SRUC horticulture students sowing the seeds at first student conference
A cohort of third years are organising SRUC’s first ever student-led conference as part of their course.
The students have chosen 'Growing Resilience' as a topic and have devised a programme of speakers featuring current students and recent graduates whose research focuses on resilience in horticulture.
Next month’s conference at the SRUC Edinburgh Campus at the King’s Buildings, is the first of its kind to be organised at SRUC.
Students were given a budget and took on all aspects of the organisation, from scouting for speakers, to advertising the event, booking venues and securing catering.
Fellow SRUC students are being invited to attend, as well as horticulture students from other institutions and industry professionals.
The event is an opportunity for SRUC students to experience the conference environment first hand, network with industry professionals, and inspire each other.
Eliana Dunlap, conference co-project leader and third-year Horticulture Plantsmanship student, said: “We have a really big variety of speakers covering a broad range of topics, so it should be a good day.
“There is such a breadth of ways in which horticulture can help us to build resilience in our communities, ecosystems and within ourselves.
“Growing resilience in horticulture means engaging critically and creatively with our processes, frameworks and how we think about gardening, conservation, and the applications of horticulture.
“It’s a really exciting time to be in horticulture because there are so many different ways that it can be applied to deal with challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.”
Lecturer Rumana Kapadia said: "Today’s students are looking for more than a purely taught academic experience. Within the Horticulture programme, it is our ethos to facilitate active learning, the development of practical and professional skills, and opportunities for students to showcase their work to peers and future employers. I have always placed strong importance on science communication and view it as a vital skill that students should add to their professional toolkit.
“Through the organisation of this conference, and through future science communication opportunities our students will explore, my hope is that we continue to build trust with the wider public when sharing our work. Only through open communication, engagement, and resilient scientific practice can we support truly sustainable approaches within academia and research".
SRUC offers horticulture courses at our Edinburgh, Elmwood and Oatridge campuses. Find out more in the course catalogue.
The conference will take place both online and in person on Monday, 20 April, from 10am until 3pm.
For in-person attendees, registration on the day opens at 9.15am, with talks taking place in lecture rooms E and F at the Peter Wilson Building and free lunch provided.
The talks will also be available live online on Microsoft Teams.
For more information and to secure a spot.
Posted by SRUC on 16/03/2026
