CeRDI Newsletter Spring 2024

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CeRDI Director receives prestigious academic award

Congratulations to CeRDI’s Prof Helen Thompson, who has been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor by Federation University Australia. The award recognises the outstanding contributions that recipients have made to the University and the broader community.

Above: Former Provost Liam Sloan (Centre) with Federation University Distinguished Professors (L-R) Syed Islam, Shane Thomas, Colette Browning and Helen Thompson.

This well-deserved award recognises the immense contribution Helen has made to the University. Under the leadership of Helen, CeRDI is one of the most successful research Centres in the University, as demonstrated through substantial research funding, the delivery of innovative projects and research, and the consolidation of strong and enduring partnerships with industry, and government.

Congratulations to Helen, and Federation colleagues Syed Islam, Shane Thomas and Colette Browning who received their Distinguished Professors awards during the recent graduation ceremonies. This provided the perfect backdrop to formally recognise the exceptional contribution to research, scholarship, engagement and innovation that each recipient has demonstrated in their role at the University.

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Visualising Australasia’s Soils: Phase 3

Earlier this year, the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC) announced funding for Phase 3 of the Visualising Australasia’s Soils (VAS) project, which aims to deliver a legacy of soils data in Australia. Led by Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus, the VAS project commenced in 2019, providing Soil CRC participants, and the agricultural industry broadly, with access to data, information and knowledge on Australasian soils.

The first phase of the project concluded in 2021, delivering a dynamic web-based portal that brings together a large array of reliable soil datasets from government agencies, industry and grower groups, and individual farmers. During VAS Phase 2 (2021-2024), improvements to the functionality of the VAS portal were undertaken including a self-serve data management system, enhanced filtering and reporting, seamless interoperability with the Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS) , and the inclusion of soil sensor data.

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  Now underway, Phase 3 aims to make VAS an enduring component of an Australasian soils knowledge system that is self-sustaining and inherently useful for research and education. To achieve this, a governance model will be established that will include data governance and stewardship guidelines for managing VAS beyond 2027. CeRDI’s Gabi Ceregra, Data Policy Manager, is working closely with the project team, industry stakeholders and project partners to develop the governance model for VAS. Phase 3 will also harness artificial intelligence to add value to soil performance data, and enhance the reporting of soil quality, function and target values for high performance soils.

  In discussing this next stage of VAS, Peter Dahlhaus identified:

  The key objectives of VAS are to motivate soil data custodians to make their data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), and align with other national and international soil research data initiatives to maximise discovery and reuse"

  In recent months, Peter has delivered updates about the project to an extended audience including delegates at the Soil CRC Participants Conference in Wagga Wagga in August. In early December, Peter also presented the VAS project at the Joint NZ Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia 2024 Conference in New Zealand.

  VAS Phase 3 is a collaboration between Federation University, the University of Newcastle and a Community of Practice initially involving Soil CRC participants across Australia including Burdekin Productivity Services, North Central CMA, Riverine Plains, Southern Farming Systems, Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA) and West Midlands Group.

  Visit the VAS soil data portal: https://vas.soilcrc.com.au/ 

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Data Sharing Initiative 

Farmers and food producers play a crucial role in Australia’s food security. In addition to growing and manufacturing food for consumption, farms generate valuable data. This includes information about:

•    the farm’s operations (e.g. data from tools and machinery)
•    environmental conditions (e.g. climate and soil)
•    other farm characteristics (e.g. transactions and GPS coordinates).

Providers of services, technology and/or equipment, including businesses and research organisations, often seek to use and analyse the data to improve farm yields and outcomes, or to identify potential system-wide improvements. 

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  However, data sharing practices need to be improved to encourage trust between farmers and providers, ensuring that the data is shared in a safe and secure way. The goal of this initiative is to enable food producers to safely and confidently adopt new technologies, participate in research, and share their data, for the benefit of improving the efficiency and quality of agriculture production.

  CeRDI, together with the Australian Research Data Commons, created a digital, customisable data sharing agreement (DSA) template, based on the data sharing template created by the Food Agility CRC, incorporating best practices for data sharing and management between farmers and providers. CeRDI’s Data Policy Manager, Gabi Ceregra, led the project.

