A FARMERS' daughter from Tarland has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours List.

Dr Jenna Ross, honorary research fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at University of Aberdeen, featured in the list for her contribution to science and agriculture.

Brought up on the family farm near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire – where her parents and brother continue to work the mixed farming enterprise – Dr Ross currently leads international development for UK Government funded Agri-Tech centre, Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), fostering UK-international collaborations to develop game-changing agricultural innovations, at the university.

Dr Ross explained: “I am hugely shocked and massively honoured to receive an OBE and I look forward to using it to help champion career opportunities in agriculture and science.”

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“I am passionate about biological sciences, and I am proud to have been an honorary fellow of the School of Biological Science at the University for more than 10 years.”

Outside of her academic career, Dr Ross is passionate about inspiring the next generation through her voluntary roles as a STEM ambassador and LANTRA industry champion. She is also a trustee of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust and helps to promote and support this life changing travel scholarship to foster future leaders in agriculture.

Dr Ross is also a director of the Oxford Farming Conference and a trustee of the Farmers' Club Charitable Trust.

Principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, Professor George Boyne, welcomed the news of her OBE. He said: "This is great news for Dr Ross and I am delighted that her outstanding contribution to agriculture and science has been recognised in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours. I know the university community will be very pleased that she has been recognised for her work."