Eileen Scott

Eileen Scott

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.


I am Emerita Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Adelaide, and former Deputy Head of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.

My main area of research is fungal and bacterial diseases of grapevines and horticultural and pulse crops. Recent research has been supported by Wine Australia and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

I am a Fellow and Past-President of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (President 2013-15).

I served as the Chair of the University of Adelaide's Self-Assessment Team which led the successful application for the SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity) Athena SWAN Bronze award (conferred in February 2020). I also served as the Faculty of Sciences Deputy Dean for Gender, Equity and Diversity 2013-2018.

My research focuses on the diagnosis, epidemiology and management of fungal and bacterial diseases of grapevines, horticultural crops and pulses. I also led a recent project on Phytophthora diseases of natural ecosystems in South Australia.

Recent research was supported by Wine Australia (formerly Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. I also contributed to the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre. In recent years, my research has also been supported by the ARC and I led research projects on Fungal contaminants and their impact on wine quality, and Diagnosis and management of Eutypa dieback in the Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture (2003-2006) with support from the GWRDC.

Research collaborators include Dr Katja Hogendoorn (University of Adelaide), Drs Jenny Davidson and Mark Sosnowski (South Australian Research and Development Institute), Dr Katherine Evans (Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and University of Tasmania) and Dr Bob Emmett (formerly Department of Environment and Primary Industry Victoria).

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2020 - ongoing Emerita Professor of Plant Pathology University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2015 President Australasian Plant Pathology Society
    2013 - 2018 Faculty of Sciences Deputy Dean Gender Equity and Diversity University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2019 JAT Mortlock Professor of Plant Pathology and Deputy Head of School University of Adelaide
    2011 - ongoing Fellow Australasian Plant Pathology Society
    1987 - 2011 Progressed from Lecturer to Professor University of Adelaide
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Teaching Award Australian Biosecurity Award 2022 - Education Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia -
    2017 Award Australian Women In Wine Workplace Champion of Change The Fabulous Ladies' Wine Society Australia -
    2012 Award Excellence in Higher Degree by Research Supervision Award in 2012 The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2011 Fellowship Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society Australasian Plant Pathology Society Australia -
    2001 Award Adelaide University Postgraduate Students' Association Supervisor of the Year The University of Adelaide Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Cambridge United Kingdom PhD
    University of Edinburgh United Kingdom BSc Honours in Microbiology
    University of Edinburgh United Kingdom BSc Biological Sciences
  • Research Interests

Competitive Research Funding

National Competitive Schemes

Date Project/No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2013-2015 Improving environmental health by encouraging entomovectoring in horticultural crops to reduce spray Hogendoorn K (CI), Scott ES Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry $628,000
2012-2016 Objective measures for powdery mildew Scott ES, Kravchuk O, Emmett RW, Evans KJ Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation/Wine Australia $623,790
2010-2013 Optimising management of eutypa dieback Sosnowski MR (CI), Wicks TJ, Scott ES Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $240,000
2009-2012 Phoma koolunga: biology and role in Ascochyta blight of field pea Benger A (CI), Scott ES, Sosnowski MR, Davidson JA (PhD scholarship for A Benger) Grains Research and Development Corporation $90,000
2008-2010 Control of foliar diseases in horticulture using milk components: widening applicability through understanding mechanisms Scott ES, Schmidt O, Grbin PR, Taylor DK, Crittenden R and Wicks TJ

Australian Research Council Linkage

Industry Partners, MG Nutritionals, Temple Bruer Wines, Organic Crop Protectants, Transgrain Technologies

$317,000

$105,000 in cash, $182,329 in kind

2007-2009 Impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi on native vegetation in South Australia: understanding underlying mechanisms to improve management Scott ES, Facelli JM, Velzeboer R, Able AJ

Australian Research Council Linkage

Industry Partners, Department for Environment and Heritage and 8 other local government organisations

$213,000

$116,700 in cash, $243,021 in kind

2007-2009 Blue-banded bees as greenhouse pollinators: healthy and consistent supplies for reliable pollination services Keller MA (CI), Scott ES

Australian Research Council Linkage

Industry Partners, Biological Services, Perfection Fresh, Timbercorp

$270,000

$36,000 in cash, $291,000 in kind

2007-2010 Novel approaches to surveillance monitoring for plant pathogens Scott ES, Davidson JA, Ophel-Keller KM, Salam MU (PhD scholarship for B Vogelzang)

Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity

$113,000
2006-2009 Biotic factors affecting the spread of an air borne/splash borne fungal pest Scott ES, Davidson JA, Salam MU (PhD scholarship for S Coventry) Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity $121,000
2006-2009 Challenges to the Australian pistachio industry - bacterial dieback and nut quality Scott ES, Giblot-Ducray D, Taylor C, Emmett RW, Ophel-Keller KM

Horticulture Australia Limited

Industry Partner, Pistachio Growers Association

$627,000

 

