The Waite community has featured among the finalists for the 2019 South Australian Science Excellence Awards, which recognise and reward outstanding scientific endeavour and application in industry and the advancement of science and mathematics education.
Congratulations to the ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, which is a finalist in the Excellence in Research Collaboration category.
Across two successful bids in 2013 and 2017, the Centre unites 20 collaborating organisations, including universities, research providers, government, wineries, suppliers, retailers and startups. The collaboration brings together the University of Adelaide, the Australian Wine Research Institute, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Charles Sturt University, Laffort Oenologies Australia Pty Ltd, Lowe Wines Pty Ltd, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Treasury Wine Estates Vintners Ltd, Memstar Pty Ltd, Tara Technologies and Sainsbury (UK).
The Centre is undertaking 40 PhD and postdoctoral projects that will enhance the South Australian wine industry’s efficiency, sustainability, quality and profitability.
The Centre’s publications and industry workshops are helping guide alcohol/flavour/quality management through an innovative, multi-step approach developed through coordinated ‘grape to glass’ projects, which couldn’t have occurred without the Centre’s scale and multi-disciplinary approach.
Dr Beth Loveys, Senior Lecturer in the School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, is also a finalist in the 2019 STEM Educator of the Year – Tertiary Teaching category.
Beth gained her PhD in plant ecophysiology and has held postdoctoral positions at the University of York and the Australian National University to examine the effects of climate change on plant growth, specifically temperature and elevated CO2.
She is now an education specialist at the University of Adelaide where she is inspiring the next generation of plant scientists teaching the Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology and Applied Biology.
Dr Loveys’ is working to improve student engagement in areas of plant science using blended and active learning and teaching methods.
Her success in implementing innovative teaching methodologies was recognised by an Office of Learning and Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning in 2015 and the Australian Society of Plant Scientists Teaching Excellence Award in 2018.
Congratulations and good luck to all the finalists. Winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Friday August 9. Tickets can be booked at: www.scienceawards.sa.gov.au/dinner
The SA Science Excellence Awards are an initiative of the South Australian Government through the Department for Innovation and Skills.