  This Data Sharing Agreement Tool  provides a fair contract template for data sharing between farm businesses and those they share data with. It was developed in partnership with Food Agility CRC, tier-one legal firm Minter Ellison, Federation University and the ARDC.

  The Data Sharing Agreement template is for anyone collecting, managing, or sharing farmers’ data. It is designed for contracts with only a few parties, such as a research project contract between a farmer and a research institute, a farm business and a processor, or a farm business and another farm business. Anticipated beneficiaries of the project include the agricultural industry, exporters, researchers and industry.

  Overall, the project has delivered the digital, customisable Data Sharing Agreement Tool, and accompanying user guide, to improve data sharing practices between food producers and providers.

  This is accompanied by a certification program that intends to create trust and improve transparency when providers meet all the criteria of the Australian Farm Data Code , developed by the National Farmers’ Federation. Our partners are providing training to the food and agricultural industries about the Data Code and certification process. This training educates food producers about the value of their data, best practices for data management, and the benefits of the certification process.

  By fostering greater transparency between providers and food producers, this project empowers farmers and food producers to securely and confidently share their data.

  For more information: Food Production Data Sharing Initiative | ARDC 

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Central Highlands Growers and Producers Research

The Central Highlands region of Victoria has an agricultural industry that contributes substantially to the regional economy. The Central Highlands Grower and Producers Hub is dedicated to supporting regional, small scale artisanal food producers. In 2023, Commerce Ballarat, a leading independent business group, was appointed to support the Central Highlands Growers and Producers Hub and to deliver long-term sustainability for agribusinesses across the region.

Commerce Ballarat and the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub partnered with CeRDI to undertake research about the experiences and priorities of small-scale growers, producers and associated retailers in the Central Highlands. This research examined business expectations and expansion, current challenges, and opportunities for businesses in the small-scale agriculture sector, providing important insights from a range of growers and producers across the region.

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  The research findings showed that, despite the challenges experienced by businesses, many remain committed to pursuing their business ventures and welcome opportunities for business expansion. Agritourism presents a new opportunity for some in this sector. Strong engagement and networking exist.  Many businesses have established strong connections with organisations and associations across the region. They also actively participate in local business events and programs, including Forage and Feast. Growers and producers value the collaboration and networking opportunities with their peers. They also identify business training as an area that they would like further access to, aligned to their specific business needs.

  A set of recommendations have been offered following completion of the research, to support the long-term sustainability for agribusinesses across the region.

  The research report was released by Commerce Ballarat during the Forage and Feast launch event in November.

  The report can be reviewed at the Central Highlands Growers and Producers website: https://www.centralhighlandsgrowers.com.au/ 

  Above: Commerce Ballarat Launch of the Forage and Feast launch event at the Ballarat Mining Exchange on 26 November.

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Workshop success: Future proofing research data management

CeRDI, after recognising a gap in the research data management (RDM) space, designed and delivered a workshop on research data management for program managers. The workshop titled "Future Proofing Research Data Management for Program Managers" explored the unique complexities and challenges associated with managing research data in multi-stakeholder, multi-project, and multi-participant research programs.

Researchers at CeRDI recognised that whilst substantial guidance existed on best practices for individual research projects and institutional support for RDM, there appeared to be a significant knowledge gap in addressing the needs of large, integrated research programs. The workshop offered a platform to evaluate aspects of RDM frameworks such as governance, roles and responsibilities, policies, processes, infrastructure and tools for managing data throughout its lifecycle, to determine their application and effectiveness for whole research programs.

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  Participants discussed the specific challenges and barriers encountered by program managers, project managers, and RDM practitioners in managing data across complex programs with the goal of collaboratively identifying the elements necessary to develop an RDM framework that met the demands of complex research environments.

  The workshop was attended by local, national and international researchers and research data professionals and featured leading thinkers and speakers in research data management. Opened by Professor Helen Thompson (CeRDI) and facilitated by David Medyckyj-Scott (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research NZ), Jude Channon (CeRDI) and Dr Nathan Robinson (CeRDI) the workshop covered the themes of data management and the research program lifecycle; RDM and data governance; RDM and tooling and RDM and data culture for research programs. Case studies were presented by Dr Michael Crawford, CEO of the Soil CRC; Roger Ward, solutions architect at the ARDC who worked on Patron (a trusted research environment for healthcare data) through Melbourne University and Dr Lesley Wyborn, who took some time out of her Auscope and ARDC roles to share a case study with us on the Geophysics collection project.

