ac.uk

I am a BBSRC-Discovery Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. My research aims to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying specificity in signalling propagation, with a particular focus on redox-based post-translational control of nutrient assimilation in plants.

 

 

 

 

  

Communications and events team      

 Mavis O. Osei-Wusu

(Heriot-Watt University)

ma238@hw.ac.uk

Research is on intracellular signalling in plant biotic and abiotic stress. I am using molecular techniques to explore the role of MAP kinases in plant stress response.

Apple Chew 

(Plant Sciences, Uni of Edinburgh)

y.p.chew@sms.ed.ac.uk 

I am a second year PhD student who is developing and improving genome editing tools for the green microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

 

Laura Roehrig

(SRUC)

laura.roehrig@sruc.ac.uk

I am a second year PhD student of the International Barley Hub. My project investigates the potential of a genetic control against Ramularia leaf spot in barley
 

Beatriz Orosa

(Plant Sciences, Uni of Edinburgh)

beatriz.orosa@ed.ac.uk 

 

My interest in plant homeostasis in the presence of external stressors led me to specialise in post-translational modifications (PTM), studying SUMOylation and ubiquitination in response to pathogens.