Lumen Waite 100 - Flipbook - Page 41
Nurturing
excellence
Waite’s teaching community remains a testament to
Peter Waite’s enduring commitment to innovation
and science. Today, this leafy educational
enclave thrives on an innovative approach that
seamlessly integrates research and teaching.
WORDS › ANNA KANTILAFTAS | PICTURES › JACK FENBY
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 studentfocused learning environment.
LUMEN
