Dr Jaswinder Kaur

Dr Jaswinder Kaur has a diverse work experience spanning various roles and organizations. Dr Jaswinder currently serves as a Principal Scientist at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), where they focus on strategic engagements related to pesticides and international matters. Additionally, they hold several leadership positions within Defra, including Chair of the Ethnic Minority Network and Chair of the Faith and Belief Network.

Prior to their current role, Dr Kaur worked as a Senior Policy Advisor, specializing in EU and international fisheries negotiations. Dr Jaswinder has also held the position of Policy Advisor for EU and international and domestic fisheries at Defra.

Before joining the government sector, Dr Kaur worked at Kingfisher plc as a Front End Manager, overseeing finance, sales, and customer relationship management. Dr Jaswinder also gained experience as an Environmental Scientist at Enviresearch Ltd., focusing on pesticides, biocides, and chemicals.

During their time at Newcastle University, Dr Kaur worked as a Researcher, focusing on risk assessment and mitigation of pesticides. Dr Jaswinder also contributed to the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Northern Ireland as a PhD Scholar at the Government of Northern Ireland Department of Environment.

Additionally, Dr Kaur has served as a supervisor for work placement students at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and as a lecture assistant at Queen's University Belfast. Dr Jaswinder began their career as a DFID Post-graduate Scholar at the Department for International Development.

Dr Jaswinder Kaur completed their education with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from Queen's University Belfast in 2009. Prior to that, they obtained a Master of Science (MSc) by Research in Natural Resources Management and Policy from the University of Greenwich in 2002. Dr Jaswinder started their educational journey with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSc Agriculture Honours) from Guru Nanak Dev University between 1996 and 2000. Dr Kaur has also obtained various certifications throughout their career, including a Senior Leadership Programme certificate from In Professional Development (InPD) in 2022, a Defra 'Uniting Us' award from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2021, and a Rising Star in Business Management award from Kingfisher plc in 2016, among others.