The University of Queensland's Agriculture Department - one of the world's leading centres of expertise in tropical and sub-tropical agriculture - is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
To mark the event, the Department will hold its first celebration, a book launch on Friday May 16 at 3pm, at the Lower Veterinary Lecture Theatre, Seddon Building, St Lucia campus.
This will be followed by a garden party for current and former staff at 3.30pm at the fountain area, Hartley Teakle building.
Department head Associate Professor Barry Norton commissioned former department head Professor Graeme Wilson to write a history of the Agriculture Department, to be launched on Friday.
Professor Wilson's 100-page book covers developments from 1947 to 1997. It took more than a year to research and write, and has been published by the Department.
Copies, at $20 each, will be available directly from the Department, or during Expo-Uni, the University's exposition of teaching and research activities, on May 17 and 18 from noon to 5pm at the St Lucia campus.
Dr Norton said a Faculty of Agriculture was established at the University in 1927, but for 20 years funding was not available to establish a Department of Agriculture nor a full-time professor, following a refusal by the then Government to provide funding.
In 1947 plant nutrition and soil expert Professor Hartley Teakle (later Deputy-Vice-Chancellor of the University) was appointed to a chair in agriculture and the Department was born. His appointment was made possible by benefactions and contributions, including the #20,000 William Robertson Bequest.
The Department was originally housed at George Street, Brisbane. It later moved to join the Botany group at St Lucia, and found a permanent home in the purpose-built Hartley Teakle building at St Lucia in 1966.
Dr Norton said Professor Ed Britten revitalised the Department in the mid 1960s, enlisting the brightest young agricultural scientists of the day and providing them with resources such as laboratories, glasshouses and farms.
The Department acquired a farm at Redland Bay in 1959 for cropping research, and the one at Mt Cotton in 1966 for animal and pasture research. These farms continue to be the focus for tropical crop and pasture research.
'Professor Ross Humphreys directed the Department's attention to developing agriculture in Asia and the Pacific, and subsequently it has established an enviable reputation for its activities in international agricultural research,' he said.
'It is one of the few Universities in developed countries in the world in a location suitable for tropical and sub-tropical agricultural teaching and research.'
Its high international research profile was recognised by the Institute of Scientific Information (USA) which last year ranked 26 Australian universities for excellence over 21 disciplines.
The Department's international research includes six projects funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), involving collaboration with scientists in Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
In teaching activities, in 1996 the Department had 229 undergraduate students and 216 postgraduates. About 159 postgraduates were enrolled in higher degrees, the second highest number of research higher degree students enrolled in one University department.
Dr Norton said golden jubilee celebrations this year would also include an Agricultural Alumni Association dinner on September 27. A jubilee development fund has been established to provide undergraduate scholarships for students undertaking agricultural science.
For further information, contact Dr Norton, telephone 07 3365 1102 or email: a.zarnick@mailbox.uq.edu.au
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