Where are they now?

Research over the past two decades in the laboratory of Gail Taylor has been focused on delivering applied, translational Plant Sciences that make a real-world impact on the supply of safe, nutritious,

Libby Rowland is Research and Development Officer for herbs at Vitacress - a fresh produce supplier, specialising in watercress, salads and fresh herbs. She was offered the position during her time as a PhD student with Taylor Lab, during which she was funded by J Sainsbury’s to improve irrigation practice in pot herb production.

My PhD started back in January 2000 and I was the first student between Gail and Vitacress Salads Ltd - Something I was very proud to be.  I joined Vitacress full time after a summer spell working with Poplar in Italy and I was in various posts there until March 2015.  In my time at Vitacress I was responsible for a number of innovations and improvements and remained a visitor at Southampton University where I was involved in the research programmes that followed my PhD.

Nine years after starting a PhD with Vitacress, I am now working as an Agronomist for the company. 

Fangzhu Zhang is now a Lecturer in China Planning at the Bartlett School of Planning, UCL (2011-present). She worked at the School of City Planning, Cardiff University (2006-2011) and University of Southampton (2000-2002) before joining the Bartlett School of Planning, UCL. She received her Ph.D. degree from Gail Taylor’s Lab,  the University of Southampton, UK in 2006. Her main research interests include innovation and science parks, especially biotechnology R&D in EU and China, sustainable development and Chinese eco-cities.