Delegates began the tour with a welcome and introduction from Prof Matt Tucker outside the Plant Accelerator. Matt provided an overview of the Waite Campus and highlighted its role as a leading centre for agricultural, plant and food science research.

The group then toured the APPN facility, where they saw the technology for studying plant growth, performance and resilience. Delegates learned how researchers use high-throughput phenotyping platforms to accelerate crop improvement and address challenges facing modern agriculture.

The tour visited the Waite Campus Winery, where Prof Paul Grbin provided a comprehensive introduction to the Viticulture and Oenology program. Delegates were given an overview of the teaching and research capacity of the winery. Paul also highlighted the diverse career pathways available to students across the grape and wine sector.

Following this, the group visited the PRC to meet members of the Plants for Space cohort. Presentations from Maddy Parks and Roberto Damico showcased the exciting work being undertaken to develop plants and agricultural systems capable of supporting long-duration space missions and future space habitats. 

The visit provided an excellent opportunity for high school educators to experience first-hand the breadth of research, teaching and innovation taking place across the Waite Campus. The tour also highlighted the opportunities that agriculture, food production and plant science available for the next generation of students.