A researcher with a vision to grow gold on trees, and another with a goal of curing crocodiles of a parasite affecting hide quality, were amongst twenty recipients of the 2006 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Announcing the Award winners at a ceremony in Parliament House, Canberra last night, Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, said the awards encouraged growth and development in rural industries, while also providing the impetus to launch the careers of promising young innovators.

The recipients, aged 18 to 35, each receive up to $10,000 to complete a project of long-term benefit to Australia’s agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food or natural resource management industries. The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) sponsors the awards, along with the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and ten other Rural Research and Development Corporations and Companies. The Awards are coordinated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS).

In addition to the prizes awarded for the industries and interests of each of these agencies, an award is given for each state and territory.
Michelle Gray, a researcher based in the Northern Territory, took out the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RDC) sponsored prize for tackling a parasite that is reducing profits in the crocodile farming industry.

The focus of Michelle’s work is a tiny parasite that leaves trails in the skin of infected crocodiles, diminishing their commercial value.

“The project will provide a better understanding of the origins and life cycles of these parasites to find methods of control and elimination,” Mr McGauran said.

The winner of the New South Wales award, Dr Andrew Harris, is developing an extraordinary technique of extracting metals from ore-rich soils using plants, phytomining. He has had success in hydroponically growing and reaping plants with 5% of the dry weight in gold. The gold harvested from the plants is naturally in the form of pure metal nanoparticals, and is highly valued for biomedical and other industrial uses.

Andrew plans to use the award, alongside additional project funding from RIRDC, to help take his phytomining project from the research stage to being commercially viable.

“Dr Harris’ project will investigate whether the technique is scientifically feasible and commercially viable to diversify the income stream for agricultural producers,” Mr McGauran said.

RIRDC’s New Industries portfolio invests in emerging and potential industry options for Australia’s rural sector, and has played an important part in developing the farmed crocodile industry, with research into more efficient feeding and handling, and ways to increase the commodity value of crocodiles.
RIRDC also invests in research to help prospective rural industries, like phytomining, move to  commercial viability, giving rural producers a greater range of options to diversify.

“Diversification offers rural Australia real benefits – economic, environmental and social – and RIRDC’s New Industries’ R&D Program is committed to exploring new
options for farmers to diversify,” said John Oakeshott, RIRDC Senior Research Manager for New Industries R&D.
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Media inquiries: RIRDC: Martin Field – 02 6272 4735,  BRS : Kylie Paulsen – 0438 630 491

For a full list of this year’s winners, and details of their projects, visit: www.daff.gov.au/scienceawards