  Additional contributions on the day included Dianne Brown from Monash University who shared her experience with data governance for programs, Dr Jens Klump from International Generic Sample Number Organisation who shared information about RDM and tooling for programs and Dr Sheila Das, change management lead at Federation University who shared her experience with managing change in research institution settings.  The outcomes of the workshop included a better understanding of the complexities involved in managing research data at the program level and the development of actionable strategies to improve RDM practices. Participants left with new insights and tools to enhance their research data management capabilities.

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LitterWatch Victoria App goes live

LitterWatch Victoria  has made a significant impact since its launch in 2020. By providing a platform for community-contributed litter pollution data, it has engaged 260 registered users, including community groups and some councils, in the Port Phillip region. These users have contributed to a database that now contains 2.19 million litter items. This extensive data collection helps in monitoring and managing litter pollution more effectively, fostering a cleaner environment and promoting community involvement in environmental conservation efforts.

In 2022, the DEECA-CeRDI partnership was extended with funding from Melbourne Water to include their litter monitoring programs under the Healthy Waterway Strategy. A highlight of this phase was the creation of an offline data entry system, crucial for fieldwork. Instead of a traditional mobile app, a progressive web app (PWA) was developed. This technology operates seamlessly across devices and platforms from a single codebase. The PWA allows users to enter survey data even when offline, ensuring uninterrupted data collection. This capability has been enabled by leveraging advanced web technologies, including the Service Worker API, Caching, IndexedDB, and Local Storage. These tools ensure reliable offline functionality and seamless synchronization once connectivity is restored.

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  The new LitterWatch App was launched on 11 October 2024 in readiness for the Melbourne Water field crews to undertake the November sampling. It is anticipated that the App will replace the existing browser-based data entry system and has been designed to accommodate all existing group methods, in addition to the new Healthy Waterway Strategy method.

  This is the first time CeRDI has developed an ‘App’ and heralds a new era for the Centre in developing data systems that can more broadly meet user needs and increase the flexibility and utility of CeRDI platforms for decision-making, knowledge sharing and data management.

  This project has represented an enormous effort collectively from CeRDI staff: Birgita Hansen (project leader), Sudeera Abeywickrema (lead developer), Scott Limmer (former senior developer in CeRDI), Richard Archer and other tech team members who have supported the application build. Hannah Faraone and other CeRDI staff and students have also assisted with application testing.

  We would like to thank our DEECA partners Kimberley MacDonald (project leader) and Katelyn McAdams, as well as our Melbourne Water partners Michelle Slater, Amy Grayson, Naomi Dart, and Dr Jackie Myers at RMIT (who led the original development of the Healthy Waterways Strategy for Melbourne Water).

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Soil Indicators project: Phase 1 completed

Soil health plays a crucial role in the success of farming. The application of soil indicators within agriculture is widespread, but little is known about the factors farmers use to make decisions about soil indicators on their farms. In the first phase of this 2.5-year project, which was completed earlier this year, research was undertaken to identify the factors that influence farmers’ decisions about their soils, and to understand and identify the best soil indicators needed by farming system.

CeRDI’s Dr Nathan Robinson led the Soil CRC’s Soil Indicators project with Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus, Dr Aakansha Chadha and Dr Alison Ollerenshaw, in collaboration with colleagues at Charles Sturt University and the University of Newcastle.

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  Farmers, producers, advisors and others working in the agriculture sector were surveyed during the first phase of the project to identify what indicators they use, why they chose those indicators, and how often they use them. The findings identified that:

  •    Chemical tests, and visual appraisal of crops and soil are widely used in all the enterprises. Biological tests are least used.
  •    Farmers are conducting soil tests on a regular basis, recognising a value-proposition for testing.
  •    Tests and assessments are chosen for their relevance to the farming enterprise, ease of sampling and assessment, and suitability to land use.
  •    In-person interactions influence farmers’ choices of soil indicators. Advisors are highly influenced by education and training.

