LAUNCESTON'S Madeleine Francis is off to New Zealand.
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The final-year University of Tasmania agricultural science student will spend a week at Dow AgroSciences' Waireka Global Discovery research station characterising the next generation of plant-protection products for farmers around the world.
Ms Francis will assist in project planning, observations, data collection and reporting. She said the trip would broaden her professional network and provide invaluable applied research experience.
"I am so excited that I've been chosen for this award because, after researching perennial ryegrass in the dairy industry this year, I have heard a lot about agricultural research in New Zealand," she said.
"I see working in agriculture as a real opportunity to do something practical and hands-on, and apply my science knowledge and passion."
Under the Dairy Australia-funded More Milk from Forages program, Ms Francis completed an honours project investigating the role of endophytes in perennial ryegrass with Dr Keith Pembleton, who is the project supervisor from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.
"Madeleine has been an extremely bright and dedicated student," Dr Pembleton said.
"She completed a very challenging honours project that has some good implications for industry.
"A week at Waireka will give Madeleine valuable work experience in a commercial research setting with direct industry application, which could be very different from university research.
"As a new graduate, you come into an industry with very little professional network."
The Travelling Scholarship Program began as part of a long-term strategy developed through a partnership between Dow AgroSciences and the Primary Industry Centre for Science Education to attract a future generation of young people to careers in agriculture.
Ms Francis is the fourth student to receive the travelling scholarship.