PhD students shortlisted for science film award

Jake Moscrop and Hamish Symington's mini-documentary 'Improving Flowers to Help Feed the World' aims to engage a wider audience with their research.

Congratulations to Jake Moscrop and Hamish Symington, PhD students at Jesus, whose short film about their research in the Department of Plant Sciences has been shortlisted for the Bristol Science Film Festival.

Their four-minute film, entitled ‘Improving Flowers to Help Feed the World’, will be live-streamed today (Friday, 16 July) from 7.30pm as part of the annual competition which aims to highlight and support the work of science film-makers.

Jake and Hamish received European Institute of Innovation and Technology funding to produce the mini-documentary, explaining how their research could mitigate rising food demand and a decline in insect numbers by making flowers better at being pollinated by insects. Their work could allow plant breeders to produce varieties which use pollinating insects more efficiently, meaning the same number of insects could pollinate more flowers per day. Jake and Hamish also investigate the nectar and pollen rewards provided by the plants, to identify varieties which give the insects the best reward for providing their pollination services.

Jake said: “Both Hamish and I enjoy getting more people engaged with our research. The video was fun to make and we’re so excited to be shortlisted.”

Judges will review the final shortlist before announcing the winners and runners up tomorrow (Saturday, 17 July) evening.