Joe Leaper
PhD Student
School of Science and the Environment
Research Degree Students
email: LEAJ1_23@uni.worc.ac.uk
Joe is a full-time PhD student in the School of Science and Environment at the University of Worcester.
Joe’s main research interest is in sustainable food production and above ground and below ground ecology. His PhD project is focusing on the ecological intensification of vineyards to increase their environmental sustainability by increasing biodiversity and decreasing the use of certain plant protection products.
Joe’s academic background is in Environmental Sciences and Soil Science. After finishing his MSc Joe worked in the Agri-Environment sector for several years before returning to academia to carry out his current PhD project.
His supervisors are Dr Kate Ashbrook and Prof Alan Dixon from University of Worcester, and Prof Duncan Westbury from the Royal Agricultural University.
In addition to being a PhD student Joe provides soil sampling and analysis services for local farmers and conservation organisations.