Translation of Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production Research into Industry Outcomes
Abstract
The ARC Training Centre - Innovative Wine Production (TC-IWP) 1 and 2 were established at University of Adelaide with support from industry partners and Wine Australia. Project UA 1708, an extension of UA 1304 that supported TC-IWP 1, aimed to achieve synergistic collaborations between participants and projects, and to expedite translation of TC-IWP research into industry outcomes. It helped make better use across projects of scientific and industrial expertise and the contributions and facilities of University of Adelaide , Charles Sturt University, scientific organisations and industry partners. Outcomes of our suite of industry-relevant projects were widely shared with the broader industry stakeholder population, particularly via Centre seminars, technical workshops and myriad publications.
Summary
Through project UA 1708, our research outcomes have been disseminated to thousands of domestic and international, scientific and wine industry personnel, resulting in a greater awareness of the newest research at the University of Adelaide (UA), Charles Sturt University (CSU), and in particular, within the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production (TC-IWP or TC) 1 and 2. Dr Ristic supported the TC-IWPs by creating strong links between UA, CSU and key grape and wine companies and R&D organisations, which provided a rich and unique, world-class training environment for students (HDRs) and post-docs (PDFs) with a strong end-user focus. The reach of Centre projects ranged from vineyards to wine consumers, with synergistic efficiencies and joint outputs being created by fostering collaboration between projects. Only with the support of UA 1304/1708, was it possible to coordinate ~30, often disparate, research projects in TC1 and TC2 and to dynamically communicate research highlights to the scientific and industry audience. Project UA 1304 collated, interpreted and summarised outcomes from 13 projects into an integrated strategy for flavour and alcohol modulation, available to the industry via the WA and TC-IWP websites. Findings and recommendations from individual projects were disseminated to industry via trade articles (11), technical notes (10), industry seminars (TAS, NSW, SA; over 100 participants), a workshop at the 16th AWITC, annual reports, various industry reports and presentations at domestic and international symposia. In addition, some 40+ peer-reviewed publications were produced, mostly in 2018 and 2019 as the HDRs completed their projects. In regard to TC2, the recruitment process has taken longer than anticipated, a common challenge for all current TCs. Despite a slowed start, UA 1708 organised industry seminars in Margaret River and the Barossa Valley and a workshop at the 17th AWITC, where findings from both TC1 and TC2 were shared with the wine industry. Additionally, Dr Ristic identified research gaps and completed two projects that led to a more comprehensive range of recommendations for the wine industry.