Ten high-calibre students have become the second cohort to join the ranks of the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC) scholarship program, laying a strong foundation for their future contributions to agricultural innovation.
The WAARC Postgraduate Research Scholarship Program is dedicated to inspiring and supporting Western Australia’s next generation of agricultural scientists and leaders to build research capacity and advance industry sustainability.
The new scholars will join WAARC’s inaugural 22 scholarship recipients announced in July last year, increasing the total cohort to 32.
The students were recently welcomed at a WAARC-hosted morning tea, providing an opportunity for them to meet the Collaboration Executive team and fellow round one scholarship recipients.
In partnership with WAARC member organisations Curtin University, Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia (UWA), the students will receive top-up scholarships to the value of about $25,000 for up to 3.5 years while completing their PhDs.
Central to the program, the students will also gain invaluable professional development, mentoring, industry engagement and practical regional experience facilitated by WAARC’s non-university members CSIRO, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Grower Group Alliance.
WAARC Director Kelly Pearce said round two of the PhD scholarship program opened in March attracting 37 high-quality applications, a strong sign of sector demand and the program’s credibility.
“These talented scholars will become part of a multi-organisational network of WAARC researchers and students, contributing to some of WA agriculture’s most critical and future-focused challenges,” Dr Pearce said.
“Our PhD scholarship program equips students with the real-world experience, networks, tools, and confidence to become agile, collaborative problem-solvers.”
Research topics are aligned with WAARC’s six program themes: Northern Agriculture, Grains Transformation, Resilient Agricultural Futures, Agricultural Technologies, Aboriginal Science Engagement and Capacity Building and Extension.
They range from agtech, climate resilience and biosecurity, to natural capital, crop genetics, livestock production and weed management.
“The PhD topics chosen by our round two scholarship recipients are diverse, innovative and industry focused – from designing natural capital markets on agricultural land to balance emerging WA challenges and opportunities, to molecular and phenotypic characterisation of Rhizoctonia in wheat, and developing a method of using environmental DNA for biological screening in agriculture,” Dr Pearce said.
Two additional students will be embedded into WAARC’s new polyphagous shot-hole borer research projects and broader Postgraduate Program, gaining career and skills development, industry networks and first-hand experience.
“WAARC is creating a robust talent pipeline within Western Australia by boosting the career trajectory of these student researchers to become leaders in agricultural R&D, while propelling innovation and sustainability in the sector.
“The students will have direct exposure to industry priorities and farming systems, enabling them to make a lasting impact where it matters most – on the ground across WA’s agricultural regions,” Dr Pearce said.
For more information and a full list of the round two scholarship students, visit the WAARC website: Scholarship program | WA Agricultural Research Collaboration
WAARC is backed by $25 million in State Government funding to boost Western Australia’s research capacity and industry sustainability.