The JAFs are in town

This week the JAFs are in town. Short for John Allwright Fellows, JAFs are postgraduate (PhD and Masters) scholars supported by ACIAR’s John Allwright Fellowship scheme, which aims to enhance research capacity in ACIAR’s partner-country institutions.

Every year around September the new awardees gather in Canberra to meet each other and ACIAR staff, and to take part in a workshop on communicating research.



Nascimento Nhantumbo (Mozambique) and Khamtan Phonetip (Lao PDR)

This year there are five women and 17 men from 12 different countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mozambique, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The research topics are diverse. For example, Ms Risa Antari (Indonesia) is studying the effect of nutrition on bone growth in cattle at the University of Queensland. Mr Muneer Rehman (Pakistan) is investigating plant hormones to control citrus colouring at Curtin University. While Mr Khamtan Phonetip (Laos) is at the University of Melbourne to research the best way to dry plantation eucalypt wood using a solar kiln.



Ritika Chowdary (India) and Muneer Rehman (Pakistan)

 
They’ve had a jam-packed week so far. Day 1 was spent at ACIAR house, where they spent most of the day in the main conference room, meeting the research program managers and learning about ACIAR’s communications and impact assessment programs.

They also received insights and learnt of some of the challenges associated with completing a JAF from Muhammad Sohail Mazhar from Pakistan. Sohail is in his fourth and final year of his JAF-sponsored PhD on avocado bruising at the University of Queensland.

Ratih Damayanti and Dwiko Budi Permadi (Indonesia)

The next 3 days are spent offsite at a scientific writing workshop, run by Drs Margaret Cargill and Kate Cadman from the University of Adelaide. This is an intensive course where the students learn how to write scientific papers and deliver engaging presentations about their work.

Finally, on Day 5, the students will reward ACIAR staff with the presentations they have been preparing during the week.
 


JAF Week 2014 participants with ACIAR CEO Nick Austin.

But it’s not all work. There is plenty of time to play as well. Last night the students and ACIAR staff enjoyed a noisy and delicious dinner in Kingston. And after the presentations on Friday the students will be taken on a tour of Canberra. Then it’s back ‘home’ – to their Australian tertiary institutions – to get stuck into their studies.

By Georgina Hickey, ACIAR

More information:                                                                                                    

John Allwright Fellowship Scheme is part of the Australia Awards program.

Nurturing our region’s research leaders

Each year a small group of agricultural research leaders collaborating in ACIAR projects has the opportunity to take part in a six-week program in Australia to help them make the transition from being researchers to research managers.

"John Dillon Fellowships give mid-career researchers a great opportunity to build their skills in research management, agricultural policy and communication. They're exposed to Australian agriculture across a range of best-practice organisations and make valuable links with research leaders," said ACIAR's CEO Dr Nick Austin.

Keeping pigs happy and healthy

JAF student Denise Dayao

This is our second blog for 'JAF Week' this week at ACIAR, celebrating the achievements of our John Allwright Fellowship students...

Ms Denise Ann Dayao from the Philippines is a John Allwright Fellowship PhD student at the University of Queensland, conducting research on bacteria that can cause serious respiratory disease in pigs. Her work on antibiotic resistance in these bacteria is proving valuable to the Australian and Philippine pig industry in developing effective ways to prevent and control disease.

Quest for the perfect avocado

This week is 'JAF Week' at ACIAR, where many of our international PhD and Masters students supported by John Allwright Fellowships (JAF) come to Canberra to receive training in communicating research, and to network with ACIAR staff and fellow JAF students.

Muhammad Sohail Mazhar of Pakistan was awarded a fellowship to do a PhD on avocado supply chains, at the University of Queensland. His specific area of research is investigating bruising of Hass avocados.

Everybody loves a perfect avocado!

Australia Awards: Ensuring there are plenty more fish in the sea

Commemorating World Oceans Day tomorrow (8 June), we relay the story of an Australia Awards recipient and the work she has done to help alleviate pressure on global fish stocks.

Dr Lilis Sadiyah is an Australia Awards graduate working at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Republic Indonesia (MMAF-RI). She completed her PhD in 2011 at The University of Tasmania through the John Allwright Fellowship (JAF) program, which is administered by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) as part of the Australia Awards.

Australia Awards graduate Dr Lilis Sadiyah undertaking project work

A scholarship would be Allwright

Applications are now open for ACIAR's John Allwright Fellowships, part of the Australia Awards program.

The Australian Government's Australia Awards program offers the next generation of global leaders from Australia and overseas high-quality education and professional development experiences that enable them to contribute to the development of their countries.

Norah Omot, former John Allwright Fellow, now a Director of Enabling Environments for NARI (PNG). Nora is pictured with team members workshopping ideas on marketing, social economics, impact assessments, and work monitoring.
(photograph by Paul Jones)