Dr Beth Dyson

Responsibilities

• Director of Student Education for the School of Biology
• Programme Lead MSc in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production

Research interests

My research interest sits at the intersection of plant biology, agriculture, and sustainability, with a long-standing foundation in crop physiology and photosynthesis. I am particularly interested in how plants respond and adapt to environmental change across multiple timescales, from short-term physiological acclimation to longer-term adaptive processes. This perspective underpins my broader aim of understanding how biological responses at the crop level interact with management decisions and external pressures, such as climate variability and resource constraints.

Building on this background, my current work focuses on the development and implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. A central strand of my research examines how farmer behaviour can be influenced to support more sustainable outcomes, alongside the methodological challenges of measuring and evaluating sustainability at farm, national, and policy scales. I am especially interested in how agricultural policies are designed and implemented, and how these policies shape farming decisions, food systems, and environmental outcomes in practice.

In parallel, I have a strong interest in pedagogical research related to agriculture and sustainability. My educational scholarship focuses on authentic assessment, experiential learning, and education for sustainable development, with the aim of better aligning teaching practices with the complex, real-world challenges faced by future agricultural and environmental professionals. Through this work, I seek to integrate research, policy, and education to support more resilient and sustainable food systems.

Qualifications

• PG Cert in Learning and Teaching, University of Sheffield, 2018
• PhD University of Manchester, 2011
• BSc University of Sheffield, 2006

Professional memberships

• Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy

Research groups and institutes

• Plant Sciences