John Smith Email & Phone Number

I am a General Manager and Agribusiness professional currently finalising a Doctor of Philosophy to complement a Master of Philosophy (Agricultural Science) and more than 30 years experience in local, regional and international Research, Development & Extension (RD&E) program development, management and evaluation.Combining my expertise in strategic and operational leadership with excellent communication and interpersonal skills has enabled me to build strong trusted relationships with clients and key stakeholders, manage and mentor high-performing teams, and positively influence the engagement of senior level decision-makers.My success providing meaningful industry insight and input into RD&E investment planning and delivery stems from interacting with growers, and applying human-centered design to better understand their needs and impacts on their business. This has led to developing and implementing innovative best practice strategies that continue to make positive impact for local businesses and regional industries.I created highly responsive communication pathways to more effectively and efficiently link growers and researchers, developed and implemented grower-led research programs/trials to increase flexibility of irrigated production systems, and investigated options to maximise water productivity in water-limited environments. I also have a proven track record in authoring and delivering scientific peer reviewed journals papers, extension materials for growers and managing field experiment programs to characterise and investigate new technology, innovation and management strategies.My curious approach to work has led to significant outcomes throughout my career including: establishing industry nitrogen benchmarks in southern NSW; improved understanding of crop performance under varying soil moisture conditions; the role of crop types within farming systems; the influence of fertiliser management on crop performance; and the influence of management on efficiency of nitrogen use.Ultimately what drives me is my genuine interest in ensuring the sustainability of production systems through the application of effective R&D while my curious and open-minded approach has allowed me to not only identify and embrace new opportunities, but work successfully with individuals and team to turn results into on-farm impact.