Inaugural Agricultural Science Postgraduate Award Presented at University College Cork

22 Dec 2025

University College Cork (UCC) has presented its inaugural Agricultural Science Postgraduate Award to PhD researcher Samson Mwangi Ithagu, marking a significant milestone in the development of Agricultural Science at the university. 

The award recognises outstanding postgraduate research achievement and reflects UCC’s ambition to position Agricultural Science as a national hub for high-quality, policy-aligned agricultural research and innovation. Alongside the continued development of its undergraduate Agricultural Science degree, UCC has established a strong and growing postgraduate research community. 

Speaking at the award presentation, Frank Buckley, Professor of Agricultural Science (Head of Discipline) and Programme and Academic Director Agricultural Science said: 

“This award represents a significant milestone for Agricultural Science at UCC. In a short period of time, the discipline has developed strong foundations at undergraduate level while also establishing itself as a centre for high-quality postgraduate research. With 25 postgraduate students working across critical themes such as climate mitigation, soil health, biodiversity and farm systems, we are building a research environment focused on scientific rigour, international impact and policy relevance. Samson’s achievement exemplifies the standard of scholarship and ambition we are striving for.” 

A core element of postgraduate research in Agricultural Science at UCC is publication in high-impact, peer-reviewed international journals. In this context, Mr Ithagu’s achievement is particularly significant. His paper was the first peer-reviewed journal article published by an Agricultural Science postgraduate student in the history of UCC. His study, titled “Gestation length and its associations with calf birth weight, calf perinatal mortality, and dystocia in dairy cattle,” was also selected as an Editor's Choice piece for the August 2025 issue in the Journal of Dairy Science, by the journal's Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Paul Kononoff, a prestigious international recognition. 

Professor Donagh Berry, VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre, highlighted the wider impact of the research: 

“The PhD represents a valuable opportunity not only for Samson himself, but also for the wider agri-food sector in Kenya. It is a testament to VistaMilk’s commitment to capacity building. By developing expertise in quantitative genetics, Samson will be well placed to transfer this knowledge, along with the professional networks built during his time here, back to Kenya. That combination of technical skills and international collaboration has the potential to support the establishment of robust genetic evaluation systems that are tailored to local production environments and long-term sustainability goals.” 

Accepting the award, Samson Mwangi Ithagu said: 

“I’m thrilled to receive this award as a testament to my postgraduate research to date. It motivates me to continue developing the quantitative genetics skills needed to return home and help establish a national breeding programme in Kenya.” 

The inaugural Agricultural Science Postgraduate Award highlights both individual excellence and the growing strength of Agricultural Science research at UCC, with a strong pipeline of peer-reviewed publications anticipated in the years ahead.