Ailsa Thomson (Technician – SRUC)
Ailsa received her Batchelor of Science in Agriculture from the university of Glasgow in 2016, studying at SRUC Craibstone. During her studies Ailsa completed several work experience placements and lambing jobs, including a summer placement at SRUC’s Hill and Mountain Research Centre at Kirkton, which inspired her to work as a research technician after leaving university. Since then, Ailsa has worked as a technician at SRUC’s dairy research farm in Dumfries as well as an AI technician, before joining the team at Kirkton last March as a technician. In her spare time, she enjoys hill waking with her dog in the local area. In the TechCare team Ailsa will mainly be involved in the implementation of the pilots at Kirkton, starting with the winter-feeding trial.
Theo Kriszt (PhD student – INRAE)
Theo studied Computer Science and Electronic Engineering in Montpellier, France. During that time, he spent several internships working on embedded devices and information platforms to help monitor and study animal movements and behaviors in extensive and pastoral environments at SELMET joint research unit (Montpellier, France). This led him to join INRAE after his studies as a design engineer where he was in charge of developing a sensor-to-user liaison system and web UI for an automated electronic oestrus detection in sheep. In his spare time, you can generally find him tinkering with salvaged electronic parts and 3D printers in a floating scent of coffee. He just started his PhD thesis in October 2021 under the co-supervision of Eliel González-García and Jean-Baptiste Menassol, on the development of a digital tool as the basis of a decision support system for grazing management in (agro) pastoral livestock farming systems. It will be an opportunity to pursue his interests in PLF tools, the search of new, connected solutions for farming but also grow alongside the TechCare project and its rich consortium.
