Leigh Schmidtke

Leigh Schmidtke is a Professor of Oenology at Charles Sturt University (Gulbali Institute), leading research in wine chemistry, chemometrics, and agricultural innovation. He previously directed the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre and the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation. His work focuses on grapevine physiology, metabolomics, and rapid analytical methods for assessing abiotic/biotic impacts on vine performance. Research spans wine microbiology, environmental stewardship, and biosecurity, with a strong emphasis on data-driven approaches like IR and mass spectrometry.

Education & Affiliations: Affiliated with Agricultural, Environmental, and Veterinary Sciences school. Key collaborations include Wine Australia and industry partners in viticulture and food systems.

Research Interests: Grape/wine composition, flavor-matching, rapid analysis techniques (mass spectrometry), chemometric data modeling, and environmental factors influencing vineyards. Specializes in metabolomics for disease detection (e.g., Botrytis cinerea) and terroir studies in premium wines like Barossa Shiraz.

Publications: Recent work includes soil carbon estimation via satellite data, copper's role in wine spoilage, and volatile analysis for fungal infection detection. His research bridges analytical chemistry with agricultural sustainability and food authenticity verification (e.g., beef production systems).

Awards & Grants: While specific awards aren't listed, his leadership roles and high-impact research indicate significant industry and academic recognition. Active in securing grants for projects like terroir analysis and biosecurity solutions.

Labs & Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams at the Gulbali Institute, focusing on wine science, sustainable agriculture, and biosecurity. Collaborates with industry stakeholders to translate research into practical solutions for viticulture challenges.