  A short video reporting the research results was prepared and circulated to research participants and promoted by the Soil CRC: https://youtu.be/fnbD1BnDP4k 

  Additional funding from the Soil CRC has been received to extend the soil indicators project. Through a co-design process involving farmers and advisors, Phase 2 aims to identify the combinations of soil type, climate, and land use linked to local and relevant management practice information for soil performance. This will help in providing insights into corrective actions and management options to improve soil performance and health.  

  In describing the next phase of research, project lead Dr Nathan Robinson commented:

  The research will now extend over the next two years as part of a new Soil CRC project aimed at developing a core set of metrics for soils indicators, to assist and support farmers and soils practitioners. The research co-design and expert guidance will ensure that the outputs, including relevant interpretations, fulfill users’ needs, are actionable, and have value for the Soil CRC and beyond."

  For further information about the new project visit: https://soilcrc.com.au/current-projects/#project_2_1_009 

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Knowledge Sharing for Good Soil Stewardship

The Soil CRC has released a new guide to help grower groups and extension professionals plan their farmer engagement activities. The ‘Knowledge Sharing Guide for Grower Groups’ was created as part of the Knowledge Sharing Project led by Dr Hanabeth Luke from Southern Cross University in collaboration with industry and university partners, including CeRDI.

The Knowledge Sharing Project sought to identify and test effective knowledge sharing strategies for supporting improved soil stewardship.

 

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  The project aimed to increase the number of landholders actively engaged in soil health improvement practices by having the four participating grower groups trial new things and analyse their extension practices over a two-year period – in the areas of strategy, planning, prioritising, communicating and delivering," Dr Luke explained.

  The guide was developed by project researchers and four participating grower groups across SA, WA, NSW and Victoria. The guide reflects the learnings from the project, with key insights highlighting the importance of:

  •    Knowing your audience (building relationships with the farmers) and co-designing projects;
  •    Knowing your industry (the context in which your farmer is working and living);
  •    Quality over quantity (face-to-face engagement remains preferential for knowledge sharing);
  •    Being responsive and proactive to sharing relevant knowledge with stakeholders.

  As well as creating the ‘Knowledge Sharing Guide for Grower Groups’, the project identified policies and regulations that enable or constrain knowledge sharing and provided recommendations for training and engagement for others involved in extension.  CeRDI’s Dr Alison Ollerenshaw and Prof Helen Thompson collaborated on the project and conducted research aligned with the digital engagement for knowledge sharing. 

  For more information about this project:

  •    Knowledge Sharing project resources 
  •    Project overview 

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CeRDI writing retreat

A very important element of research is sharing of the findings. However, the writing of manuscripts for journal articles, reports or books can be challenging. Researchers can find it difficult to allocate time to writing, with many competing priorities in a normal workday.

To address this challenge, CeRDI held a two-day writing retreat in October to facilitate the preparation of research manuscripts. This was the second retreat held this year and was conducted at the Ballarat-SMB campus of the University. It was attended by staff and HDR students, including Jude Channon, Aakansha Chadha, Alison Ollerenshaw, Birgita Hansen and Nathan Robinson. Participants identified their writing goals prior to attendance and included substantial progress towards journal manuscripts.

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  Feedback from attendees confirmed that their writing goals had either been achieved or significantly progressed. Attendees found the writing retreat extremely valuable to get focused time just for reading and writing, and for progressing manuscript writing. Participants reported one manuscript was revised for journal resubmission, one paper was fully drafted and sent to co-authors, and another paper was significantly advanced to the final (discussion) stage. Two confirmation of candidature documents were also significantly progressed.

  Successful publication have been significantly progressed during the writing retreats in 2023 and 2024. Retreat participants have indicated that progression of these outputs may not have occurred without the allocation of blocks of time for writing.

  Thanks to Birgita Hansen for organising and to Helen Thompson for supporting staff to attend the retreat. Future writing retreats will be scheduled in 2025.

