Prof Andy Lowe Travels from Adelaide, SA

Topics

Agriculture
Creativity / Innovation
Food / Wine
Leadership
Science
Social Responsibility
Society / Social Trends
Sustainability

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Prof Andy Lowe is a British-Australian scientist and expert on plants and trees, particularly the monitoring, management and utilisation of genetic, biological and ecosystem resources.

He has discovered lost forests, championed to eliminate illegally logged timber in global supply chains, served the UN Office of Drugs and Crime and has been responsible for securing multi-million dollar research funding. He is an experienced and respected executive leader, board member and mid-career mentor. Andy is the inaugural Director of Food Innovation at the University of Adelaide serving as the external face for all significant food industry and government sectors across South Australia, and the world.

Prof Lowe moved to Australia from the UK to take up a lecturing position at the University of Queensland. Prof Lowe was appointed Head of Science at the Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources South Australia, and continued to influence positive change in the state at the South Australian Museum, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity.

Prof Lowe is Director of Food Innovation at the University of Adelaide, and research Director of the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. He has been Professor of Plant Conservation Biology since 2006. Instigated as the full professor only nine years after gaining PhD, Andy has published over 200 papers and book chapters. His published works have over 11,000 citations. Lead author of Ecological Genetics; Design, Analysis and Application, this book received outstanding reviews, and is a core text for the field.

His research interests lie in the restoration and value of native species, the use of DNA tracking to uncover illegal logging, food waste and food fraud. Andy is creating change by coming up with solutions to these problems that can serve as a blueprint for use globally, including fitting technical solutions for broader application and development.

Andy leads the research team of The Orana Foundation, founded by award-winning Chef Jock Zonfrillo. He and his team are developing an indigenous food database to help share knowledge on Australian native foods, and to commercialise and bring native food into common use.

Andy is also Chief Scientific Officer of Double Helix Tracking Technologies, and Associate Director of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network.