Speakers

David Cox

Principal Research Scientist/CSIRO Health and Biosecurity

Dr David Cox is a Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Adelaide. Since obtaining a PhD at the University of London, he focused upon psycho-social and sensory predictors of food choice and acceptance at the Institute of Food Research, UK.

Since joining CSIRO in 1998, work has included consumers’ acceptance of novel food technologies, cross-cultural differences, functional foods and a particular interest in increasing vegetable consumption through a long relationship with the horticulture industry, including studies of the acceptance of brassicas, children’s acceptance, school curriculum work and the development of a strategic approach to increasing children’s vegetable intakes.

Sandro Demaio

Co-host/Ask the Doctor, ABC

Sandro trained and worked as a medical doctor at The Alfred Hospital in Australia. While practising as a doctor he completed a Master in Public Health including fieldwork in Cambodia.

In 2010, he relocated to Denmark where he completed a PhD with the University of Copenhagen, focusing on non-communicable diseases. His doctoral research was based in Mongolia, working with the Ministry of Health. He designed, led and reported a national epidemiological survey, sampling more than 3500 households.

Sandro held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard Medical School from 2013 to 2015, and was assistant professor and course director in global health at the Copenhagen School of Global Health, in Denmark. He also established and led the PLOS blog Global Health.

From November 2015 until April 2018, Sandro was Medical Officer for non-communicable conditions and nutrition with the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the global headquarters of the World Health Organization.

In April 2018, Sandro became Chief Executive Office of EAT: the science-based, global platform for food systems transformation.

In his pro bono work, Dr Demaio co-founded NCDFREE, a global social movement against non-communicable diseases using social media, short film and leadership events – reaching more than 2.5 million people in its first 18 months. In 2015, he founded festival21, assembling and leading a team of knowledge leaders in staging a massive and unprecedented, free celebration of community, food, culture and future in his hometown Melbourne.

Then in 2018 and funded through his media work with ABC TV and Pan MacMillan publishers, Sandro established an independent, not-for-profit foundation focused on improving the health and nutrition of Australians.

Dr Demaio currently co-hosts the ABC television show Ask the Doctor – an innovative and exploratory factual medical series broadcasting weekly across Australia.

To date, he has published 30 scientific papers and more than 90 articles. He is also the author of the Doctor’s Diet, a cookbook based on science and inspired by a love of good food.

Sandro is fascinated by systems-innovation and leadership; impact in a post-democracy; and externality-driven disease.

Samantha Gash

Endurance Athlete, Inspirational Speaker, Author, Social Impact Entrepreneur, Ambassador/World Vision & Royal Flying Doctors Service

Like many young people her age, Samantha Gash had a desire to challenge herself and to make a difference in the world. Ambitious, determined, naïve and stubborn Samantha couldn’t have imagined that her journey would take her to the four corners of the earth and impact so many lives. The ‘4 Deserts Grand Slam’ requires competitors’ to run four, 250km ultra marathons across the driest (Chile), windiest (China), hottest (Sahara) and coldest deserts (Antarctica) on earth. When all four races are completed in one calendar year, it is regarded as one of the toughest endurance events on the planet. Samantha made history by becoming the first woman and the youngest person at the time to complete the Grand Slam. Her journey was captured for the big screen in the award-winning film Desert Runners.

Samantha’s view on what she was capable of changed forever from this point. With an increasing desire to push the physical envelope even further, the following year Samantha found herself entered into a 222km non-stop run across the Himalayas, in an event that had only been completed by one man.

As an Ambassador for World Vision, Samantha completed a 76 day/3253km run from the West to the East of India. She raised over $150K to fund six education focused programs and visited 18 communities that World Vision support across the country. These stories were shared through a digital platform with organisations and individuals taking part in a global peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.

Samantha is also an ambassador for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and will be releasing her memoirs with Macmillan Publishers & Run India documentary in 2019. Samantha’s experience has made her an inspiring and energetic communicator with a unique ability to inspire people to push through their limitations.

Tim Gentle

Think Digital

Immersive Technologies like Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are no longer gimmicky and fictional, rather these innovative technologies provide the latest way we can communicate with our team, customers and stakeholders. Improve efficiencies, increase productivity, tell your story, train your staff and create a point of difference for your marketing are all types of outcomes made possible through VR & AR. Think Digital’s FarmVR and FarmAR platforms focuses on Immersive technologies for agriculture, designed to educate people where their food comes from and encourage them to consider a career in agriculture. We also create immersive experiences for an array of clients to help them to grow their business. My presentation is designed to showcase these technologies, teach you a few DIY tricks and help guide you to consider integrating these exciting technologies into your business.

