A newly-appointed professor in socio technical innovation will investigate how food production can be increased sustainably, by using the latest technology, while also caring for the environment. News Items  Professor Mark Reed’s new post is part of the N8 Agri-Food Resilience Programme (N8 AgriFood) which is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) catalyst fund and by the N8 universities – the eight key research intensive universities across the North of England.  This interdisciplinary research programme combines world-leading crop and livestock research with extensive expertise in social sciences in a single research initiative. The programme is focused on ensuring the stability and integrity of national and global agri-food supply chains in the face of environmental and socioeconomic challenges.  Mark Reed will be based in the Centre for Rural Economy in the School of Agriculture Food and Rural Economy at Newcastle. More details are available on the Newcastle University website.