Seminars

• Robyn van Heeswijck Lecture
• A. E. V. Richardson Lecture
• Bob Symons Lecture
• The Harold Woolhouse Lecture
• School Development Program
• Waite Seminar Series
• Roseworthy Seminar Series
• Science & Statistics Forum

The Inaugural Robyn van Heeswijck Lecture

Date/Time: Monday, 15 February 2010, 4:00 pm
Location: Plant Research Centre Auditorium, Waite Campus
Cost: FREE

Speaker: Dr Leanne Webb, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Melbourne/CSIRO

Climate change: Current status and future strategies for the Australian wine industry

“Research indicating that greenhouse gases produced by humans are very likely to have contributed to the recent warming of the climate, and that concentrations of these gases are projected to increase in the future, is to me compelling and, of course, central to my work. I do not think any person working in the wine industry can deny how important climate is to their product……so I believe an understanding of the changing climate, and potential implications of this, is essential to the future of this industry”.

Prior to working as a research scientist Leanne Webb spent 3 years employed as a viticulturist for T’Gallant winemakers on the Mornington Peninsula. It was in 2002 that she started working on her PhD project (with Snow Barlow and Penny Whetton) exploring the potential impact of greenhouse gas-induced climate change on the Australian wine industry. Leanne is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow with the University of Melbourne and the CSIRO in the field of climate change adaptation. This lecture will discuss her research aimed at improving the resilience of the Australian wine sector in adapting to climate change, ensuring that the wine regions have the best biophysical, viticultural and economic information to fully explore any opportunities and threats that may arise from climatic shifts.

The inaugural Robyn van Heeswijck Lecture is named in honour of the former Senior Lecturer whose life and world class research was cut short after a courageous battle with cancer. This Lecture recognises early career researchers that share her passion and commitment to the improvement of the grape and wine industry. While at the University of Adelaide (1995-2002), Robyn van Heeswijck researched various aspects of grapevine and molecular biology, with a particularly strong contribution to the area of nitrogen metabolism and phylloxera research. Dr Heeswijck graduated top of her B.Sc. (Hons) degree at the University of New South Wales to be awarded their University Medal. She briefly worked as a research assistant before pursuing her PhD at the famous Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen (1980-1986). Following her return to Australia in 1987, Robyn worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University. In the Department of Agriculture, Victoria (1990-1994), she played a key role in establishing the Victorian government’s plant biotechnology unit which has become the most powerful and well-funded government plant biotechnology centre in Australia, a true legacy of Robyn’s vision, skill and determination. Robyn van Heeswijck (1956-2003) is survived by her husband, Peter Høj, and two children, Stine and Torbjørn.

Contact: Dr Amanda Able, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Business: +61 8 8303 7245

Bob Symons Lecture

Date/Time: Monday 24th May, 4pm
Location: Plant Research Centre Auditorium, Waite Campus
Cost: FREE

Speaker: Professor Dieter Söll, Yale University

'The evolution of the genetic code: a work in progress'
At the time of its elucidation the genetic code was suggested to be universal in all organisms, and the result of a ‘frozen accident’ unable to evolve further even if the current state were suboptimal. How do we see the genetic code today – 40 years after the familiar ‘alphabet’ with 20 amino acids was established? Of course, the ‘genetic code’ is the product of its interpretation by the translational machinery and it is only static as long as the components of this machinery do not evolve or are strictly conserved between organisms. Professor Soll, with over 470 scientific publications, has led the team which discovered selenocysteine and pyrrolysine, the 21st and 22nd amino acids which are directly inserted into growing polypeptides during translation. Based on the realization that protein plasticity is a feature of living cells, man-made expansion of the genetic code has begun by adding non-standard amino acids to the repertoire of the cell. Professor Soll will discuss these present evolutionary developments and how they underpin the creation of new organisms in the realm of synthetic biology.

The 3rd Bob Symons lecture is named in honour of the former Emeritus Professor in Plant Science at the Waite. Professor Symons had a long and distinguished career with the University of Adelaide, joining the University in 1962. The main research by Professor Symons between 1962 and 1990 in the Department of Biochemistry focused upon understanding the structure and function of viral nucleic acids in relation to infectivity and the development of plant disease. However, he also contributed significantly to the understanding of protein synthesis and ribozyme activity. Professor Symons was also responsible for commercial applications of his research leading to the establishment of the first Australian company to produce and market molecular biological for research. In 1991, Professor Symons moved his research to the Waite Campus where he focused upon viral diseases of grapevine and established Waite Diagnostics which still provides a service to grape growers in the diagnosis and control of grapevine pathogens. He retired in 2002 due to ill health and passed away in October 2006.

