Perfect (study) pairing options served up at University of Southern Queensland

Words by Megan Woodward

Rising to the challenge of meeting the global environmental challenge of sustainably feeding an ever-growing population, the University of Southern

Queensland has opened a new School of Agriculture and Environmental

Sciences with a full menu of study and research options focused on influencing food production in the future.

From agricultural sustainability and food security to climate change and beyond, study disciplines at the new School include agricultural engineering, agricultural technology and management, agricultural science, environmental science, food science, wine science, horticulture, animal science and wildlife management.

Head of School (Agriculture and

Environmental Science) Professor

Craig Baillie said his team was hard at work solidifying the connection between teaching, research, industry and community.

“Our purpose is to mould students who are equipped to be critical, creative thinkers, effective communicators and collaborators, ethical, engaged and employable,”

Professor Baillie said.

“To do that, we are building flagship undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs that are highly regarded by industry.”

Professor Baillie said the school was established to help develop strong research expertise and capabilities in agricultural productivity and environment management, both in

Australia and internationally.

“From on farm automation to artificial intelligence guided agricultural modelling, through to management of biosecurity risks, we’re proud to deliver thinking that works,” Professor Baillie said.

“It’s all about employing world leading research to help create world changing results, focusing on issues that are locally relevant, have national significance and a global impact.”

Two new programs within the school were launched this year – the Bachelor of Agricultural Technology and Management and the Bachelor of Environmental Science – as well as a new major in Wildlife Management.

The School’s Associate Professor in Food Science, Dr Polly Burey, said the new programs and majors offer an incredible opportunity for students and academics alike to pair their passion projects.

“We have a number of students who are pairing up majors in food science and wine science, or food science and environmental science,” she said.

“These combinations provide such a great platform for delving into the ever-evolving growth sector of food and really putting the spotlight on the science behind food and food production.”

Dr Burey said the research opportunities afforded through the University – including as a partner in the national Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre – work strategically to unite industry and academia.

“It’s an exciting time to be considering research and collaboration at the University of Southern Queensland right now, and there’s a huge appetite for the research outcomes we’re working towards and have been involved in to date,” she said.

“From helping consumers become healthier to making prize-winning wine to natural resource management, we have scientists involved.”

Dr Burey said the University of Southern Queensland was proud to be playing a part in providing innovative research outcomes, alongside producing industry ready scientists of the future.

“We know that nationally, and globally, industry is crying out for food scientists and technologists, especially those with multidisciplinary expertise,” she said.

“At the University of Southern Queensland we’ve built an incredible offering to meet this demand through the new School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and I’m really excited to see the impact we’re able to make into the future through these programs.”

To learn more about the University of Southern Queensland’s Food Science degrees visit: https://www. usq.edu.au/hes/school-of-agricultureand-environmental-sciences

For more information on key dates for course applications, visit: https:// www.usq.edu.au/study/key-dates

Associate Professor in Food Science, Dr Polly Burey, from the University of Southern Queensland is working to produce industry ready food scientists of the future.

Megan Woodward is Communications Coordinator at the University of Southern Queensland. f