Burnett Mary Regional Group, Gidarjil Development Corporation & Uniquely Australian foods commit to working together!
Burnett Mary Regional Group, Gidarjil Development Corporation & Uniquely Australian foods commit to working together!
Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa (UAF) and CEO Sheila Charlesworth (BMRG) committing to working together
The ARC Industrial transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods (UAF)’s Centre Director Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa and UAF’s Indigenous Advisory Chairperson Hon Professor Henrietta Marrie AM were joined by their colleagues Sophie Ader, Dr Anh Phan, Dr Sandra Olarte-Mantilla, Gengning Chen and Dr Maral Seididamyeh, as well as Dr Femi Akinsanmi (Centre for Horticultural Science). These UQ representatives greeted Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) and Gidarjil Development Corporation (GDC) in a wonderful meeting of hearts and minds at the Elkhorn Labs on Thursday 28th April.
BMRG’s Chief Executive Officer, Sheila Charlesworth was joined by Nicole Patterson and Cameron Costello; Angela Huston represented GDC; and with UAF, the three groups discussed many opportunities and aligned aspirations to work together on well into the future.
A delicious morning tea showcasing some of the UAF’s Indigenous research partners products was offered (and gladly accepted with licked fingers!), with freshly baked wattle seed buns, Tasmanian pepper berry butter and a range of teas and jams showcased.
The group was later joined by additional UQ representatives: Professor Brad Sherman (UQ Law), Dr Allison Fish (Centre for Policy Futures), Carol Ballard (UAF Centre Manager) and Oliver Frith (Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation).
Cameron Costello, Sheila Charlesworth, Angela Huston and Nicole Patterson, being shown how to enjoy the delicious products (developed with research partners) by Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
Guests from BMRG and GDC were given a tour of the laboratories, and shown the latest equipment, and given explanations of some of the research work currently being undertaken, and potential research and development uses of the equipment.
Angela Huston from GDC, and Sheila Charlesworth (CEO) and Nicole Patterson from BMRG donning lab coats for a tour of UAF’s science laboratories
The groups have already committed to further meetings to advance planning for collaborative works, including an important gathering of minds on 29th July at the Mon Repos Centre in Bundaberg, at which First Nations aspirations for long term legacy items following the 2032 Olympic games will be discussed.