Ben Trevaskis

Dr Ben Trevaskis serves as Research Director for the Systems Program at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, leading initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability across Australia. Previously, he held roles as a Group Leader and conducted postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute. His expertise spans plant genetics, particularly flowering pathways in wheat, and integrating digital technologies into agricultural decision-making.

Education & Career

• PhD in Plant Biology from Australian National University (ANU), based at CSIRO Plant Industry.
• Postdoctoral Fellowship at Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology (2002–2005).
• Joined CSIRO in 2002, focusing on vernalization and flowering genetics until 2015.

Research Focus

Ben’s work bridges fundamental genetics and applied agriculture, addressing challenges like climate resilience and sustainable farming. Key areas include crop improvement via genomics, phenomics, and AI-driven solutions. His Systems Program oversees national research in integrated farming systems, digital tools, and pest management.

Leadership & Innovation

• Developed teams advancing crop improvement methodologies.
• Active contributor to CSIRO’s Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Future Science Platform.

Labs & Teams

Manages multi-state research teams under the Systems Program, fostering collaboration between computational biologists, field scientists, and industry partners.