We are delighted to welcome our very first YPARD Country representative for Hungary: Mónika Varga.
Mónika is an agricultural engineer. After finishing her Bachelor degree, she joined the Research Group on Process Network Engineering at Kaposvár University, Hungary where later on she made an extension as an agriculture teacher. At the end of her PhD studies in management and organizational science, Mónika obtained special regards on computational model based optimization in the field of agricultural and food industrial processes.
Mónika is currently developing with her research group a non-conventional dynamic modeling and simulation methodology, called Direct Computer Mapping of process models. The main objective of this unconventional approach is the foundation of a new, general methodology for process model based problem solving in various emerging fields, including agricultural and food industrial processes.
She has participated in the development and application of the method in various fundamental and applied research grants, as well as in industrial contracts in a broad field, covering biosystems, (bio)technological, agrifood and environmental processes.
“Having recognized the increasing importance of agriculture, food industry, as well as of the connecting environmental problems, the main focus of my research work turned toward these fields in the past years. Another important driving force was that recognizing the advantage of latecomers, agrifood sector has an increasing interest in the implementation of the recently developed, newest methods and tools. “
Regarding agricultural applications, Mónika and her research group have tried their method for the coordination and control of agrifood process networks, consisting of quite heterogeneous elements, from the small family farms to the big companies. The main goal was to provide the whole network transparency, focusing on the involvement of small actors.
“One of the most interesting ´theoretical byproducts´ of this practice oriented research is that the developed methods and software tools make possible the computational model based comparison of sustainability specific features in natural and human-built processes. Having learnt the cooperative system architectures from the nature, we can apply them for the conscious organization, design and control of long term, large scale (e.g. agrifood) process networks.”
Based on these previous experiences, her present research focuses also on the initialization of engineering supported regional pilot systems of agricultural and food industrial actors, which operate according to the natural principles (e.g. local, cooperative solutions with mutual feedback between the functionally connecting neighbors to achieve the possible shortest food chains; engineering supported decision with the consideration of neighbors’ preference, etc,).
Being YPARD national representative in Hungary represents a new challenge for her in order for the youth to contribute to a transforming agriculture in Hungary.
“The involvement of young professionals, working in agricultural R&D and practice, into the elaboration and implementation of the planned, perspective pilot systems is a key question, because young people are open minded for new ideas and ICT technologies, as well as they have a definite interest in the long term, global food and nutrition security.
It is an interesting and challenging task to assist in building of the Hungarian YPARD community, to motivate the young professionals, as well as to connect them actively with this international platform.”
Welcome on Board, Mónika!
If you want to get involved with YPARD in Hungary, contact Mónika at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.