2006-2009 Sustaining grapevines infected with eutypa dieback Sosnowski MR (CI), Loschiavo A, Wicks TJ, Scott ES Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $346,500
2006-2007 Application of NIR for disease assessment Scott ES, Stummer BE, Dambergs RG Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $40,000
2004-2006 Pistachio canker epidemiology Sedgley M (CI), Scott ES, Emmett RW

Horticulture Australia Limited

Industry Partner, Pistachio Growers Association

$401,623

 

2003-2006 Sustainable control of powdery and downy mildew diseases of grapevine and impacts of control on wine quality and vineyard health Scott ES, Wicks TJ, Grbin PR

Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation

Industry Partners, Temple Bruer Wines, Glenara Wines

$348,647

$64,110 in kind

2003-2006 Diagnosis and management of eutypa dieback Scott ES, Wicks TJ, Sosnowski M, Lardner R Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture, Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $688,985
2003-2005 Fungal contaminants and their impact on wine quality Scott ES, Stummer BE, Francis IL, Dambergs RG, Hocking A and others Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture $298,900
2003-2005 Molecular techniques to identify and detect bacteria associated with pistachio dieback Scott ES, Sedgley M, Ophel Keller, KM

Horticulture Australia Limited

Industry Partner, Pistachio Growers Association

$30,000

 

2002-2004 Interactions between genotype, plant nutrition and fungal disease development in strawberry Able AJ (CI), Scott ES (PhD scholarship for S Palmer)

Australian Research Council Linkage Grant

Industry Partner, Berry Growers of South Australia

$69,099

$15,000 in cash, $84,450 in kind

2000-2004 Pistachio canker epidemiology Sedgley M (CI), Scott ES, Emmett RW, Taylor C (support for postdoctoral fellow E Facelli) Horticulture Australia Limited $593,000
2000-2003 Fungal contaminants and their impact on wine quality Emmett RW, Scott ES, Hocking A, Waters E and others

Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture

$1,026,000 (total project budget)

$395,585 (UA share)

2000-2002 Biological control of powdery mildew in cool climate viticulture in Australia Scott ES, Wicks TJ (PhD scholarship for P Crisp)

Australian Research Council

Industry partners Temple Bruer Wines, Glenara Wines, Mountadam Vineyard

$66,170

$28,500 in cash, $43,500 in kind

2000-2002 Investigating resistance and management of blackleg in canola Scott ES, Ramsey M. (PhD scholarship for M Sosnowski)

Australian Research Council

Industry Partner South Australian Grains Industry Trust Fund

$66,170

$41,175 in cash

1999-2003 Managing diseases that threaten the sustainability of Australian viticulture Pascoe I (CI), Wicks TJ, Scott ES, Joyce D, Cole M and others

Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture/Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation

$923,000 (total project budget)

$122,000 (UA share)

1999-2001 Biological control of eutypa dieback of grapevines Scott ES, Wicks TJ (PhD scholarship for S John)

University of Adelaide

Industry Partner: Agrimm Technologies Ltd, New Zealand

$92,268

 

Research Consultancies

Date Project/No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2009 Review of Winegrowing Futures Program of National Wine and Grape Industry Centre Scott ES National Wine and Grape Industry Centre $3,400
2007 Review of Cotton Research and Development Corporation’s Disease Management Program and provide strategic advice on research direction Scott ES Cotton R&D Corporation $12,000
2007 Evaluation of Arcadian® as a control of grapevine disease Crisp P, Scott ES Arcadian Seaplants Ltd, Nova Scotia, Canada $4,567
2007 Refine PCR assay for grapevine powdery mildew Scott ES, Stummer BE Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture $2,000
2006 Components of milk in the control of foliar diseases of horticultural crops, a scoping study Scott ES, Crisp P, Schmidt O, Rowney M MG Nutritionals, Melbourne $44,002

Travel Grants

Date Project/No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2014 Participation in 7th international workshop on grapevine downy and powdery mildew Scott ES, Petrovic T Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $5,076
2010 Participation in the international workshop on grapevine downy and powdery mildew, Bordeaux, France Scott ES, Emmett RW, Evans KJ Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $7,600
2007 Expert epidemiologist to visit Australian pathologists and present keynote address at the Australasian Plant Pathology Society Conference in Adelaide, September 2007 Scott ES Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $5,000
2006 Participation in international workshop on grapevine downy and powdery mildew, Trentino, Italy Scott ES Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $3,000
2001 Travel Grant for R Lardner to visit USDA, California Scott ES, Lardner R

Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture Visiting Scholar Fund

Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation

$5,000

$5,000

2000 Travel grant for P Crisp to attend international Organic Viticulture Conference, Germany Scott ES, Crisp P Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation $1,700

 

I teach in the following courses: Microbiology and Invertebrate Biology II, Microbiology for Viticulture and Oenology II, Microbiology and Biotechnology II, Plant Health III and Plant Health A (postgraduate), Viticultural Methods and Procedures III and Viticultural Methods and Procedures A (postgraduate).