Contact: Dr Amanda Able, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Business: +61 8 8303 7245

The Inaugural A. E. V. Richardson Lecture

Date/Time: Thursday, 15 October 2009, 4:00 pm
Location: Plant Genomics Centre, Waite Campus
Cost: FREE

Speaker: Dr R.A. (Tony) Fischer FAIAST FTSE AM, Honorary Research Fellow, CSIRO

Tony Fischer is a distinguished crop scientist who has been recognised previously for his contribution to wheat agronomy, crop physiology and genetic improvement through awards such as the C.M. Donald medal, the William Farrer memorial medal and membership to the Order of Australia. He has travelled widely in the developing world and has a particular interest in agricultural development. The title of the inaugural A.E.V. Richardson Lecture will be ‘What's happening to cereal yields globally?’. Cereal yield progress has been and will remain vital for moderating cereal price increases and feeding the world's poor adequately. The lecture will present recent progress in cereal yields (wheat, rice, maize) across a number of key growing locations in the world, seeking lessons particularly from the perspectives of breeding, agronomy and crop physiology. It will then discuss prospects for further yield growth, under the headings of yield gap closing and of yield potential increase. The roles of crop physiology, molecular biology and genetic engineering will be considered, as well as implications for natural resource use efficiency.

The inaugural A.E.V. Richardson Lecture is named in honour of the former foundation Professor of Agriculture and first Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute. Before joining the University of Adelaide in 1924, Professor Richardson was the Superintendent of Agriculture for Victoria and played a large role in establishing the School of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. His direction of agricultural education and research continued during his time as Director of the Waite (1924 to 1938). He preached and practised a constant theme: advances in agricultural practice and increased productivity depended on scientifically based experimentation. Richardson's main fields of personal research were cereal agronomy, pasture research and wheat-breeding. From 1934 to 1946, Richardson was Deputy Chief Executive Officer of CSIR and then Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 1949. Richardson directed research and development in Australian primary production over the period of its most rapid growth. A.E.V. Richardson died in December 1949.

Contact: Dr Amanda Able, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Business: +61 8 8303 7245

The Harold Woolhouse Lecture 2009

Date/Time: Monday, 3 August 2009, 4:00 pm
Location: Plant Research Centre Auditorium, Waite Campus
Cost: FREE

Speaker: Professor John Bowman, ARC Federation Fellow, Monash University/UC Davis

As more plant genome sequences become available, researchers are increasingly using comparative genomics to address some of the major questions in plant biology. Professor John Bowman leads a team of researchers who are interested in answering the question of how a single plant cell develops into a multicellular embryo with specific tissue and organ patterns. The title of the 2009 Harold Woolhouse lecture will be ‘Evolution of patterning genes in land plants’. In particular, Professor Bowman has investigated the history of genes involved in establishing leaf polarity in the model plant Arabidopsis. Expression and functional studies in early diverging lineages of land plants provide clues as to ancestral functions, and thus to the evolution of land plant morphology. Professor Bowman will discuss how the ancestral roles of patterning genes may lie in interactions with environmental parameters critical in the transition from an aquatic algal ancestor to a land plant.

The 2nd Harold Woolhouse Lecture is named in honour of the former Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute. Professor Woolhouse finished his PhD at the University of Adelaide before spending much of his early career (during the 1960s and 1970s) researching heavy metals and senescence. Between 1980 and 1989, Professor Woolhouse developed and directed the world class plant biology research facility, the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich, United Kingdom. In 1990, he became Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute and was responsible for the co-location of the South Australian Research and Development Institute and Primary Industries and Resources South Australia on the Waite Campus. He also masterminded the merging of Roseworthy Agricultural College with the University of Adelaide. He left Adelaide in August 1995 due to ill health and passed away in June 1996.

Contact: Dr Amanda Able, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Business: +61 8 8303 7245

School Development Program

Part of the Development Program in the School, and is brought to you by the School's Research Committee.

The School is introducing a new series of talks to help us all with our research activities.

The next seminar topic is: To be Announced

If you have any questions in regards to the development program, please contact Helen Oliver on 8303 7179 or email helen.oliver@adelaide.edu.au

We hope to see you all there.

Waite Seminar Series: Call for Speakers

A new series of School Seminars is being organised within the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. The aim is to present topics attractive to colleagues across the different disciplines of the School, with talks being given by people who are internationally recognised in their area of expertise.

The seminars will held in the Charles Hawker Conference Centre on Mondays from 1-2pm.

• Waite Seminar Series Timetable
  • Download Semester 1 2009 Timetable

For further questions regarding the Series contact Chris Ford or Otto Schmidt.

These seminars will be advertised in the AFW Bulletin.

Roseworthy Seminar Series

The discipline of Agricultural & Animal Science holds regular seminars at the Roseworthy Campus in the Stefanson Lecture Theatre, Williams Building.

• Roseworthy Seminar Series Timetable

Science and Statistics Forum

To be advised

• Past Science & Statistics Forum