Nurturing excellence

A paragon of cutting-edge research and education, the Waite campus is a beacon for educators, students and scientists – a place for ideas to exchange and our understanding of agriculture and the natural world to ever deepen. 

From its beginnings as an expression of Peter Waite’s ambition to have science turn South Australia into a global agricultural powerhouse, the campus has become one of Australia’s leading research, education, and commercialisation precincts, and, in the mould of Peter Waite, innovation is always at the forefront. 

It has the largest expertise in plant biotechnology, cereal breeding, sustainable agriculture, wine, food, horticulture, and natural resource science, firmly establishing itself as a leader in the southern hemisphere. A philosophy of scientific excellence and industry relevance is what guides the Waite and inspires its teaching and education programs. 

Amanda Able, a Professor in Plant Science at the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine and an education specialist, says collaboration, respect, and a shared passion for innovation among educators within the teaching community is generally a part of the day-to-day at the Waite. 

“As a community, we’re always trying to be innovative and engage our students to make sure that the student experience is the best it can be,” she says. “It’s really important because of that connection to industry. Often our industry partners help us to provide an enjoyable student experience that ensures they’re also up to speed with the latest research. And it just means we naturally work well together as a team because we’ve got the same mindset. 

“It’s a dynamic community. While we teach agriculture, food, and wine, what we do in our research is so integral to the way that we teach. It’s research-led teaching.” 

Kerry Wilkinson is a Professor of Oenology with a special focus on the flavour of grapes and wine and is currently working on no-and-low-alcohol wines. She agrees that one of the Waite’s strengths is its collaborative and student-focused learning environment. 

“For me, it’s about experiential learning. I think if you know that you’re learning something and that you’re going to be putting that knowledge into practice, it’s more relevant,” Kerry says. “We’re very collaborative, and cross-disciplinary. We have a lot of diverse interests from an education and teaching perspective. The thing that I’ve always liked about collegiality is that people bounce ideas off one another.”

Likewise, when it comes to innovation, it goes further than just ideas in the research lab and the teaching methods, with a community approach among educators.

“Academics also come together in different ways,” says Kerry. “We have a community of practice called Innovative Teaching at Waite, where we meet to share stories about what we’ve tried. We’re always looking at doing things better, but with a focus on what makes it a better learning experience for the students, what makes it more engaging and what makes it more relevant.”

It’s the hands-on attitude at the Waite that really sets it apart, with Amanda also highlighting the importance of PhD students and the role they play in education as well as research. “PhD students are the ones doing a lot of the research here on campus, too. They’re an important part of the fabric of the community here at the Waite,” she says.

Partnerships, Kerry adds, also play an important role with students gaining access to industry professionals and potential employers through Waite’s programs. For students this doesn’t only mean access to potential networks and internships, but also the opportunity to contribute to research addressing some of industry’s biggest challenges.

“It’s a really nice example of a university and industry working together to train future scientists and also help solve some of the industry challenges out there, like climate change, improving the efficiency and profitability of winemaking, or managing pests and diseases,” Kerry says.

With students going on to work across the country and around the world, the connection to education and ongoing research provided to students at the Waite has created a global network with pride and passion in what the University of Adelaide does. The same rings true for the education staff. “It’s really satisfying to see our graduates all over the world doing what we’ve trained them to do – whether that’s research or through our undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs,” Kerry says.

Peter Waite’s dedication to scientific advancement in agriculture set the stage for the future of South Australia’s educational landscape, and the Waite carries this legacy into the modern day. 

Written by Anna Kantilaftas

Photography by Jack Fenby