Jacob Nickles (he/him)

I have a very unconventional career track, managing and owning Food & Beverage businesses from a young age. I had a substantial shift change in 2016, when I moved into research. Using my business experience, I helped secure circa £500k for an international project building a greenhouse and exploring controlled environment technology in the Middle East. Moving on from there, I have primarily researched and built hydroponic and aquaponic systems in a variety of contexts from low cost hydroponic systems in an abandoned school classroom to intensive pathogen screening systems in the laboratory.

In recent times I have taken up an interest in science communication with the aim of increasing public awareness and acceptance of sustainable agricultural technologies like hydroponics. I also work extensively with commercial stakeholders of different shapes and sizes with the aim of bridging the gaps between academia and business. I have project managed an Innovate 'Future Farming Innovation Fund' R&D project with a Sheffield-based vertical farm and am currently co-supervising a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with a world-leading polyurethane foam manufacturer.

At the moment my main role is as research fellow in the 'H3 - Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People' project within the UKRI 'Transforming UK Food Systems' program developing and modelling low-input hydroponic systems, in semi-controlled environments. 

I am also co-lead of the Institute for Sustainable Food Controlled Environment Agriculture cluster at the University of Sheffield.