Science awards celebrate 2021 academic, student and staff success

Oyster reef restoration expert Dr Dominic McAfee was awarded The Daniel Walker Medal for Early Career Research Excellence.

Dr McAfee’s environmental restoration research is breaking new ground on how reef restoration projects are managed here in South Australia, with potential to change environmental conservation more generally.

Dr McAfee’s career has excelled since joining the University of Adelaide with an Order of Merit in the last year’s Daniel Walker category; an Eureka Prize for Applied Environmental Research, and being named as one of our five 2021 South Australian Young Tall Poppies.

A pioneer of biocontrol strategies to suppress and eradicate fruit flies, Dr Amanda Choo was awarded The Edith Dornwell Medal for Early Career Research Excellence.

Her research focuses on developing genetic strains for the use of agricultural and biosecurity pest control. She was the first in her research field to establish the CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology in tephritid fruit flies.

Entomologist Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries was awarded in the Edith Dornwell category with an Order of Merit.

The Mid-Career Research Excellence Award was awarded to Associate Professor Tara Pukala from the School of Physical Sciences.

Associate Professor Pukala’s research is directed towards development of new approaches, primarily using mass spectrometry, to obtain insight into the structure, function and interactions of macromolecules, with a focus on enhancing understanding of multi-molecular systems involved in disease.

School of Biological Sciences’ researcher Bastien Llamas received an Order of Merit in the mid-career award category for his work investigating a range of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and host-microbiome interactions that facilitate human adaptation to diverse environmental and cultural stressors.

Associate Professor Llamas combines a range of advanced new analytical methods (e.g., long-read sequencing, genome graphs) to integrate past and present Indigenous genetic diversity from populations around the world into a new human pangenome reference.

Professor Gavin Rowell from the School of Physical Sciences was awarded the Research Leadership Award for sustained excellence in leadership and development of others, a contribution to building an enduring legacy, and a record of ground-breaking research.

Professor Rowell is the lead Australian physicist for the HESS (High Energy Stereoscopic System) and CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) facilities; and whose research interests centre on high energy astrophysics and astronomy with gamma-ray telescopes at around TeV (10^12 eV) energies and above.

Dr Hayley McGrice from the School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences received the accolade for sustained excellence and reflective practice in teaching as well as leadership in learning and teaching in the school, faculty and University. 

Not only has Dr McGrice implemented active learning strategies such as Team-Based Learning, flipping, case-based learning, inquiry-based learning; but she has provided leadership in scholarship of learning and teaching with Communities of Practice, helping to deliver demonstrator training for the faculty and as a key member of the ADEPT program (delivering education-related workshops across the University).

There were also four high commendations, reflecting the depth of applications received for this teaching award.

• Veterinary science educator Dr Rachel Norris from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences for sustained excellence in teaching and contribution to the Veterinary Biosciences degree. In particular, the panel noted Rachel’s innovation in the use of AR technology and student led discovery, her mentoring of other staff and the pastoral care of vet students.
• Nuclear and particle physicist Professor Derek Leinweber from the School of Physical Sciences for reflective practice in learning and teaching of complex physics concepts leading to the development of innovative approaches that help students to overcome cognitive dissonance and visualise difficult and complex concepts.
• Veterinary skills educator Associate Professor Michelle McArthur from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences for her substantial contribution to teaching in the veterinary biosciences by leading the development and delivery of an internationally recognised wellbeing and communication curriculum using innovative pedagogies (such as simulation-based learning).
• The Bachelor of Science (Advanced) team led by Dr Phill Cassey - for the special care and responsibility they take in designing and delivering curriculum, student experiences and pastoral care to the these students. The program has been coordinated by Dr Cassey with help from:
  • Professor Michael Beard and Dr Emma Sherratt - School of Biological Sciences
  • Professor Paul Jackson, Dr Thomas Fallon and Dr Jonathan Tyler - School of Physical Sciences

Professional staff awards

Three staff members were recognised for exceptional performance in 2021.

• Kiralee Vincent – the faculty's Senior Academic Support Officer based at Roseworthy campus.
• Dr Maïlys Stirling, the faculty’s Research Technical Services Manager.
• Lisa Laws, the Business Manager of the School of Physical Sciences and School of Biological Sciences.