AT THE 2009 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, presented the $30,000 Minister for Agriculture Award to Dr Leah Bradbury, University of Melbourne.
She also won $20,000 for her research into the use of anti-inflammatory drug carprofen for long-term pain relief in sheep.
Dr Bradbury is a vet at the University of Melbourne and will use the award to expand her research to determine optimal timing and dosing levels for pain management in juvenile sheep.
“This research will provide key information to support licensing of the drug for use as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic in sheep,” Dr Bradbury said.
Grants of up to $20,000 were given to another 13 young Australians aged between 18 and 35 years who work or study in the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, food or natural resource industries.
The projects cover research such as investigating new breeds of perennial grasses to withstand climate change impacts, developing a mechanical pollination system to improve onion crop yields, and improving the fertility of dairy cows.
Mr Burke said young people considering careers in our primary industries now have more role models to follow after key awards were announced for young people in science and innovation.
* More information: www.daff.gov.au/scienceawards