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Birgita talks Latham’s Snipe in Tasmania and at the Werribee wetlands conference

Latham's Snipe, a migratory shorebird. Image: Jacob Crisp

CeRDI Senior Research Fellow Dr Birgita Hansen, leader of the Latham’s Snipe Project, visited Hobart, Tasmania during early November and met with project volunteers and new collaborators Cath Dickson and Dave Hamilton from the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. Birgita made two site visits with very active volunteers: one to Lauderdale with Mike Newman and the other to Cygnet with Philip Emery. She also joined the Tasmanian Land Conservancy team, volunteers Stewart Blackhall and Terry Byard, and several Birds Tasmania members, to visit the Conservancy property Silver Plains, where a large snipe population occurs. This was followed by a presentation to Conservancy staff about the species and a new proposed collaboration to establish a Higher Degree by Research student project investigating the snipe population dynamics at Silver Plains.

Birgita also gave a talk at the monthly meeting for Birds Tasmania and had the opportunity to meet with some of the other volunteers. She was also privileged to meet the renowned Hans Naarding, who led the original Latham’s Snipe research project in the early 1980s, initiated by the ratification of the Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement.

More recently, Birgita presented an overview of the Latham’s Snipe Project at the first Werribee River Association Wetlands Conference in Laverton, Melbourne.

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CeRDI researchers attend Soil CRC conference in Wagga Wagga

In August, the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC) hosted the annual Soil CRC Participants Conference. One hundred and fifty researchers, PhD students, grower groups and industry representatives from across Australia attended Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, NSW. The conference showcased the latest industry research and delivered practical solutions to help farmers better manage their soils to improve productivity and sustainability. Keynote speakers at the conference reinforced the importance of soil and researchers working with farmers to help them better manage their soil resource.

During the conference, project team meetings and workshops were conducted, alongside the delivery of a PhD student workshop. Farming group participants, including Diana Fear from Central West Farming Systems, Shaughn Morgan from FarmLink, Alison Southwell from Holbrook Landcare Network, and Jane McInnes from Riverine Plains provided a local perspective and spoke about their own operations and experiences. The conference provided opportunities for networking with peers, facilitating new connections and building alliances.

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  A strong contingent of researchers and Higher Degree by Research students from Federation University attended the annual conference and staff and postgraduate candidates from CeRDI attended relevant sessions. Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus led the project updates around Visualising Australasia’s Soils  and Dr Aakansha Chadha presented on research about soil health indicators and matching Soil Performance Indicators to Farming Systems .

  More information about the Conference is available from the Soil CRC: Soil CRC Conference highlights - Soil CRC 

  Above: Peter Weir, Aakansha Chadha, Richard McEwan and Peter Dahlhaus with Bret Ryan (seated, centre) from Southern Farming Systems, at the Soil CRC conference.

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Dementia Pathways Tool research

Researchers at Federation University Australia (Dr’s Alison Ollerenshaw and Carolyn Staines; Jennifer Corbett), together with Assoc Prof Mark Yates and Caroline Gibson are undertaking research to understand the enduring role and contribution of the Dementia Pathways Tool , an online resource for accessing information about dementia (diagnosis, management and referrals). Funding for the research has been received through a Federation University’s Early Career Researcher (ECR) seeding grant.

The research is investigating the perceptions of users of the Dementia Pathways Tool, including GPs and nurses, to understand the contribution of this online tool for dementia diagnosis, management, and referral. The Tool was designed, and is hosted, by CeRDI with the content being informed by Assoc Prof Mark Yates, Geriatrician, Grampians Health, and Caroline Gibson, Grampians Health. The research findings will provide important insights about current use and perceptions about the Tool and to identify areas for future development. 

For further information about the Tool or the research visit: www.dementiapathways.com.au 

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Moth Tracker

Each spring, endangered Bogong Moths start an amazing migration across Australia to our alpine zone. At the same time, Mountain Pygmy-possums wake up from hibernation hungry for nutritious Bogong Moths to eat. But over the last few years, Bogong Moths have not been arriving to the alpine regions in the numbers needed, raising concern for the survival of the moths and leaving the Mountain Pygmy-possums without their primary food source. A citizen science project is helping Zoos Victoria scientists track where they are and when they might arrive.

Through a dedicated website, which was developed by CeRDI in 2019, the general public who sight a Bogong Moth are encouraged to take a photo and upload it into the online tool known as Moth Tracker. This data will then help scientists better understand how to help the moths and if they will make it to the mountains this year. To learn more: https://www.zoo.org.au/moth-tracker/ 
 

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Staff profile: Indika Sirimanna, Senior Systems Analyst Programmer

Indika Sirimanna, Senior Systems Analyst Programmer

Indika Sirimanna recently joined the CeRDI team as a Senior System Analyst Programmer. Prior to this, Indika worked as a Senior Software Engineer at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, where he developed software applications in various domains, including IoT, the maritime industry, and brainwave monitoring systems for the hospitality sector.

