Archives: Team Members

Grace Ella Wardell

Grace is a Calculator Development Officer, keeping the calculator updated with the latest scientific evidence and ensuring it functions smoothly for our users. Grace previously worked as a Research Technician in a laboratory studying legumes and their nitrogen- fixing symbionts. As part of her PhD research at the University of Sheffield, Grace worked with large sequencing datasets of soil microbiomes, investigating how soybean growth and soybean N2-fixing symbionts affect soil microbial communities in the UK. During this time, Grace found a passion for understanding the biology underpinning sustainable farming practices and the barriers farmers may face when implementing them, which led to her involvement in knowledge exchange events with farmers and communicating climate change solutions to eco-anxious young people. Prior to this Grace completed a Masters in Biological Sciences at the University of Sheffield investigating plant defence responses to pests and pathogens.Grace grew up in a coastal town in North Norfolk amongst farming communities that were interlaced within the beautiful natural coastline, where her interest in environmental sustainability began. Outside of work Grace can be found roaming the Peak District by bike or by foot or getting involved with ever-changing sporty hobbies.  

Location: Sheffield

Becky Willson

Becky joined FCT in January 2014.  Prior to this, Becky worked on the SWARM Knowledge Hub, a project tasked with helping farmers and growers across the South West manage their resources sustainably.  As part of the SWARM Hub project, Becky was part of the team that developed the Farm Crap App, a mobile phone app to help farmers calculate the nutritive value of livestock manures.

 A passionate advocate for highlighting the economic benefits of sustainable farming, Becky currently divides her time between working for FCT and working for Duchy College Rural Business School as a technical specialist in resource management. In 2016 Becky was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study further how to communicate carbon reduction schemes to farmers, which has fed into her work at FCT and Duchy College.

Location: South West