Experience and notable achievements:

 

 

• Company founder and director of securing investment through share issue, grant funding and contract consultancy services over a period of 10 years. Managed research projects and prepared business plans and technical reports, including four substantial EU projects. Developed a miniaturised low-power version of a novel soil moisture sensor (see 3) and managed the work of contract partners to develop associated electronic systems for sensor excitation, signal capture, data processing and data transmission via cable and wireless systems.  Contributed to specification, development and field evaluation in 10 countries of web-based systems for numerical modelling and end-user display for use in crop irrigation management.

• Various consultancy projects notably including two months of farm assessment visits and advisory reports on diffuse water pollution and an analytical study and report on potential for waste water irrigation in Qatar. Ongoing non-paid service to two international scientific research journals as independent referee on articles in the fields of horticulture and crop irrigation.                                               

• Self-employed recipient of DTI Smart award to undertake a 1 year feasibility study to design and successfully patent a novel soil moisture sensor based on a thermal pulse principle, resulting in successful patent applications and recognition as winner of the prestigious 2003 Lord Stafford Award for Development in Innovation.

• Farm technical consultant for a leading land-based industry consultancy, covering farm vegetable production in the UK west Midlands region for 10 years. Initiated and managed collaborative  research in the field of horticulture production with numerous successful funding bids,  notably including development of an  infra-red thermometry method for irrigation scheduling , a disease forecasting model for salad onions,  a micro-fabricated dew-point sensor and effects of growth conditions on strawberry fruit flavour.                                                                       

• Provincial horticulturalist in an overseas development context  with responsibility for training and technical advice for Provincial Government employees and helping to secure a commercially viable vegetable marketing depot in a challenging tribal war zone.

• Higher Scientific Officer in soil science and plant nutrition a leading horticultural research institute initiating and delivering academic research and preparing over 30 reports for publication in prestigious scientific journals or for presentation at international meetings of learned societies and achieving over 300 citations in the scientific literature.

• Two 6-month positions as a sandwich student working in plant nematology research on cereals and peas.

 

 

Qualifications:

PhD plant Biology; Post Graduate Diploma Agricultural Development Economics ; BSc (hons) applied biology

 

Languages

English Mother Tongue, French basis, PNG pidgin basic

 

Spare-time activities

I study and experiment in all aspects of design and use of vertical planting systems (living walls) including development of novel self-sustaining plant modules for living walls and living roofs.  Service a referee for papers submitted to Horticultural Science Journal. Keeping physically fit through running, hill walking and rock climbing.

 

Looking For:

Any full-time, part-time or temporary position that can use my skills

Languages

English

2010 - present

2010 - present

Sectors

 

SCIENTIFIC

CONSULTANCY

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

 

Terry McBurney

 

Key Skills

 

 

• All aspects of project management and business management

• Innovation and product development

• Analysis and use of numerical data

• Preparation of technical reports and articles for publication

• Bid preparation