Fabian joined the team in June – the team of not only AIL but also RWA Farming Innovations. Fabian will support both units, through innovation work with the AIL and the further development of the Farmhedge app for RWA. Farmhedge emerged from one of the AIL’s first programmes of 2017. We are very excited to have new support – but read for yourself what makes Fabian tick:
Name: Fabian Camus
Age: 31
Position at AIL: Junior Innovation Manager
Contact: f.camus@agroinnolab.com
Professional career to date:
My childhood and youth in the Hallertau hop-growing region in Bavaria brought me close to agriculture, although I didn’t grow up on a farm. After school, my curiosity for food and natural sciences steered me to study food technology at the University of Hohenheim. Then, my burgeoning passion for wine seamlessly led me to study Viticulture & Oenology at Geisenheim University. Internships in Germany, Austria and South Africa were important experiences that went well beyond theory. In order to expand the technical knowledge from my earlier studies with an economic superstructure, I decided to “emigrate” to Austria and complete the master’s degree in Nutrition and Agricultural Economics at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences. Practical experience was equally important to me, which led me to my position as a cellar master in Lower Austria. After four years in this role, the master’s degree at BOKU and my subsequent work as a research assistant, it was time for a new challenge.
That’s what’s important to me in my work/what I like about my job:
Basically, I attach great importance to giving free rein to my curiosity and being part of a meaningful organisation. In my opinion, both of these things apply to the AIL and RWA. There is a lot to discover and learn, as well as room to contribute your own ideas and initiatives. The innovation work is extremely exciting, from both the internal and external perspectives. Internally, you very quickly come into contact with different RWA departments and work together to assess new processes and technologies. And, externally, there is regular exchange with startups and innovative companies, which gives you a global overview of innovations in agriculture.
This knowhow helps me in my work:
My interdisciplinary education, together with my experience from various internships and my work in agriculture, form a solid basis for understanding agriculture along the value chain. This is particularly helpful in the varied tasks of the Agro Innovation Lab – from initial assessments of startups to specialised exchanges with RWA’s specialist departments.
That’s what I like to do in my spare time:
Sharing good food and drink with friends is definitely one of my favourite things to do. I also like to bring my own wine or beer to the table, as brewing beer is another of my hobbies. In terms of sports, most of my activities revolve around tennis and basketball, although there are always hiking trips in the mountains in summer. Speaking of mountains, motorbike tours in the Alps are definitely one of the best leisure activities that I can imagine.
If you have any questions about farmhedge or the AIL, please contact Fabian. He is looking forward to your suggestions.
Photo: RWA, Peter Herzog