ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year 2025
The Environmental Science Association of Ireland (ESAI) announced that Mr. Morad Mirzaei, a PhD candidate with Trinity College Dublin and Teagasc Environment, Soils and Land Use Department, was the winner of the prestigious ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year Award 2025. The ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year is a competitive award to recognise the quality research being undertaken in Ireland.
His PhD research has used new drone-based mapping to provide a more accurate estimate of greenhouse gas emissions from grazed grasslands. This is important to support the development of more targeted and effective mitigation strategies. Overall, combining plant diversity in pastureland offers a practical and cost-effective pathway to reduce emissions, improve resource use, and support more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.
Dr. Karl Richards, Head of the Teagasc Climate Centre congratulated Morad Mirzaei on winning the ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year Award 2025, and said; “These research outcomes highlight that multispecies swards can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture while maintaining production.”