ILLUMINATA Ep. #13 In this episode with talk with the only and one Dr. Anika Molesworth. Passionate about rural communities and healthy ecosystems, she is committed to help create sustainable and vibrant farming landscapes now and for the future. Anika speaks and writes on agro-ecological systems resilience, and have a passion for building the capacity of farmers to respond to climate change, both here in Australia and around the world. Her dedication to raising awareness of climate change impacts on farms, and most importantly, what action can be taken to reduce emissions and adapt to changing conditions has gained widespread notability. 

https://www.anikamolesworth.com/ 

ILLUMINATA Ep. #12. In this episode with talk with Shannon Speight (nee Landmark). Graduating as a veterinarian from the University of Sydney,her career commenced working as a vet with live export in North Queensland, followed by time with a mixed practice in Charters Towers and Longreach. Shannon was awarded the Zanda McDonald Award in 2019, an award that highlights talented and passionate young individuals working in agriculture. Shannon has founded Black Box Co, an innovative SaaS (Software as a Service) product that ingests raw data across the beef supply chain to inform prediction, forecasting and key production insights. 

ILLUMINATA Ep. #11. In this episode with talk with Dr. Marina Fortes. She is a cattle geneticist, lecturer, and researcher at the University of Queensland. Besides teaching molecular genetics and bioinformatics, her group is working on developing genomic technologies to improve genetic gain in livestock. We chat about her journey from being a veterinarian in Brazil, to pursuing a career in academia in Australia while also juggling motherhood. She's the co-creator of the UQ's Women in Science podcast that highlights the stories of inspiring women in STEM.

ILLUMINATA Ep. #10 In this episode we are chatting with Sera our new member that joined our team! We chat about her science journey and sharing a bit of her experience in this field to inspire younger generations of girls to undertake a science career.  

Happy international women’s day! Welcome to this special episode honoring our incredible women! We have prepared a very special message from our Illuminata guests about the importance of highlighting women in agriculture, so sit tight and enjoy.

Ever wondered what a career in science would be like? Or how to get into research? What is it like to do a PhD? These questions and many more will be answered by UQ researchers in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021! We are delighted to have the following researchers from The University of Queensland's School of Chemical and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB) and the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) joining us online to share their journeys and give advice to aspiring scientists in a 1-hour Q&A panel event:

- Dr Kirsty Short, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, SCMB

-Prof. Anna Koltunow, Centre for Crop Science, QAAFI

-Dr Dilani Jambuthenne, Centre for Crop Science, QAAFI

-Dr Elizabeth Ross, Research Fellow, Centre for Animal Science, QAAFI

Co-hosted by QAAFI PhD candidate and host of Illuminata podcast, Charlotte Rambla, and Wonder of Science Program Officer and medical research associate, Dr Natalie McKirdy.

ILLUMINATA Ep. #9. In this episode we chat with the amazing Prof. Yasmina Sultanbawa. Originally from Sri Lanka, she is a food scientist focusing on the agribusiness development framework, specifically in the area of food processing, preservation, food safety and nutrition. She works with Australian native plant foods focusing on incorporating these plants in mainstream agriculture and diet diversification and working with indigenous communities to develop nutritious and sustainable value added products from native plants with a positive socio-economic impact.

Prof Yasmina Sultanbawa profile

Uniquely Australian Foods

Aboriginal websites where you can find products to try:

Kaiyu super foods

Bindam Mie  

ILLUMINATA Ep. #8. In this episode we chat with the amazing Bianca Das, a soil scientist currently doing her PhD at the University of Queensland and CSIRO Agriculture and Food in Australia. She is passionate about soils, science communication, global agricultural development and nutrition security and human rights. On 2019, Bianca participated in the world-class leadership, strategic and science initiative and outreach for women: the Homeward Bound Program, which culminates with a month of training in Antarctica. Listen to her unique journey now!

Bianca Das profile

ILLUMINATA Ep. #7. In this episode we are chatting with the fabulous Dr Heather Smyth a flavour and sensory scientist who has been working with premium food and beverage products for over fifteen years. She is researching the human sensory experience of Australian foods, finding new pathways for adding distinctive Australian qualities to our home-grown food and beverage products.

Dr Heather Smyth profile 

Uniquely Australian Foods

ILLUMINATA Ep. #6. In this episode we are chatting with the amazing Dr Jill Fernandes, a decision scientist at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland. Dr Fernandes and her colleagues have been involved in establishing a UQ impact initiative called The Animal Welfare Collaborative (TAWC). TAWC is a broad network of individuals, companies, and organisations working together to improve animal welfare.

Dr Jill Fernandes Profile 

The Animal Welfare Collaborative (TAWC) 

Twitter: @LetsTAWC

Instagram: @lets_tawc