Every fortnight, the WA Agricultural Scientist Spotlight shares the stories of the people helping shape Western Australia’s agricultural future, highlighting their career journeys, research achievements and the ideas driving progress across the sector.
This edition features Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe, Hub Knowledge Broker and Extension Specialist at the Grower Group Alliance (GGA), where she works with the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) to support producers in building more climate-resilient farming systems.
Her role sits at the intersection of science and practice, translating research into actionable information for producers while helping shape the questions that researchers take on.
A passion found by accident
Dr Glanzlowe grew up spending time on her grandparents’ farm and while she always enjoyed it, a career in agriculture was not something she initially envisaged.
It took an unexpected turn at university to change that.
“I went to university to study environmental management and accidentally took soil science along the way,” she said.
“I fell in love with it, so I followed that up with honours in Land, Soil and Water and a PhD in Agricultural Soil Science.”
Through that process, she came to understand just how varied agriculture could be and how deeply it was connected to the land.
It reframed the industry entirely, and with it, her sense of where she wanted to take her career.
Completing her PhD opened several doors for Dr Glanzlowe and the one she walked through first took her in an unexpected direction.
It was a chapter that ultimately clarified what she was looking for.
“Following my PhD I worked as a soil scientist in environmental consulting for mining, then realised I really wanted to get back into agriculture,” she said.
She moved into a role developing soil sensors before joining the Grower Group Alliance, where her current position took shape.
The role of Hub Knowledge Broker and Extension Specialist spans both sides of the research and industry divide, defying easy description.
“My role is Knowledge Broker and Extension Specialist, which is a fancy title for translating knowledge and making it relevant to producers,” Dr Glanzlowe said.
“It’s all about gathering information about the challenges producers are facing and either finding relevant existing work on the topic or translating those into research questions that researchers can meaningfully work with.”
Building knowledge for a drying climate
Much of Dr Glanzlowe’s current work centres on building a solid understanding of what climate change means for the SW WA Hub region and how drought stressors play out across different commodities.
The region is facing real and growing pressure from climate variability and the consequences for producers are already being felt.
“How we manage agricultural land is crucial to how the industry responds to those challenges,” she said.
“Building that foundational understanding and then connecting it to practical pathways for adopting drought resilient practices is the kind of work that I genuinely think can make a difference.”
From there, the SW WA Hub is developing practical resource packages which focus on key challenges producers are facing across the region.
The goal is to provide clear, reliable information that helps producers understand their options and make decisions that best suit their own farming business.
For Dr Glanzlowe, the most fulfilling part of her role is witnessing the real-world influence well-communicated science can have.
“I love seeing the good work being done across the State and the impact it can have on productivity and land stewardship,” she said.
“Being part of that process is genuinely rewarding, whether that is translating science into practice or helping to make sense of the climate challenges producers are facing so that we can begin to address them.”
The SW WA Hub bursary program has given her an additional avenue to contribute, supporting early-career researchers with a pathway into the industry.
“There is great work being done and I am glad to play a part in helping students get their own research out into the world,” Dr Glanzlowe said.
Lessons from an unplanned path
Dr Glanzlowe’s journey – from a PhD to mining consulting, soil sensing and now a role at the heart of WA’s drought resilience effort – has rarely followed a straight line.
“From where I started – going through all that study, navigating the variety in my career, and landing in a position where I feel I can make a real difference to land stewardship and good practice in WA – I am proud of that journey and of finding a role that suits both the academic and practical sides of who I am,” she said.
For students and early-career scientists, Dr Glanzlowe’s advice draws on her own experience of a career that opened up through saying yes to opportunities as they came.
She is a firm believer that the industry itself is the best teacher.
“The options are broader than you might think, and there are many great careers to be had, but nearly all of them rely on being immersed in the industry to see where those opportunities are,” she said.
“Get involved, go to events, talk to people, and do things that show your talents and what you want to do.”
Through her work connecting researchers, producers and the land, Dr Glanzlowe is helping to build the knowledge and confidence the industry needs to face an increasingly variable climate.
Through the WA Agricultural Scientist Spotlight series, WAARC celebrates the contributions of researchers like Mary-Anne Glanzlowe, whose work exemplifies the dedication and innovation needed to advance agricultural science in Western Australia.
By sharing their stories, the series aims to inspire a new generation to pursue careers in this vital field, ensuring the State remains at the forefront of agricultural research and sustainability.