Australia's first female Rhodes Scholar Beth Woods has returned to her alma mater, the University of Queensland, as the Queensland Industry Development Corporation (QIDC) foundation professor of agribusiness.
QIDC has committed $600,000 over five years to further agribusiness in Queensland and develop greater export links with Asia.
Professor Woods' appointment makes her the first female professor based at Gatton College.
Gatton College director Professor Craig Pearson said Professor Woods was well-equipped to provide international leadership in agribusiness and rural management.
A University Medallist, she graduated bachelor of agricultural science from the University and became Queensland Rhodes scholar in 1977 - the first woman chosen in the first year the prestigious scholarship was open to women. She graduated D.Phil in agricultural economics from Oxford University in 1980.
Professor Woods has more than 20 years' expertise in farming systems, agricultural extension and agribusiness.
She recently left the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) as acting general manager (horticulture), managing an annual budget of $19 million and 250 staff.
'My aim is to establish a stronger interface between industry and the University and create new ways for the University to contribute to the future of agribusiness in northern Australia and Asia,' she said.
'This QIDC funding helps build on existing Gatton College strengths in research and education of future agribusiness executives.'
Professor Woods said the University and QIDC had a strong interest in progressing innovation across all areas of primary production.
'Through this initiative, we can expand opportunities with Asia by improving the management of business interests and identifying consumer needs,' she said.
'We aim to assist Queensland to be more active in producing and exporting processed agribusiness products.'
QIDC senior agribusiness manager Gavin Emery said the partnership with the University would assist Queensland businesses in developing a strong presence in Asia.
'The future of agribusiness in north eastern Australia depends on developing our exports of value-added products into Asia,' he said.
Mr Emery noted that QIDC, as part of the new Suncorp Metway Group remains the only major specialist financier to the agribusiness sector of northern and eastern Australia with a head office in Queensland.
'This substantial initiative, perhaps the first of its kinds in Australia, is targeted to further cement the close relationship the bank has with this market,' he said.
Professor Woods said short courses, postgraduate training and a professional masters program would be developed and delivered in flexible delivery mode to cater for professionals who often worked in remote locations.
She also aimed to increase agribusiness research and establish a self-funded collaborative agribusiness research centre with agribusisness firms and agencies.
'Agribusiness demands an emphasis on applied research, however basic research is the platform for providing in-depth analysis for industry,' she said.
Professor Woods said she would establish links with the University's marketing programs and draw on the strengths of the jointly-run University-QDPI Rural Extension Centre, which she ran as founding director from June 1993 to June 1996.
Her interest in agribusiness grew from her family's involvement in the industry. Her father worked in Brisbane for the Reserve Bank, providing rural finance, and her family had a property growing sorghum, wheat and maize in Kingaroy.
Professor Woods was raised in Brisbane and completed high school at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School.
For more information, contact Professor Woods (telephone 07 5460 1028).