Chow-Ming Lee

Consumer Sensory Lead/Bayer

Chow-Ming is the Consumer Sensory Lead for Bayer Crop Science, responsible for sensory and consumer testing of fruit and vegetables in both US and European markets. His research covers basic and applied research aspects of descriptive sensory analysis and consumer acceptance, usage & attitudes, buying behavior. His primary focus is to bridge instrumental measurements, sensory properties and consumer liking. His work helps to shape fruit and vegetable breeding for better flavor and consumer preference.

Adam Liaw

Food columnist - Fairfax and The Guardian, Host - Destination Flavour, SBS

Adam Liaw is a unique voice in Australian food. He is a food columnist for Fairfax and The Guardian, and the author of five hugely popular cookbooks on Asian cuisines.

On television, Adam hosts the prime-time SBS food and travel program, Destination Flavour, soon to be in it’s fifth season was recently awarded the ACTAA for the Best Lifestyle Program for 2016 for Destination Flavour Scandinavia.

Adam was the winner of MasterChef Australia’s blockbuster second series in 2010.

Astrid Poelman

CSIRO Agriculture and Food

Dr Astrid Poelman is Team Leader Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Science at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Sydney. She holds a MSc and PhD from Wageningen University (the Netherlands) and has worked for the applied research institute Food and Biobased Research (part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre), where part of her research focused on investigating consumer preference segmentation for horticultural produce and translating preferences to sensory properties for NPD and breeding programs.
She joined CSIRO in 2006 and the strategic focus of her research broadened to understanding and changing sensory preferences for healthy foods, with a large focus on increasing children’s acceptance and intake of vegetables. Her current research includes the development and evaluation of a school curriculum resource to increase children’s vegetable enjoyment.

Chris Russell

Judge/The New Inventors, ABC

Known to many as a Judge on the popular weekly ABC television series “The New Inventors”. Chris has worked in advisory and agricultural research and developmental roles in over 20 countries and has served as National President of the Australian Institute of Agriculture and is currently the Chair of the Federal Ethics Committee and the Disciplinary Tribunal of that body. Chris is also currently a member of the AgriMinds Think Tank.

In 1997 Chris was awarded a Fellowship in the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology and in 2017 he was made a “Champion of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW” at the Sydney Royal Easter Show as well as being recognised as Sydney University’s Faculty of Agriculture 2017 Alumni of the Year in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

In this years’ Australia Day Honours – he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to agricultural science and technology through advisory and research roles and as a mentor and innovator.

Lauren Scott

Chief Marketing Officer/Produce Marketing Association

Lauren M. Scott is Chief Marketing Officer of the Produce Marketing Association, a trade organization representing companies from every segment of the global fresh produce and floral supply chain. Lauren has over 20 years of experience in the consumer products industry. Prior to joining the PMA, Lauren worked at PepsiCo and Diageo in a variety of marketing roles with increasing responsibility including brand management, foodservice, activation, field marketing, national promotions, cultural branding, global innovation and strategy. Lauren began her career as a four-year Inroads intern and full-time hire in sales at Colgate-Palmolive. A believer in continuous education and development, Lauren earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Rutgers University, a Master of Business Administration(MBA) from University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University, where she continues as a graduate project advisor. She also actively coaches and mentors. Lauren has served on recruitment teams and held leadership roles in a variety of employee resource groups. A self-described foodie, Lauren’s civic passions include combating food insecurities and perpetuating arts and culture. Lauren enjoys her thespian hobbies of tap dance, music and choral singing. Most of all, she loves great meals and good laughs with her friends and family including her husband and son, affectionately known as The Allens.

Andrew Steele

Account Director/GS1 Australia

Andrew is a leading industry expert and well-respected supply chain professional with over 25 years’ experience in fast moving consumers good and the food retail sector.

Andrew currently leads the Supply Chain Integrity team at GS1 Australia who are responsible for developing insightful initiatives to ensure the highest level of efficiency, safety, traceability and best practice in the Australian Food and Beverage and retail sector. Andrew is an active member of a number of industry working groups in the retail grocery, liquor, meat and fresh produce sectors.