Young Scholarship recipients attend SALRC Council Meeting

SALRC welcomes young research and extension professionals to recent Council meeting

In an effort to support and mentor early career professionals, the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council (SALRC) hosted five young research and extension professionals from across southern Australia’s livestock industries at their recent Council meeting in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 10 October.

SALRC initiated a competition which saw a number of early career research and extension professionals from across our livestock industries submit a short video about activities they were undertaking that aligned with SALRC’s research, development or adoption priorities. The chosen five winners were awarded a $750 scholarship to attend and present at the SALRC Council meeting.

Young Scholarship recipients included:

• Sarah Baker – Development Officer (Pastures), NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Samantha Rudd – PhD Candidate – School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney
• Maria Beatriz Lopez Peralta – PhD Student – School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Jaimi-lee Edwards – Project Officer, University of New England
• Lauren Adler – Graduate Advisory and Extension Officer, NSW Local Land Services

“The future of our livestock industries depends on continuing innovation and we must invest in young professionals who will drive that innovation,” commented SALRC Chair Ian Rogan.

Christine White, SALRC Deputy Chair and Northern NSW Regional Committee Chair, facilitated the Young Scholarship session. “Our five scholarship participants are all confident young women, who are forging careers in the red meat industry,” Christine said. “They are upcoming leaders, and this initiative enabled each to tell their story. This ranged from a ‘pasture coach’, to animal welfare with cattle dehorning, on-farm carbon accounting and novel ways in managing the feedbase.”

SALRC understands the importance of supporting and mentoring early career professionals. The SALRC Council meeting offered these young researcher and extension professionals an opportunity to showcase their activities and network with leading producers, researchers and extension professionals from the southern Australian livestock industry.

SALRC is an independent, incorporated association and one of three national research Councils setup to provide recommendations on Research, Development & Adoption (RD&A) priorities and planning for grass-fed beef and sheepmeat producers throughout Australia. Collaboration with NSW Department of Agriculture enabled the day to be a worthwhile event.