Released 26/01/2018
One of Australia's most eminent scientists, Dr Graham Farquhar was named as the 2018 Senior Australian of the Year.
From his long-term base at the Australian National University in Canberra, Dr Graham Farquhar is tackling some of the most profound challenges facing humanity and the environment by helping to solve the world’s food challenges.
This is a wonderful achievement for Dr Farquhar and I congratulate him on this accolade. His achievement adds to Canberra’s credentials as the education capital of Australia, with some of the smartest minds in the country calling our city home.
After growing up with a Tasmanian farming background, Dr Farquhar has used his love of science to deliver practical benefits to the agricultural sector. His study of mathematics and physics formed the bedrock of a career creating mathematical models of how plants work.
Dr Farquhar has received a string of accolades during his distinguished career for his research examining how water efficient crops can protect food security in a changing climate. Importantly, he has worked to improve world food security by developing strains of wheat that can grow with less water.
In 2017, Dr Farquhar became the first Australian to win a Kyoto Prize – the most prestigious international award for fields not traditionally honoured with a Nobel Prize.
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Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases