In Your Shoes - George Leighton

Monday – A Week in My Shoes

Hi, I’m George and I’m a Digital Marketing Assistant at Hutton Scientific Services.

When people hear “digital marketing”, they usually picture someone glued to a laptop scheduling social media posts. And yes… there is some of that. But working within a scientific services environment means no two weeks look the same.

Hutton Scientific Services is the commercial arm of the James Hutton Institute. Ultimately, everything we do feeds into something bigger – improving the resilience of crops, land and natural resources in the face of the nature and climate crises and supporting thriving communities along the way. One day I’m planning content around crop trials, the next I’m filming in a 360° immersive suite in Aberdeen.

What I enjoy most is that I get to work across genuinely different areas: from greenhouse trials in Invergowrie to fruit breeding programmes with global reach, to preparing for major industry events like Cereals 2026.

So this week, I thought I’d share what a typical (or slightly less typical!) week can look like in my role and the people and projects that make it interesting.

Tuesday – Podcasting in The Hutton Hub

Today I’ve been up at the Hutton Hub at the James Hutton Institute’s Craigiebuckler campus in Aberdeen.

I’m currently learning how our new podcasting equipment works with the hope of starting a podcast series in the future, alongside The James Hutton Institute. The Hub isn’t just a meeting space, it’s a collaboration environment designed for businesses, researchers and partners to work together.

The standout feature? The 360° immersive suite. It’s one of those spaces that you must see in person to fully appreciate. Add in professional podcasting equipment and flexible event space, and it becomes a brilliant setting for conversations that connect science with industry.

For me, it’s a reminder that marketing here isn’t just about posting online, it’s about creating platforms where innovation can be shared properly.

Not a bad place to spend a Tuesday.

Wednesday – A Day in the Glasshouse

Midweek looked a little different.

Our Crop Trials manager was away at a conference, so I stepped in to lend a hand at our greenhouse facilities in Invergowrie, following his meticulous instructions. It’s not every marketing job that involves measuring oat plants.

This particular trial focused on monitoring powdered mildew, collecting data that helps us understand disease responses and crop performance under controlled conditions.

Our crop trials work supports a wide range of clients, from early-stage research through to commercial product development. Being able to see the process up close – rather than just writing about it – gives me a much better understanding of what we’re actually communicating.

It also slightly changes your perspective when you go back to your desk. There’s something grounding about swapping a keyboard for a clipboard, even briefly.

Thursday – From Dundee to the Netherlands (via Blueberries)

Today was all about soft fruit.

I spent time with our fruit breeding team discussing preparations for an upcoming event we host, where we showcase some of the exciting work happening in commercial variety development.

Breeding isn’t always the most glamorous topic on paper, but when you see what’s involved in improving crop varieties for growers not just in the UK, but globally, it becomes pretty fascinating.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to travel to the Netherlands to deliver blueberry cuttings to a client. It’s moments like that which remind you that the work happening here has genuine international reach.

From greenhouse selection to global partnerships, it’s a process that blends science, long-term thinking and real-world application.

And yes – it’s also a good story to bring back to the marketing team.

Friday – Planning for Cereals 2026

The week wrapped up with a meeting alongside the team at the International Barley Hub as we plan ahead for Cereals 2026.

This year’s event will be held at Diddly Squat Farm, yes, Jeremy Clarkson’s farm, and we’ll have our own plot showcasing cereal crops.

There’s a lot that goes into preparing for an event like this. From deciding what we’re showcasing to planning how we communicate it clearly, it’s a team effort between scientists and, occasionally, someone like me asking, “How do we explain that without needing a PhD?”

Working with the barley team gives me insight into the scale of innovation happening behind the scenes, from crop improvement to supporting industry resilience.

It’s a strong way to end the week: planning how we take the science out of the lab and into the field, helping build more resilient crops and supporting the communities that rely on them.