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Top young WA university research graduates celebrated at agriculture forum

Sheep Central, March 26, 2018

MURDOCH University graduate Lydia Inglis was awarded the Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum top honours for 2018 in Perth last week.

Ms Inglis is a technical officer at Murdoch University and last week presented at the forum on her Honours work examining the use of pain relief in mulesed Merino lambs.

She also received the inaugural Noel Fitzpatrick Medal and will be invited to represent Western Australia at a national forum later this year.

Ms Inglis was presented with the inaugural Noel Fitzpatrick Medal by Ag Institute Australia medallist and former director general of the Department of Agriculture Noel Fitzpatrick and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Managing Director for Research, Development and Innovation Mark Sweetingham.

Ms Inglis, of Perth, was among five outstanding young professionals to deliver the findings of their tertiary research studies across a range of issues impacting agriculture and natural resource management.

The annual forum recognises the work of students who have completed an undergraduate degree at a Western Australian university. Finalists are required to submit a research paper and deliver a presentation.

The event is hosted by the Ag Institute Australia (WA Division) and supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Mr Sweetingham commended the standard of the participants involved in the event.

“It was impressive to see the research that covered many aspects of our vital agricultural industries here in Western Australia, from the science behind our livestock industries to lupin production to wheat breeding,” he said.

Ag Institute Australia WA division chair Don Burnside said the Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum is one of the institute’s most important annual events, showcasing emerging talent in agricultural research and development.

“The high standard of the papers and presentations is always a feature, and bodes well for the future of the agricultural industries in WA.

“This year we were privileged to have overseas entrants who have been studying in WA,” Dr Burnside said.

Second prize and best presentation was awarded to Murdoch University graduate Robin Malik. She presented on her Honours project examining the effect of breed on feed intake and feed efficiency in Merino and maternal type ewes.

Lisa McLerie, who recently completed Honours in Animal Science at Murdoch University, presented on increasing the intake of magnesium in cattle to reduce the incidence of dark cutting and was awarded third prize.

The other forum finalists included Weilu Zhang, an international student from Harbin, China, who finished her Agriculture Science degree at the University of Western Australia (UWA) last year and Richard Wilkinson, who completed a Bachelor of Science at UWA majoring in Agricultural Science and Genetics.

Ms Zhang discussed research examining gene expression associated with flowering time in narrow-leafed lupins. Mr Wilkinson gave a summary of research related to breeding pre-harvest sprouting resistant bread wheat.

Source: DAFWA.

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