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Professor Christian Dunn visited Khmelnytskyi National University in the worn-torn country and met members of university staff in January this year.

During his week-long stay, Professor Dunn, worked with the Department of Ecology and Biological Education to collect soil samples taken from agricultural sites directly hit by missiles and drones.

Professor Dunn, from the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, also presented a documentary for BBC Radio 4 on the research in Ukraine, which will be out shortly.

Speaking about his trip, Professor Dunn, said: “I was made to feel incredibly welcome by everyone at Khmelnytskyi National University, they seemed really pleased that we’d come to visit them despite the war going on.

“The university is doing a fantastic job – both in terms of research and teaching - even though the conditions are clearly pretty tough.

“Hearing what the staff and students have gone through, and are still going through, gave me an incredible amount of respect for them, and the people of Ukraine.

“Staying in Ukraine was certainly an interesting experience; you got used to the air raid warnings and such very quickly, and it recalibrates your way of thinking seeing how folk there just get on with normal life as best they can.”

“Collecting samples from missile craters surrounded by shrapnel, in an area that gets targeted daily, was a bit different to my usual muddy sampling locations though,” Professor Dunn added.

Khmelnytskyi National University and �鶹�� are participants in a twinning initiative between the two countries and signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in 2022.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and lead in internation relationships for �鶹��, Professor Oliver Turnbull, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be twinned with Khmelnytskyi National University, considering what they, and Ukraine have gone through.

“We’re pleased that Professor Dunn was able to go and visit them too - as you can imagine there were quite a few health and safety issues to consider, but it was worth it to show them how seriously we take the relationship.”

“Representatives from Khmelnytskyi National University will be coming to �鶹�� in the next few weeks, so it will be great to reciprocate their hospitality,” Professor Turnbull said.