Edward Hernando Cabezas Garcia

Tell us about yourself (Who are you? Where are you from? What is your educational background?)

My name is Edward Hernando Cabezas Garcia and I am enrolled as a PhD student at Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU) in Umeå. I am originally from Colombia, the land of coffee. I came from the country side and grew up in a small scale dairy farm located in the Andean mountains. Since that time, I realized the huge potential which Agriculture offers to me.
Educational background:

• BSc. Animal Science, 2005. National University of Colombia (Colombia)
• MSc. Animal Science and Pastures, 2011. University of São Paulo (Brazil)
• PhD student in Ruminant Nutrition at SLU (Sweden)

What is your area of expertise?

Ruminant nutrition, dairy production.

Where does your focus lie within your current project(s)? (related to methane)

Understanding of factors involved in the animal-to-animal variation in methane production and its effects on animal performance and methane mitigation strategies.

What would be the added value for you of joining an international researchers network? (such as the METHAGENE network)

• Thinking in new possibilities further conventional approaches in methane research and perhaps collaborative projects.
• Continuous scientific feedback, debate and discussion.

What and/or who inspired you to make a career in science?

My supervisors from both PhD and MSc. courses, all of them top scientists in their fields. They encourage me to continue my scientific career. Also, three books have a remarkably influence to pursue my goals as a scientist and open my mind for coming new ideas:

• Nutritional Ecology of Ruminant, Peter Van Soest
• The Web of Life, Fritjof Capra
• The Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra

What do you enjoy most about your work?

The possibility to better understanding how complex ruminants are, and their role in the nature (i.e. interactions, relationships, etc.). As a partner of RuminOmics EU project, I have a unique opportunity to share experience and knowledge with researchers from other related disciplines, in order as I use to say, to “figure out the puzzle“ of cattle methane emissions.

What is your most stand-out or surprising moment in science so far?

There are many, but actually one had a remarkably influence on me. It was when I defended my master’s thesis in Brazil. Even though it was a big challenge, that experience teaches me to be more confident on my own research.