None
Friday, 29 January 2010

A recent reunion of 1972 agricultural science graduates from The University of Western Australia (UWA) revealed the diversity of career paths taken.

It has been 40 years since the 1969 intake started their studies at UWA.

Of the 33 students who successfully completed the degree course, 26 attended the reunion which began at UWA’s Institute of Agriculture at Crawley and was followed by a formal dinner at the University Club and a barbeque the next day.

The former students who studied for their degrees in what was then known as the Faculty of Agricultural Science, have since moved into a diverse range of fields.

Many have entered agricultural research and agribusiness, microbiology laboratories or started and maintained their own farming businesses, while others are now involved in industrial project development and management, transport and agricultural education.

One of the graduates, Bill Woods, is an entomologist with the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA), while another, Colin Meadows, is now a Minister with the Baptist Church in Riverton, WA, after spending about 19 years working in Botswana, Africa.

One of the event organisers and himself a 1972 UWA Agricultural Science graduate, Dr Bill Ryan, went on and completed a PhD at UWA in ruminant nutrition.

He has since worked in research and development, agribusiness and, recently, a five year stint  as Chief Executive Officer of the Kondinin Group.

He says the agricultural students worked closely together while studying at UWA: “We spent three hours a day, four days a week in the laboratories together, so we developed great relationships with each other and the UWA academic staff.”

Dr Ryan’s son, Matthew,  who followed in his father’s footsteps, studying agricultural science at UWA, is now working as a Beef Development officer with DAFWA in Esperance.

“I had a very enjoyable university experience, as did my son due to the frequent and quality contact between students and Faculty members at UWA,” Dr Ryan said.

UWA has a proud 75 year history of teaching and research in agriculture and natural resource management.

The Faculty of Agriculture was established at UWA in 1936 and the Institute of Agriculture in 1938 to provide critical research facilities and staff for effective training of professional agricultural graduates and scientists at post-graduate level.

UWA Institute of Agriculture Director, Winthrop Professor Kadambot Siddique, said UWA’s agricultural achievements continue to grow. At the start of 2009, there were 62 new enrolments in agricultural and natural resource management sciences at UWA.

“We enrol Australia’s brightest and best students, our graduates are highly sought after and their employment prospects in agriculture and related natural resource management remain strong, despite a recognised global economic downturn.

“The success of past students, such as the graduating class of 1972, demonstrates the vast array of opportunities presented to students within the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UWA,” he said.

Media references

Authorised by ‘Institute of Agriculture – UWA’ and issued on its behalf by
Brendon Cant & Associates, Tel (+61) 8 9384 1122

Prof Kadambot Siddique (UWA IOA Director) (+61) 8 6488 7012/ (+61) 0411 155 396

Tags

Channels
Alumni
Groups
UWA Institute of Agriculture