Indika’s experience in these areas has equipped him with a strong foundation in programming and systems design having acquired skills in system development, implementation of IoT devices, and web-based tools for maritime activities. These skills have been instrumental in addressing real-world challenges and improving efficiency within various systems.

Indika is particularly passionate about leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that enhance operational performance. In addition to his technical expertise, Indika is interested in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential to transform industries by automating processes, improving decision-making, and enabling smarter solutions. Indika is actively looking for opportunities to integrate AI technologies within projects to enhance the capabilities of the systems being developed.

Indika was awarded a Bachelor of Technology in Software Technology in 2015 and a Master of Computer Science in 2020 from the University of Sri Jayawardenapura Sri Lanka. Indika is looking forward to progressing his career and contributing to innovative projects that push the boundaries of technology and drive positive change in society.

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Staff profile: Leenath Wimukthi Gamage, Research Project Officer

Leenath Wimukthi Gamage, Research Project Officer

Leenath Wimukthi Gamage recently joined Federation University as a Research Project Officer, bringing with him a diverse background in both academia and industry. Prior to his current role, he worked as a laboratory technician specialising in gold analysis in the mining industry for two years. Now, he contributes his expertise across three research centres: CeRDI, the Future Regions Research Centre (FRRC), and the Ararat Jobs and Technology Precinct (AJTP).

At AJTP, Leenath provides crucial support to the research team focused on the 'Grain Traceability for Collaborative Innovation, Value Addition and Return on Investment' project. This DFAT-funded project aims to make the region's agricultural sector a model for Australian economic development.

Beyond this project, Leenath contributes to other ongoing research initiatives at AJTP and geospatial and agricultural research projects at CeRDI which include Online Farm Trials. His work aligns with CeRDI's focus on knowledge management, spatial research, and the implementation of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) data principles.

This diverse research engagement allows Leenath to leverage his academic background, which includes a bachelor’s degree in agriculture (specialising in soil science) from the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka (2016) and a master's degree in GIS and Remote Sensing from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka (2018). He also brings nearly four years of experience as a Lecturer and Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture in Sri Lanka.

Leenath is enthusiastic about applying his knowledge and skills to advance the research goals of CeRDI, AJTP, and Federation University. He is particularly driven to contribute to agriculture-based projects that utilise geospatial technology and is committed to continually enhancing his research capabilities in these areas.

Outside work, Leenath enjoys traveling, video editing, and content creation for YouTube, playing and watching cricket, and reading. He is also passionate about self-development and is always looking for new ways to learn and grow.

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News snippets

ARDC Year in Review

This year, the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)  welcomed Federation University Australia, as a new host institution. The resulting partnership between CeRDI and ARDC furthers our joint aims of promoting data interoperability and the sharing of research data. ARDC staff are now based on campus, in CeRDI, with five CeRDI team members  taking up the opportunity to join the work of this important groundbreaking national initiative through filling both longer term roles and  secondments through to December 2025. 

ARDC recently published its Year in Review 2024 . The review documents significant activities, and successes for ARDC in empowering Australian researchers through the provisioning of data to address real world challenges. The report also includes a story on the new online tool for Farm Data Sharing contracts, led by CeRDI’s Gabi Ceregra.

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  Further details of the ARDC-Federation University partnership were showcased in a recent CeRDI newsletter.

  The ARDC team including staff hosted at Federation University recently attended an all-staff event in Brisbane.

  Above: Photo from the ARDC all staff event in Brisbane in which members of the CeRDI-ARDC team attended.

  Recent publications and conference presentations

  Barlow, K., Brown, M., Dahlhaus, P., Dowell, S., Fest, B., Gillett, H., Hansen, B., Milne, R., Neyland, A., & Thompson, H. (2024). Optimised Carbon and Nutrient Management Final Report. Food Agility CRC, Sydney. 66c4200c97bb3c02425a5d8d_FA107 Final Report Optimised Carbon and Nutrient Management.pdf (website-files.com).

