Promoted to Associate Professor in 2016, and to a full Professor in 2023, Professor Oula Ghannoum leads the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture (2024-29), based at Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) with $5 million funding from the ARC and more than $7 million cash and in-kind contributions from partner organisations and industry partners. The ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture will train the next generation of professionals who will drive the expansion, profitability, and sustainability of Australia’s protected horticulture to mitigate the impacts of food insecurity and climate change. The Centre will empower the Protected Cropping industry to respond to four key challenges: narrow variety base, shortage of skilled labour, establishment and energy costs, and slow technology adoption. Centre HDRs and ECRs will develop the required capabilities to accelerate the automation and efficiency of the medium and high-tech Protected Cropping sector, enabling long-term industry growth whilst integrating socio-economic issues and reducing environmental impact.
