Dave is Associate Professor in agri-sustainability, Co-Director on the Agricultural Science BSc programme, and delivers problem-based learning across various sustainability-focussed modules. Hisresearch is focused on understanding (inter-)system sustainability at all levels, with expertise across food, energy, bioproduct and waste management systems based on 20 years of experience undertaking life cycle assessment (LCA). He has held research and academic positions in, inter alia , Trinity College Dublin, Irelands Environmental Protection Agency, the European Commission Joint Research Centre, University of Bangor and University of Limerick. He currently coordinates or leads work packages across ten projects, including LandingZoNeS, a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:fusion-research.euforesight.htmlFORESIGHT , a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:eat-packaging.ieEAT-Packaging , a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:www.radiantproject.euRADIANT , a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:www.circagric.orgCircAgric-GHG and a target=_blank rel=nofollow href=https:informbioproject.ieINFORMBIO . Most of these projects integrate life cycle thinking and environmental footprinting with foresight analyses, to provide scientific evidence on the system transformations required to deliver on climate neutrality and circular economy aspirations, within planetary boundaries.Dave is a member of IEA Task 45 assessing the sustainability of bioenergy, the Climate Change Advisory Councils Carbon Budget Committee, and the expert advisory board to the National Bioeconomy Forum. He coordinates the FORESIGHT modelling consortium providing agriculture and land use modelling services to the Irish Government, and contributes to the national Land Use Review.

My research is centred on application of systems thinking and advanced life cycle assessment (LCA), including consequential LCA, to assess the resource efficiency and environmental sustainability of food and bio-based product value chains. Past research has involved the development of farm-scale models to fully represent important livestock emissions and nutrient flows in calculated environmental footprints of milk, beef and biogas products. Current work is evaluating the climate mitigation potential of novel plant-based protein food amp; drink products and forestry value chains in the context of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets. I am particularly interested in the interaction among food, bioenergy and new bio-based product (e.g. bioplastic) value chains in terms of land use, nutrient flows and water extraction, as well as GHG emissions.

My teaching is focused on instilling a systems approach to assess the resource efficiency and environmental sustainability of food and circular economy value chains, with an emphasis on livestock systems, plant proteins and bioenergy. More recently, I am engaging Agricultural Science students with fresight analysis to explore risks and opportunities associated with diifferent decisions at farm and landscape level.