Have you spoken with your technician today?
Experimental work in the laboratory and in the field form the backbone of much of AGRO’s research, and they require both planning and good collaboration.
In December and January, we held a “lab day” with the laboratory technicians in AGRO‑Viborg, a “New Year’s gathering” with Foulumgaard, and an “annual meeting” in Askov. These are traditions with different names but the same purpose: to gain an overview of the year’s experimental work for the three groups of technicians, and to receive feedback from the researchers on the year that passed. The activity level at the institute is very high, so these were busy days. But they were also enjoyable and exciting, as we went through the many projects that benefit from technical expertise in both the laboratory and the field.
But that alone is not enough — for best possible quality in the work the individual projects need ongoing follow‑up regarding adjustments to plans, time use, staffing, and so on. My impression is that in most cases, communication between technicians and researchers is very good and frequent. But if it falters, it’s important to address it — and the initiative can come from either side. We have a fantastic team of technicians with extensive knowledge of experiments and equipment, so the earlier they are involved in our planning, the better.