Appointment of new Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) Director, Professor Neil Turner, signals the continuation of CLIMA under the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the four partners.

In his new role Professor Turner aims to maintain the strong interaction between CLIMA alliance partners, the Department of Agriculture and Food, the University of Western Australia (UWA), Murdoch University and CSIRO, and to enhance research linkages at home and overseas.

He accepted his new appointment after former director Professor Kadambot Siddique was appointed Chair of Agriculture and Director of the UWA Institute of Agriculture.

Professor Turner has 31 years experience with CSIRO in Canberra and Perth with interests in dryland agriculture, in particular the adaptation of plants to water limited environments. He re-established CSIRO’s Plant Industry group in Perth in 1984.

He is no stranger to CLIMA staff and alliance researchers, having been involved with CLIMA since its inception as a CRC in 1992, and leading sub-programs then and in CLIMA’s post-CRC phase.

CLIMA board member and Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UWA, Professor Alistar Robertson, said Professor Turner had taken the job for an interim period of up to 11 months, but the board indicated CLIMA will extend beyond June 2007, when the current MOU expires.  

“We’re delighted Professor Turner has accepted the position,” Professor Robertson said. 

“Professor Turner has research links in India, China, Europe and the US and served on the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s first Western Region Panel.

“The synergy achieved through the CLIMA research alliance, adding value to the work of its four partners, has been beneficial to numerous legume researchers and the agricultural industry and we believe it will continue to serve them into the future.

“Professor Turner is looking forward to increased interaction with growers, staff and research associates and to help maintain and enhance national and international research linkages.”