Food and agribusiness at UniSC | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Food and agribusiness at UniSC

Our capabilities

Sustainable agriculture and climate impact

Researching eco-friendly farming to address climate change impacts on food production

  • Carbon accounting
  • Soil carbon
  • Environmental economics
  • Water quality
  • Eco-friendly bio-insecticides
  • Genetic selection/engineering
  • Climate change impact studies
Ono Island Gardens

Food processing and quality enhancement

Ensuring food safety, quality, and advanced processing

  • Analytical chemistry
  • Advanced analytical instruments (GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, HPLC-DAD)
  • Microbiological testing
  • Sensory testing
  • Food technology
  • Water quality testing
  • AI and machine learning in food processing
  • Food service, food labelling, food regulation

Supply chain management and manufacturing

Optimising food supply chain for efficient distribution and scaling

  • Supply chain support
  • Distribution processes
  • Operations management
  • Scaling production
  • Transitioning from micro to SME
  • Innovation pipeline
  • Corporate reputation

Market development and business innovation

Improving food businesses

  • Firm innovation and market development
  • Business and marketing expertise
  • Agri-business ecosystems
  • Scaling into new markets
  • Food tourism
  • Designing and marketing food experiences
  • Innovation pipeline
  • Corporate reputation
  • Determinants of food choice
  • Public health nutrition: diets and reduction in chronic disease/cancer risk
  • Sports nutrition

Waste management and environmental health

Reducing food production waste and environmental impacts

  • Brewing waste process
  • Effluent/biogas process
  • Waste management systems
  • Environmental health impacts
  • Impacts of food environment on biophysical environments and human health
  • Biodegradable insecticides
OSCA (On-Site Composting Apparatus)

Indigenous food and agribusiness ecosystems

Specialising in native foods, supporting communities, and mapping ecosystems

  • Expertise in native foods
  • Cultural product/indigenous-specific knowledge
  • Engagement with indigenous and smallholder farmers
  • Agritourism
  • Profiling and mapping regional entrepreneurial ecosystems
  • Maternal and early-life nutrition
  • Food and nutrition literacy

Collaborate with us

Our key contacts

Associate Professor Joanne Macdonald

Lead, Science | Associate Professor, Molecular Engineering | Deputy Director, Centre for Bioinnovation

jmacdon1@usc.edu.au

Centre for Bioinnovation
Molecular Engineering
School of Science, Technology and Engineering
jmacdon1@usc.edu.au

Professor Fiona Pelly

Discipline Lead, Nutrition and Dietetics | Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics | School of Health

fpelly@usc.edu.au

Nutrition and Dietetics
School of Health
fpelly@usc.edu.au

Jane-Louise Lampard

Lecturer, Health and Environment | Coordinator, BHSc Applied Environmental Health | School of Health

jlampard@usc.edu.au

Health and Environment
School of Health
jlampard@usc.edu.au

Saskia Green
Associate Professor Saskia De Klerk

Associate Professor, International Business | Discipline Lead, Marketing, International Business and Tourism | School of Business and Creative Industries

sdeklerk@usc.edu.au

International Business
School of Business and Creative Industries
sdeklerk@usc.edu.au

Dr Retha de Villiers Scheepers
Associate Professor Retha de Villiers Scheepers

Associate Dean, Research | Associate Professor, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management | School of Business and Creative Industries

mscheepe@usc.edu.au

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
School of Business and Creative Industries
mscheepe@usc.edu.au 

Taksil Dias
Taksil Dias

General Manager | Industry Engagement

tdias@usc.edu.au

General Manager
Industry Engagement
tdias@usc.edu.au