Head of NIAB Innovation Farm and Eastern AgriTech Innovation Hub. Dr Lydia Smith joined NIAB in 1997 and initially managed the expansion of research across NIAB groups. She established and ran the Novel and Non Food Crops area, which remains an important part of NIAB’s work. With a BSc. in Botany from the University of Sheffield, an MSc, from Reading University and a PhD from the University of East London. She spent postdoctoral periods at UEA and Luton University, with periods lecturing in soil/environmental science at the University of Luton and in reclamation science on M.Sc. courses at the University of East London.