2014 Young Scholars: Heather Feetham
Student, University of Adelaide
Sponsored by the SA Committee
Heather is second year Bachelor of Agricultural Science student at The University of Adelaide. During her studies, she has developed an interest in international agricultural development, particularly the humanitarian aspects of food security. She has subsequently sought out opportunities to gain experience in this area. She was a member of the 2014 Ghana Study Tour, which was hosted by International Agriculture for Development. She is assisting with a project being conducted by International Agriculture for Development, titled ‘Australian Farmer Attitude to On-farm Risk Management and Insurance’. Heather is attending the Crawford Fund Conference to further her knowledge to apply to her studies and career.
Conference report
Based on the experiences the conference provided, I have developed both short and long term goals I aim to achieve after I graduate, which will develop my skill base and assist me in gaining international agricultural experience.”
As an undergraduate student from the University of Adelaide, the opportunity to travel to Canberra and attend the 2014 Crawford Fund conference, was initially, quite a daunting one. However, my time spent in Canberra was invaluable in expanding my knowledge and invigorating my passion for international agricultural development.
All of the events that myself and the other young scholars attended, whether they were dinners, the conference itself or the Young Scholars programme, provided excellent opportunities to network and learn about people’s individual careers and the industry as a whole. Due to this, it is difficult to pinpoint one specific part of the trip which was a highlight; there are too many! However, there were certain aspects and features of the conference which I believe were particularly beneficial.
- The wealth of knowledge brought to the conference by all of the experienced speakers, especially the key note speakers such as Professor Catherine Bertini, was quite awe inspiring. Professor Bertini’s ability in particular, to impart her knowledge and enthusiasm was motivational, and she demonstrated how a university degree and passion can lead you down many career paths and provide so many opportunities.
- The networking occasions, such as the opening night dinner and the Young Scholars day, were well organised and provided a fantastic environment to meet experienced people in the agricultural industry, and become better acquainted with the other, like-minded young scholars from all over Australia. The second networking night hosted by RAID, provided everybody with an excellent chance to discuss the conference with the other scholars, and again, become better acquainted whilst developing networks.
- One particular highlight about the conference overall, which I believe is important from my student’s perspective, is that it had the ability to put university study back into context. I have found that it is easy to lose sight of your career goals, both short and long term when you become consumed by study. However, meeting young people working in the industry, such as RAID members, or other young scholars themselves, and having the chance to discuss people’s post undergraduate study career paths, helped in solidifying my career goals for the future. The conference exposed me to the wide range of possible career paths in the field of agriculture, and specifically, in international research and development, where my passions lie.
- The conference day itself was a stimulating function, where I found the speakers and their topics to be thought provoking. The conference covered a broad range of current agricultural issues which meant that not only did I hear about topics I was familiar with, but I was exposed to presentations on topics I was not aware of beforehand. The diversity of the speaker’s backgrounds contributed to different individual opinions and experiences, which when collaborated, provided thought provoking debate, particularly in the question and answer sessions.
Based on these highlights, it is evident that I feel this conference benefited me in many diverse ways. Primarily, it took me out of my comfort zone which developed my confidence, provided thought provoking discussions on relevant agricultural topics, and also provided fantastic professional networking opportunities. Based on the experiences the conference provided, I have developed both short and long term goals I aim to achieve after I graduate, which will develop my skill base and assist me in gaining international agricultural experience. I would recommend this opportunity highly to anybody who has a passion for agriculture and research.