Alison McCarthy

Dr. Alison McCarthy is an Associate Professor in Irrigation and Cropping Systems at the Centre for Agricultural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland. With a background in mechatronic engineering, she specializes in developing automated irrigation systems and machine vision technologies for cotton and dairy pasture management.

• Education: BEng (2006) and PhD (2010) from University of Southern Queensland
• Research Interests:
  • Irrigation control systems
  • Machine vision for soil and plant sensing
  • Automation in agriculture

Recent Publications highlight her work in nitrogen management, autonomous irrigation frameworks, and pest detection systems. These contributions align with her expertise in AI-driven agricultural solutions and sensor integration.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 2024 Australian Future Cotton Leader
  • 2021 WatSave Young Professionals Award
  • 2018 Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year
  • 2015 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award
  • 2014 Science and Innovation Award for Young Professionals
• Research Affiliations:
  • Centre for Agricultural Engineering (CAE)
  • Association of Australian Cotton Scientists (Full Member)