Dunkeld scholar John Ferguson returns from study trip to Far East and States

Dec 15 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A PERTHSHIRE academic yesterday thanked backers whose generosity let him study in the USA, China and Japan.

Paid for by the Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship, John Ferguson’s pan-global research project saw him investigate new industrial ecologies and environmental issues, including sustainable waste management, renewable energy and the clean technology sector.

The Dunkeld scholar hopes the pioneering initiatives abroad can be transferred to the UK.

Mr Ferguson’s travels took in Washington, Boston and Vermont, the Osaka and Kawasaki eco towns in Japan, and hydroponics sites for food production in China.

“The benefits included developing an international network of contacts on industrial ecology, clean technology developments and eco parks,” he said.