THE Scottish Agricultural College has announced the creation of three new professorships. Two of the three posts will be at Auchincruive in Ayrshire.

Garth N Foster, head of the environmental services division at Auchincruive, becomes Professor of Environmental Protection.

He joined the then West of Scotland College of Agriculture in 1972 and was appointed head of environmental sciences in 1995. His work has focused on crop protection and the biological and chemical control of pests.

Derek Hall, who has been head of the department of leisure and tourism management at Auchincruive since January of last year, is to become Professor of Regional Development.

Since his arrival, the department of leisure and tourism management has more than doubled in size and is now one of the largest departments of its type in the country.

John Robinson, senior scientist in animal reproduction at SAC, Aberdeen, is the new Professor of Animal Reproduction. He joined SAC three years ago, having spent most of his career in the applied nutrition department of the Rowett Research Institute.

His research has been directed towards improving the efficiency of animal production, most notably sheep, through the influence of nutrition on reproduction.