Marisa Collins

Dr. Marisa Collins is an Associate Professor in Agronomy at La Trobe University's School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences. With appointments spanning from 2006 to present, she has held progressive academic roles including Research Scientist at CSIRO, Senior Lecturer at University of Queensland, and current Associate Professor at La Trobe since 2024.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Plant Science from the University of Melbourne (2006) and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the same institution (1999). Her research focuses on crop physiology and agronomy, particularly in legumes like mungbeans and pigeonpea, addressing water-use efficiency and abiotic stress responses.

Collins' research portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on improving crop productivity through physiological understanding, with recent emphasis on mungbean modeling using APSIM Next Generation. Her work bridges field-based physiology with practical applications for broad-acre farming systems, particularly addressing drought and heat stress challenges in Australian agriculture. Current projects include GRDC-funded initiatives on mungbean yield gaps and NEXTGEN modeling.

She has secured substantial research funding from GRDC, Agrifutures, ACIAR, and CRDC, with active projects including 'Genetic initiative to transform symbiotic nitrogen fixation' (2024-2028) and 'Development of RD&E Plan for the Lavender Industry' (2021-2022). Her collaborative network spans Australian research organizations and international partners.

As an educator, Collins has coordinated the Bachelor of Agriculture program at La Trobe since 2022 and developed multiple agronomy courses. She has supervised numerous research students and serves on the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture Learning and Teaching Academy. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes field-based practicals and industry engagement.