'Amazed, proud and incredibly honoured'; these are the words UNE Professor in Animal Breeding and Genetics Julius Van Der Werf uses to describe receiving the highly prestigious 2021 Helen Newton Turner Medal at the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAAGB) Conference recently.
Named after Dr Helen Newton Turner, whose career with CSIRO was dedicated to research into the genetic improvement of sheep for wool production, the award recognises the significant achievement and contributions to advances in animal genetics in Australia.
“When I learned about being the awardee for the Helen Newton Turner Medal I was incredibly honoured of course,” says Professor Van der Werf.
“When looking into the history of Helen Newton Turner and the achievements of previous winners, I was increasingly amazed, proud and at the same time quite humbled.”
Interim Head of the School of Environmental and Rural Science, Professor Van der Werf has established himself as a renowned figure in the animal genetics world for his work leading the Sheep CRC genetic program that introduced DNA testing in the Australian sheep industry. He's also well-known for his dedication to teaching, having supervised more than 60 PhD students during his academic career.
There are valuable lessons to be learned from the history of animal breeding in Australia about how innovations can be implemented in genetic improvement programs, and I want to continue to share these with the younger generations.
"There is a lot that can be done in animal genetic improvement to contribute to the global challenge of sustainable animal production," he says.
"We need a whole system approach for the clear setting of sustainable goals, so that the incredible genetic and recording tools that are being developed can be utilised most efficiently.
"I also think there are valuable lessons to be learned from the history of animal breeding in Australia about how innovations can be implemented in genetic improvement programs, and I want to continue to share these with the younger generations."
Meanwhile, UNE Associate Professor in Animal Genetics Sam Clark was awarded the inaugural Helen Newton Turner Bright Futures Award, which recognises the achievements of an up and coming individual who has established a reputation for excellence in the field of animal genetics.
While at UNE, Associate Professor Clark has fast become a notable name in the field for his work into genetic evaluation and genomic selection in sheep, beef cattle, and dairy cattle.
He says it’s a pivotal time to be working in this industry.
“The future for Animal Breeding and Genetics is especially bright,” says Associate Professor Clark.
“We have the opportunity to use cutting edge genomic technologies along with cool new ways to record animal performance to help solve some of the biggest challenges facing not only livestock industries but society as a whole, which is incredibly exciting.”
As part of the international conference, Professor Van der Werf was also named a 2021 AAAGB fellow for his lifelong service to animal breeding in Australia, while PhD student Dominic Waters was awarded ‘Best Student Presentation’ for his research into how plants and animals react to environmental variation.