  Dahlhaus, P., MacLeod, A., Ollerenshaw, A., Robinson, N., Wong, M., Thompson, H., & Doyle, R. (2024). Creating a public-private soil data federation: the Visualising Australasia’s Soils project. Global Symposium on Soil Information and Data 2024, 25 -28 September 2024,  Nanjing, China.

  Dahlhaus, P., MacLeod, A., Ollerenshaw, A., Robinson, N., Wong, M., Thompson, H., & Doyle, R. (2024). Visualising Australasia’s Soil (VAS): a novel soil research data federation. Joint NZ Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia 2024 Conference, 2-5 December, 2024, Rotorua, NZ.    

  Ollerenshaw, A., Robinson, N., Chadha, A., & Channon, J. (2024). A smart agriculture information system delivering research data for adoption by the Australian grains industry. Smart Agricultural Technology, 100610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2024.100610 

  Robinson, N., Ollerenshaw, A., Chadha, A., Dahlhaus, P. (2024). Soil indicator choices in Australian farming systems. Joint NZ Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia 2024 Conference, 2 - 5 December, 2024, Rotorua, NZ.

  Weir, P. (2024). Better understanding of within-field spatial variability of soil water. Joint NZ Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia 2024 Conference, 2 - 5 December, 2024, Rotorua, NZ.

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Higher Degree by Research news

	Above: Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus & Dr Basharat Ali

CeRDI PhD Graduation: Congratulations to Dr Basharat Ali who recently graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy. Basharat is an alumnus of CeRDI and his PhD research investigated the roles of data, digital agriculture and resilience in agricultural performance. Basharat’s supervisors in CeRDI included Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus, Prof Helen Thompson, and Dr Nathan Robinson.

Further information about Basharat’s research is available at: https://www.cerdi.edu.au/cb_pages/precision_conservation_agricultural_practices.php
 

Confirmation of Candidature: Congratulations to Hannah Faraone who successfully completed the first major milestone for her PhD, the Confirmation of Candidature. Hannah is researching the impact of macrolitter on birdlife in the Port Phillip Region and Greater Melbourne. Hannah’s supervisors include Dr. Birgita Hansen (principal), and associate supervisors Dr. Nick Schultz (Federation University) and Dr. Jackie Myers (RMIT), with industry supervisor Kimberley MacDonald (DEECA). https://www.cerdi.edu.au/HDRStudents#HannahFaraone
 

CeRDI seminar: PhD candidate presentations: CeRDI PhD candidates showcased their research at the October CeRDI Seminar. Presentations were delivered by Hannah Faraone, Peter Weir and Rob Clark and Rida Mazhar outlining their research. 

Information about all CeRDI Higher Degree by Research candidates is available here: Higher Degree by Research Students (cerdi.edu.au)
 

Emerging Technology Hub Seminar series: The October presentation was delivered by CeRDI PhD candidate Rida Mazhar on her research: Regional Smart City: Assessment and Progression towards smart city goals. During the presentation, Rida discussed the characteristics of regional smart cities and what indicators, frameworks and tools are needed for assessing their smartness and sustainability, in order to achieve livability, prosperity, social connectedness, data maximization and economic benefits. For further information about this research: https://www.federation.edu.au/about/news/news/measuring-success-in-smart-city-initiatives/ 

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About CeRDI

The Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) is a research centre at Federation University Australia focused on:

• the application of information and communications technology (ICT) and the development of innovative, world class knowledge management systems;
• significantly advancing the digital literacy and knowledge management capabilities of partner organisations;
• fostering partnerships for the development and implementation of eResearch with industry, government and academia; and
• measuring the impact of eResearch and digital innovation through longitudinal research.

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Contact CeRDI

For further details about CeRDI’s diverse portfolio of research please visit our website: www.cerdi.edu.au, or contact Director, Associate Professor Helen Thompson: h.thompson@federation.edu.au

Mailing Address

Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation
Federation University Australia
PO Box 691
Ballarat Vic 3353

Office Location

Suite 15, Greenhill Enterprise Centre
Ballarat Technology Park
University Drive
Mount Helen Vic 3350

Phone: +61 3 5327 9314
Email: support@cerdi.edu.au

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