Welcomes and farewells
June 1, 2014
The Crawford Fund board had the pleasure of welcoming new board member Prof Kaye Basford FTSE at its May meeting in Brisbane, following the retirement of Sallyanne Atkinson. The board also farewelled Dr Eric Craswell, who retires as Director of our training program on 30 June after 6 years overseeing our training and master classes. Dr Craswell will not be lost to the Fund as he has agreed to sit on the ACT Committee to continue his active role in international agricultural research.
“Eric has fulfilled his role with distinction, increasing the number of Master Classes and has been a source of wise, knowledgeable counsel to me,” said the Fund’s Chief Executive, Dr Denis Blight. He added that he had known Eric since 1982 when they both joined ACIAR and had followed his distinguished career in international agricultural research over the last more than three decades.
Dr Colin Chartres, former Director General of the CGIAR’s International Water Management Institute, will take on the important role as Director of Training.
“Colin will add his recent experience at IWMI and before that with CSIRO and the National Water Commission to the expertise available to the Fund,” said Denis.
Board members also attended an AIAST Conference with our chair, The Hon John Kerin, opening the event and at which we had organised the launch of the new ACIAR published book on crop yields by our ACT Coordinator Dr Tony Fischer FTSE, with co-authors Drs Derek Byerlee and Greg Edmeades.
- More information on this important new book (ACIAR website)
Prof Basford also addressed the AIAST conference on the benefits to Australia through international research and development. This fits in well with the past and planned events around the country related to the Fund’s report on “Doing Well by Doing Good“.
“The Fund has also farewelled our dedicated, long term State coordinators, Em Prof Jen McComb FTSE and Dr Bruce Standen but we are particularly pleased that their knowledge and networks will not be lost to us – they have both agreed to serve as committee members in their States,” said Denis.
“New Coordinators are Dr James Ridsdill-Smith FTSE in WA and Prof Helen Scott-Orr in NSW and both are most warmly welcomed.”
We are currently updating our website with these changes and adding bios on our State Committee and Board members.
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