National Science Week – The Story of Seeds

Decisions we make about what to grow and how to grow it shape the future of food, local and global economies and even our social fabric. Take seeds. For Indigenous Peoples, traditional seeds and plants are inseparable from Country. Science, on the other hand, takes a more pragmatic view, using innovations like genomics to breed hardier, higher-yield, pest-resistant plants that thrive even in environments ravaged by climate change.

And then there’s who to feed - the many or the few, the prosperous or the hungry? And what about heritage - balancing small-scale farming with the industrial production increasingly vital to feeding the world. Does it matter? Well, it does to the seeds - or rather to their fate and diversity.

Join moderator Dr Peter Crisp from UQ's School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability as he moderates a fascinating panel discussion on the future of food, told through the story of seeds. Then make up your own mind if it matters.

Moderator: Dr Peter Crisp
Dr Peter Crisp is an expert in crop genomics, epigenomics and molecular genetics. He is a Group Leader and Senior Lecturer in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability at The University of Queensland. Peter’s research program is focused on crop functional genomics, epigenetics and biotechnology, and has significantly advanced our understanding of the contribution of epigenetics to heritable phenotypic variation in plants. Peter is a former recipient of an ARC DECRA Fellowship and a UQ Amplify Fellowship and an ASPS Goldacre awardee.

Professor Jaquie Mitchell
Professor Jaquie Mitchell has spent many years exploring how science can help build more productive, sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in various South-East Asian countries. Her research explores how crops respond to challenges such as heat, cold, drought, and soil salinity. Working closely with Australia’s rice industry, she leads projects aimed at developing rice varieties that use water more efficiently, withstand harsh growing conditions, and remain productive in a changing climate. Based at The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, Professor Mitchell also mentors undergraduate and postgraduate students, helping to train the next generation of agricultural scientists and researchers.

Professor Brad Sherman
Professor Brad Sherman is a UQ Laureate Fellow at The University of Queensland. Professor Sherman's previous academic positions include posts at Griffith University, the London School of Economics, and the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the intersection of intellectual property and science and technology studies, as well as the impact of intellectual property on food and agriculture. He is currently working on the role intellectual property played in the formation of the Californian citrus industry in the early twentieth century.

Date: 31 August 2026
Time: 6:00-8:30pm
Venue: Long Room, Customs House, 399 Queen Street, Brisbane