Dr Kathy Ophel Keller was one of the 74 people awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) for this year’s King’s Birthday Honours, acknowledging her work in public sector agricultural research.
Ophel Keller retired from her role as executive director at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) in October last year after an over 25-year career.
She was awarded the PSM “for outstanding public service to the agricultural industry through research and innovative leadership”.
Ophel Keller told The Mandarin she felt “honoured and excited” about being awarded the medal.
“It’s a really nice acknowledgement of the role of public sector research in promoting primary industries and agriculture for this country,” Ophel Keller said.
With a background in soil microbiology, her most significant science achievement was the development of rapid DNA-based testing for soil-borne pathogens.
Ophel Keller emphasised the development was a team effort, with the over twenty-year-old world-leading technology still being used today.
In her role at SARDI, she’s led research programs focusing on areas like climate adaptation of crops in both horticulture and the grains industry, as well as – of course, being in South Australia – wine.
The retired executive director said she had spent much of her career looking to partner public-sector and private-sector research, saying it’s where agricultural research can make a real impact.
“I believe that the public sector offers a really good ability to focus more broadly on issues that are longer term for the industry and more sustainability issues,” Ophel Keller said.
“For example, [issues like] having healthy soil, looking at climate adaptation, water quality, for the good of the whole industry and not for just straight commercial profit.”
The South Australian public servant said although the term “partnership” gets overused, it is nonetheless important to achieve those broader outcomes.
The technology being applied to the agricultural sector is “unbelievable”, Ophel Keller added.
“People often really have their eyes opened when they get into an applied research setting and see machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, DNA technology, advanced diagnostic technologies,” she said.
“Those things are all being used and can find a place in agriculture today.
“I think that’s something else I’m really passionate about, getting people to see what an exciting career it is.”
Ophel Keller established an internship to encourage agricultural science graduates to develop their careers in applied research.
“I’ve spent probably the last 10 years of my career really trying to think about ways to encourage young people into agricultural research because it’s not always seen as a viable career for people,” she said.
The take-up of the program has been met with success, Ophel Keller adds, with participants working in applied research in organisations like SARDI and regional grower organisations.
“We’re really right at the interface of more fundamental research with industry [and] what the industry wants,” Ophel Keller said.
“As part of that, we also did a traditional work experience program for students who are earlier in their degrees.
“That system has grown, and now there’s a regional internship program that’s funded in South Australia that’s grown out of that original internship program.”
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