Until 2019, I was course co-ordinator for Microbiology and Invertebrate Biology II.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Bacterial spot of almond: plant-pathogen interactions and host resistance. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Virajinee Nayanathara Don Bulathsinhalage
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Investigating the Host Range and Origins of Phoma koolunga (Ascochyta Blight of Field Pea) Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Dr Elizabeth Carole Keirnan
    2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Aspects of the Interactions between Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Propagules of Plant Pathogens Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Jorgiane Benevenute Parish
    2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Assessment of Stress-induced and Developmentally-induced DNA Methylation Changes in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Moumouni Konate
    2010 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Aspects of epidemiology of Phoma koolunga (ascochyta blight of field pea) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Mohsen Khani
    2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Effect of calcium (Ca) and boron (B) nutrition on grey mould of capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) and fruit quality Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Duc Thong Le
    2009 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Effect of Organic, Biodynamic and Conventional Vineyard Management Inputs on Grapevine Growth and Susceptibility to Powdery Mildew and Botrytis Bunch Rot Master of Agricultural Science Master Part Time Mr Benjamin Pike
    2008 - 2012 Principal Supervisor Pathogen eradication using the pistachio dieback bacterium as a model Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Anh Vu
    2008 - 2010 Principal Supervisor Towards Biological Control of Pistachio Dieback Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Ms Asmah Salowi
    2007 - 2012 Principal Supervisor Susceptibility of Native Plant Species to Phytopthora Cinnamomi and the Spread of Phytopthora Dieback in South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Kiong Hook Kueh
    2007 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Epidemiology and Management of Ascochyta Blight of Field Pea (Pisum Sativum) in South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Jennifer Anne Davidson
    2007 - 2012 Principal Supervisor Spore Trapping Coupled with Quantitative PCR: Potential for Application to Biosecurity Surveillance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Bernadette Vogelzang
    2006 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Factors Affecting Short and Long Distance Dispersal of Fungal Pathogens - Chickpea Ascochyta Blight as a Model Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Steven Coventry
    2005 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Epidemiology and Management of Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora zonata) of Faba Beans (Vicia faba) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Rohan Benjamin Essex Kimber
    2005 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Rhizoctonia Disease on Potatoes: The Effect of Anastomosis Groups, Fungicides and Zinc on Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Cathryn Todd
    2003 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Effect of Nutrition on Postharvest Quality and Grey Mould Development in Strawberries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Matchima Naradisorn
    2003 - 2007 Co-Supervisor Strawberry Powdery Mildew: Epidemiology and the Effect of Host Nutrition on Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sarah Palmer
    2003 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Epidemiology of Blackleg Disease of Canola, Caused by Leptosphaeria maculans Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Bita Naseri
    2002 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Identification, Diversity and Detection of Xanthomonas Strains Associated with Pistachio Dieback in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Alireza Marefat
    2001 - 2005 Principal Supervisor Anthracnose on Almond: Epidemiology and Characterisation of Colletotrichum Acutatum Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Suzanne McKay
    2001 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Population Genetics of Phragmidium Violaceum Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Don Gomez
    2001 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Investigation of F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae and Phoma terrestris on Onion (Allium cepa) in the Mid Murray Region of South Australia Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mrs Yvonne Smith
    2001 - 2005 Principal Supervisor Black Aspergillus Species: Implications for Ochratoxin A in Australian Grapes and Wine Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Su-lin Leong
    2000 - 2003 Principal Supervisor Early diagnosis and detection of eutypa dieback of grapevines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Richard Lardner
    2000 - 2003 Principal Supervisor STUDIES ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BLACKLEG (LEPTOSPHAERIA MACULANS) AND MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE IN CANOLA Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Mark Sosnowski
    2000 - 2004 Principal Supervisor Sustainable control of grapevine powdery mildew (Uncinula necator Schweinitz Burrill) in vineyards in South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Peter Crisp
    1999 - 2003 Principal Supervisor Biological control of eutypa dieback of grapevines: interactions between the pathogen and fungal antagonists Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Sharmini John
    1999 - 2002 Co-Supervisor Phomopsis taxon 1 on grapevine: pathogenicity and management Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Belinda Rawnsley
    1999 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Application of Citral to Control Postharvest Diseases of Oranges Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Erminawati Wuryatmo
    1997 - 2002 Co-Supervisor SOIL BIOLOGY Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Rina Kasiamdari
    1997 - 2002 Principal Supervisor DETECTION OF DEMETHYLATION INHIBITING FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE IN THE GRAPEVINE POWDERY MILDEW FUNGUS, UNCINULA NECATOR Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Sandra Savocchia
    1997 - 2002 Principal Supervisor Molecular characterisation of Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group 2 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Benjamin Stodart
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Origins of Phoma koolunga The University of Adelaide MPhil Master Part Time Elizabeth Keirnan

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