Lumen Winter 2013 - Flipbook - Page 5
story by Robyn Mills
“We are extremely proud to be able to
honour their memories in a way that will
not only support South Australia’s farming
community, but also address global issues
of food security and climate change
adaptation,” Professor Bebbington said.
At the Roseworthy campus, the
University will establish:
> The JS Davies Animal Research
Centre—building on existing strengths
with a focus on production, global food
security, biosecurity and animal welfare;
> Two professorships—the JS Davies
Chair in Animal Health and the JS
Davies Chair in Animal Production—to
take leading roles in the new Centre,
including research equipment and
research infrastructure and post
doctoral research and technical
support staff.
These two new professorships will
supplement the existing JS Davies Chair
in the area of epigenetics and genetics,
currently held by Professor Stefan
Hiendleder.
“This is a very significant investment
in the future of animal based research at
the Roseworthy Campus,” said Professor
Iain Reid, Executive Dean of Roseworthy
Campus. “It will allow us to continue to
build the campus as a focus of animal
science in Southern Australia.”
Professor Reid said this latest boon
came on top of the investment of more
than $50 million in capital works for
the School of Animal and Veterinary
Sciences since 2008 – over $32 million
by the University, $15 million by the
Federal Government and $5 million by
the State Government.
“This investment in Roseworthy has
revitalised the campus and we are
seeing tremendous growth in student
and staff numbers, both academic
and professional,” said Professor Reid.
“Together with this latest investment, and
closer relationships with our collaborative
partners on campus, Roseworthy will be
leading research and education in animal
sciences into the foreseeable future.”
Professor Kym Abbott, Head of
the School of Animal and Veterinary
Sciences, said the expansion of research
at Roseworthy would strengthen links
with the South Australian Research and
Development Institute (SARDI).
“These links, recently consolidated
in pig and poultry research, will now
be extended to ruminant livestock as
talks continue on the ways that the two
organisations can best combine their
strengths and resources to create an
outstanding research community at
the Roseworthy campus,” Professor
Abbott said.
At the Waite campus the University will
establish:
> The JAT Mortlock Chair in Agricultural,
Horticultural and Pastoral Science,
who will also be Director of the Waite
Research Institute;
> Three further professorships—the JAT
Mortlock chairs in Plant Stress, Crop
Protection and Crop Improvement –
supported by research staff in crop
epigenetics, stress response biology,
plant–pest interactions, genetics of
resistance, reproductive biology and
crop performance.
Waite Research Institute Director (and
new JAT Mortlock Chair) and Head of
the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Professor Mike Wilkinson said: “The Waite
Campus is increasingly focusing on two
global grand challenges: food security and
food production for healthier outcomes.
“In the next 40 years, the world must
increase food production at rates higher
than ever in history and this must be done
through increasing yields, not area of
production, and sustainably. It also needs
to be done in the face of climate change
and with a need to increase quality of
food, not just quantity.
“The Waite campus intends to be at
the forefront of research and education
to meet these challenges. And to do that,
we need to attract the best researchers
to our campus, to adopt the latest, most
sophisticated scientific technology, and
to build on our existing partnerships and
create new ones.
“This investment in research is a major
step towards this vision. It will help us
develop the critical mass of specialist
researchers we need for the Waite
Campus to lead the way in agriculture,
food and wine research to secure
our agricultural industries and to help
feed the world.”
Professor Bebbington highlighted
the impact that philanthropic giving
can have on university research. “We
take donor intentions very seriously,
because philanthropy can make a major
contribution to the University’s ability to
develop research for the growth of the
economy of our State and nation,”
he said.
The benefactors
The new $50-million endowment
has been made possible by the
generous bequests of John Andrew
Tennant Mortlock and John
Stanley Davies.
JAT Mortlock (1894–1950) was a
successful pastoralist and stud Merino
breeder and great philanthropist. During
his life he made significant donations to
agricultural research. On his death, his
estate passed to his wife Dorothy who, in
turn, followed his wishes with the bequest
of the family property, Martindale Farm
at Mintaro, to the University of Adelaide
for use in connection with the University’s
Waite Campus (then known as the Waite
Agricultural Research Institute).
Pastoralist JS Davies (1889-1968) spent
his working life improving strains of beef
cattle and made his stock some of the
best available in the country. He never
married and, on his death, bequeathed
part of his estate to the University of
Adelaide and part to Prince Alfred College
in a 5/6 to 1/6 share. He asked that the
trustees carry on farming activities on the
properties, Munduney at Spalding, and
Moralana Station north of Hawker, for 20
years. He wished to promote research
into cattle and beef production.
The net proceeds to the University of
$50.7 million from the sale of the three
properties completed last year have been
used to establish an Endowment Fund to
continue the research focus on crop and
animal health and production.
Above: John Stanley Davies
Photo courtesy of University
of Adelaide archives
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 3
