Keynote speakers

State Weeds and Pests Conference 2025

Troy Bowman

Buffel Grass State Coordinator (2013-2016 and 2023-2025)

The WMSSA are delighted, thrilled, and elated, to announce invasive species and buffel grass specialist Troy Bowman as a key note speaker at the State Weeds and Pest Conference.

Troy has over 20 years’ experience in project management and delivery for a wide variety of weeds and pest animals in the Biosecurity and NRM industry. Troy has extensive experience working with a broad range of industry and community stakeholders including indigenous communities as the Buffel Grass State Coordinator (2013-2016 and 2023-2025) and involvement in the Buffel Free Great Victoria Desert (GVD) Working Group.

Troys’ most recent experience as the State Buffel Grass Coordinator with Landscapes Alinytjara Wilurara was funded through the Landscape Priority Fund and consists of a working partnership between AW, SAAL, N&Y and EP Landscape Boards and key agency stakeholders. Tasked with re-invigorating momentum at the State and National level and establishment of a multi-agency strategic coordinated buffel grass program throughout South Australia, the project has achieved significant outcomes including the establishment of a multi-agency steering committee, facilitation of priority research projects, development of comprehensive Key Threatening Process and Weed of National Significance Nominations, delivery of a Buffel Grass Ministerial Roundtable and development of a Multi-Agency Solutions Framework and Business Case to be considered by cabinet. Other key initiatives include the provision of technical advice with other states and territories regarding best practice management, recent declaration and development of a statutory weed management plan with the Northern Territory and opportunities for National collaboration.

Dr Sarina Macfadyen

Principal Research Scientist – CSIRO Agroecology, Canberra

WMSSA are delighted to announce Dr Sarina Macfadyen a Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO as a keynote speakers.

Dr Sarina Macfadyen leads the Agroecology team in CSIRO Agriculture and Food and she has a long history of conducting ecological studies in diverse production systems that improve our understanding of how landscape factors alter pest outbreak risk. She is passionate about using scientific research to help develop management options for farmers that improve the sustainability and profitability of their farms. She is especially interested in how we can use beneficial arthropods more to address major food system challenges that go beyond simple crop losses from pests.

Senior Research Scientist
Team Leader (Weed Management Systems) - CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Canberra

Dr Ben Gooden

WMSSA are delighted to announce Dr Ben Gooden as a keynote speaker. Ben is a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO, a botanist and vegetation ecologist with a lifelong passion for understanding and managing invasive plants. As Team Leader of CSIRO’s Weed Management Systems team in Canberra, Ben co-leads Australia’s national weed biocontrol research program alongside Dr Michelle Rafter in Brisbane. Together, their teams develop and implement sustainable, science-based solutions to protect Australia’s agricultural productivity and biodiversity from the threat of invasive weeds. Ben’s research spans a wide range of systems—from temperate forests to desert grasslands and coastal wetlands—where he investigates the impacts of alien plant invasions and translates this knowledge into practical, on-ground management strategies. His work is deeply collaborative, engaging with landholders, community groups, and policymakers to co-design research that delivers real-world environmental outcomes. Growing up on a dairy farm and later in the arid landscapes of Broken Hill, Ben’s early encounters with fireweed and thistles sparked a lifelong fascination with weeds and the Australian bush. This personal connection continues to drive his commitment to translational science—bridging the gap between research and practice to tackle some of the country’s most pressing weed challenges. Ben also contributes to national policy through his role on the Environment and Invasives Committee’s Weeds Working Group, helping shape frameworks like the National Established Weed Priorities (NEWP).

Dr Tanja Striva

Senior Research Scientist within CSIRO Health and Biosecurity.

WMSSA are delighted to announce Dr Tanja Strive as a keynote speaker. Tanja is a Senior Principal Research Scientist within CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, based in Canberra, Australia. A molecular virologist by training, she joined CSIRO in 2002 and has since worked on a series of projects investigating lethal and non-lethal, and both GM and non-GM, biocontrol options for a range of feral animal species, including European foxes, mice, cane toads and rabbits. During the past 15 years Tanja has developed and led a project portfolio of both applied science and fundamental research projects aimed at developing a pipeline of biocontrol tools for European rabbits, exploring both classical viral biocontrol approaches and more recently prospects for genetic biocontrol technology.

Technical Officer at Agriculture and Food, CSIRO Farming Systems, Adelaide.

Jackie Ouzman

WMSSA are delighted to announce Jackie Ouzman as a keynote speaker. Jackie is a Data Analyst based in Adelaide, working across the dryland cropping, viticulture, sugar, and livestock industries. She has expertise in spatial mapping, data visualisation, and statistical analysis, as well as economic and crop modelling. Jackie played a leading role in the most recent Impact of Weeds on Australian Grain and Cotton Production report, which helps guide future research priorities. She also contributed to the earlier 2016 study on the impact of weeds in Australian grain production and has been involved in herbicide loss modelling, exploring the resulting impact on the grain industry.

Tim Neale

Managing Director: DATAFARMING

UQ Gatton Gold Medal Recipient 2023
Awarded Australia’s Best AgriTech 2023
Elders Innovation in Technology Award 2023
Distinguished UQG Past Student Medal 2022
Innovation & Tech Award ToowoombaChamber 2021
Pearcey ICT Entrepreneur of the Year (Qld) 2019
Australian Rural Consultant of the Year 2018

WMSSA are delighted to announce Tim Neale as a Keynote speaker. Tim was named Australian agricultural consultant of the year 2018, and Australian Agritech of the year 2023, has over 25 years’ experience across Australia and internationally, 20 of which has been running his own Agtech businesses. Tim’s key focus is on adoption of technology, with the DataFarming platform servicing 50,000 farms in 50 countries. Tim’s achievements and awards:

Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology.

Dr Kym Perry

WMSSA are delighted to announce Dr Kym Perry as a keynote speaker. Kym is a senior researcher in entomology in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. His expertise is in the ecology and management of insects and molluscs (snails and slugs) in agricultural ecosystems.

Steve Henry

Research Officer, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia

WMSSA are delighted to announce Steve Henry as a keynote speaker. Steve’s research involves understanding mice in zero and no-till cropping systems, and developing control strategies to reduce the negative impacts of mice. The studies comprise: monitoring mouse populations to predict outbreaks, improving baits to enhance effectiveness, and applying knowledge of the ecology of mice in farming systems to develop effective control strategies. Steve works at the interface between science and the agricultural industry, focusing on communicating research outcomes to farmers, industry representatives and the public. Register now to attend the conference and learn more about Steve.

Representing GRDC in session: Dr. Sarah Morran

WMSSA are delighted to announce GRDC speaker Dr Sarah Morran. Register now to attend the conference and learn more about Sarah, weeds and crop protection Manager at GRDC in September.

Manager, Weeds, Crop Protection, GRDC