Overseer has appointed Dr Jacquie Harper (pictured) as its first Chief Scientist as it invests in improving OverseerFM software for farmers and growers.

Overseer Chief Executive Dr Caroline Read said the appointment of a Chief Scientist reflects Overseer’s commitment to transparent and scientifically robust development of the tool.

“We want to work across the science sector to ensure credibility of the science behind OverseerFM and to support ongoing capture of new science innovation into the software.

“It is important that we strike the right balance between ensuring scientific rigour and incorporating new innovation to support New Zealand farmers to achieve the environmental outcomes asked of them.”

Dr Harper is leading Overseer’s science strategy and will be focused on embedding a robust, evidence-based science framework that integrates agricultural and environment science and innovation into OverseerFM’s model development pipeline.

She will also strengthen engagement with science and industry so Overseer can ensure it remains the best modelling tool for New Zealand’s primary sector.

Dr Harper brings extensive expertise in science strategy, evaluation and translation to the role. She has led science and science evaluation across a range of disciplines, including biomedicine, chemistry and engineering and is a current member of the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee.

“The science in this area is rapidly evolving and we need to ensure the continuous improvement of the OverseerFM tool is supported by a transparent and scientifically rigorous process for translating science into practice,” says Dr Harper.

“Proactive two-way science and industry engagement is vital to ensure the agricultural and environmental sectors can have confidence in OverseerFM.

“The Overseer science strategy will concentrate on engagement, science uptake and evaluation to deliver this balance.

“In this first phase, the engagement will focus on working with the sector on the co-development of our science.  We will also be establishing a regular review process that will provide independent science oversight to support the robust development of the science model that underpins OverseerFM.”