Dr Zoe M Harris

University of Surrey

Dr Zoe M Harris is a Senior Lecturer in Environment and Sustainability. Zoe’s core research focuses on how we can use land to provide food and energy provisions whilst minimising environmental impacts. She is currently assessing the feasibility of vertical farming and the potential it has to support the deployment of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).

Zoe leads the high profile Taeda Tech Project, a £4m interdisciplinary demonstration project looking at using a novel aeroponic technology to rapidly multiply biomass feedstocks. She has also recently kicked off the Vertical Farming to Improve UK Food System Resilience (VF-UKFSR) project assessing how vertical farming can increase UK food system resilience.

Beyond Surrey, Zoe has a significant international profile with notable positions in the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme. Representing the UK, Zoe is Head of Communications and Vice Chair of the IEA Bioenergy Executive committee. Zoe also acts as the National Task Lead for the UK for Task 45  In this role she represents the UK research landscape and develops collaborative research for “Climate and Sustainability Effects of Bioenergy within the broader Bioeconomy”.