Christopher Steel

Professor Christopher Steel is a distinguished academic at Charles Sturt University's School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, where he serves as Head of Discipline for Wine Science and Viticulture and holds the position of Professor in Viticulture. With over 25 years of academic experience, he has established himself as a leading expert in grapevine diseases and wine quality research.

His research focuses on fungal diseases of grapevines, particularly Botrytis grey mould and bunch rots, with significant contributions to understanding the impact of climate and viticultural practices on disease incidence and wine quality. Steel's work spans plant pathology, analytical chemistry, and sensory science, employing multidisciplinary approaches to solve industry problems. Recent innovations include developing rapid antigen tests for Botrytis detection and metabolomic analysis for identifying infected grapes.

Steel maintains strong industry engagement through workshops for grape growers worldwide and collaborative research projects. His editorial service for the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research and board membership with the Australian Wine Research Institute demonstrate his leadership in the field. As a supervisor of PhD students and co-author of the textbook The Grapevine: from the science to the practice of growing vines for wine, he significantly contributes to viticulture education globally.