Minister Bridget McKenzie
Australia’s young agricultural innovators, scientists and researchers wanting to make a difference in agriculture are invited to submit their innovative agricultural research project ideas for a chance to receive a share in up to $242,000 in grants. Source: Timberbiz
Minister for Agriculture, Bridget McKenzie, has encouraged 18 to 35 year-old innovators to undertake new and creative research to help agricultural industries to overcome industry challenges and to realise potential.
The award recipients will be publicly presented as part of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Outlook 2020 conference in Canberra.
Since they were launched in 2001, the Science and Innovation Awards have helped 250 young researchers, innovators and scientists turn their ideas into reality through just over $4 million in grant funding.
Eleven industry award categories are available in the 2020 round, with each winner to receive a grant of up to $22,000 one of these is an award for research into forest and wood products which is sponsored by Forest and Wood Products Australia.
“Australia is a world leader in agricultural innovation, and ingenuity has allowed Australian agricultural industries to become more competitive, resilient, productive and profitable, and to overcome barriers to growth. Our continued advancement is this area is needed more than ever.” Minister McKenzie said.
“Many of these ideas come from young people working or studying in the industry, and the Science and Innovation Award grants aim to support early career researchers, scientists and other innovators to develop new approaches to industry issues.
“On top of that, one grant recipient receives the Minister’s Award for an extended research project which will have real and practical benefits to the agriculture sector.
“The depth of scientific research underway in our research institutions has a very practical application in addressing long term challenges to increasing productivity for our primary industries.”
Last year’s special Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Award recipient, Dr Kateryna Bazaka of the Australian National University was recognised for her project which investigated integrated electric discharges and aquaculture for abattoir wastewater treatment. For more information visit www.agriculture.gov.au/scienceawards.
Applications close at 5pm AEST Friday 4 October 2019.
