Dr Heather Bray
Senior Research Associate
School of Humanities
Faculty of Arts
Dr Heather Bray is a researcher exploring community understandings of, and attitudes to, the role of science and technology in food production, in particular genetically-modified crops and food, and farm animal welfare.
She has recently returned to full-time research after working for over 10 years in science communication, developing community engagement programs for agricultural research centres that use complex and controversial technologies. Her background is in agricultural science and she has worked as an animal scientist in both Australia and the Netherlands.
I am a Senior Research Associate in the Department of History, School of Humanities working with Professor Rachel Ankeny. My background is in agricultural and animal science, and science communication. My research focuses on understandings of and attitudes to science and technology in food production. I am interested in how attitudes to agriculture and food are shaped socially, culturally and historically. I'm curious about the role of social media in shaping these ideas. I'm motivated to improve the way the research community engages with the public in issues related to science and technology. I am also interested in how current research paradigms affect the development of early and mid career researchers.
Current projects include:
- “Making plants better; making Australia better? A history of genetic modification science, policy, and community attitudes in Australia.” ARC Discovery Project, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
- “Getting to the meat of the matter: social and economic issues in animal welfare in Australia’s livestock industries” ARC Linkage Project, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny and A.Prof Wendy Umberger.
Recent projects include:
- “Leading or lagging behind? How is the moratorium on GM food crops framed by the media in rural and urban South Australia” FRAGS, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny, Dr Michael Wilmore
- “Not appropriate dinner table conversation? Talking to children about meat production” FRAGS, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
- “What shall we have for tea? Towards a new discourse of food ethics in contemporary Australia” ARC Discovery Project, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
- “Understanding women’s attitudes to genetically modified foods” NETS/DFEEST, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny and Dr H. Bray; Fay Gale Centre for Research on Gender, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
- “Understanding industry and consumer attitudes to the use of genetic modification in the wine industry” Wine2030, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
- “History of GM in Australia” FRAG, Prof Rachel A. Ankeny.
For more information go to Food Values Research Group webpage.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2011 Senior Research Associate University of Adelaide 2011 - 2014 Public Engagement and Researcher Development Officer University of Adelaide 2010 - 2011 Project Officer University of Adelaide 2008 - 2010 Program Leader, Education and Training University of Adelaide 2005 - 2007 Education Manager University of Adelaide 2003 - 2005 Education Officer University of Adelaide -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2018 Award SA Science Excellence Awards Unsung Hero - Science Communication - Finalist Government of South Australia Department for Industry and Skills Australia — 2014 Fellowship Barbara Kidman Women's Fellowship University of Adelaide — — 2005 Nomination Premier’s Science Excellence Awards Science Educator of the Year, Co-Finalist — — — -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 1988 - 1991 University of Sydney Australia Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Hons) -
Postgraduate Training
Date Title Institution Country 2002 - 2003 Graduate Diploma in Sciences Communication Central Queensland University Australia 1992 - 1997 Doctor of Philosophy University of Sydney Australia -
Research Interests
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Journals
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Book Chapters
Year Citation 2018 Ankeny, R., & Bray, H. (2018). Scourge or Savior? The Complex Relationship between Food and Science. In K. LeBesco, & P. Naccarato (Eds.), The Bloomsbury Handbook of Food and Popular Culture (pp. 260-273). London; United Kingdom: Bloomsbury. 2018 Ankeny, R., & Bray, H. (2018). Genetically Modified Food. In A. Barnhill, M. Budolfson, & T. Doggett (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Food Ethics (pp. 95-111). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
DOI2018 Bray, H., Konyn, S., Wijnandts, Y., & Ankeny, R. (2018). Ferals or food? Does hunting have a role in ethical food consumption in Australia?. In N. Carr, & J. Young (Eds.), Wild Animals and Leisure: Rights and Wellbeing (pp. 210-224). Routledge. 2018 Ankeny, R. A., Bray, H. J., & McKinley, K. A. (2018). Collaborating with the Enemy? A View from Down Under on GM Research Partnerships. In H. S. J. James (Ed.), Ethical Tensions from New Technology The Case of Agricultural Biotechnology (pp. 53-69). Wallingford, Oxfordshire; UK: CABI. 2015 Bray, H. J., & Ankeny, R. A. (2015). What do food labels teach people about food ethics?. In R. Flowers, & E. Swan (Eds.), Food pedagogies (pp. 185-200). Ashgate Publishing. 1999 Black, J. L., Bray, H. J., & Giles, L. R. (1999). The thermal and infectious environment. In I. Kyriazakis (Ed.), A quantitative biology of the pig (pp. 398 pages). CABI. -
Conference Papers
Year Citation 1998 Bray, H. J., Giles, L. R., Gooden, J. M., & Black, J. L. (1998). Energy expenditure in growing pigs infected with pleuropneumonia. In K. J. McCracken, E. F. Unsworth, & A. R. G. Wylie (Eds.), Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals : Proceedings of the 14th Symposium on Energy Metabolism, Newcastle, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, 14-20 September 1997 (pp. 291-294). Wallingford, Oxon, UK ; New York: CAB International. 1998 Giles, L. R., Lorschy, M. L., Bray, H. J., & Black, J. L. (1998). Predicting feed intake in growing pigs. In J. Wiseman, M. A. Varley, & J. P. Chadwick (Eds.), Progress in Pig Science (pp. 209-228). Nottingham University. 1994 Black, J. L., Davies, G. T., Bray, H. J., Giles, L. R., & Chapple, R. P. (1994). Modelling the effects of genotype, environment and health on nutrient utilisation. In Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Modelling Nutrient Utilization in Farm Animals (pp. 85-105). Foulum, Denmark: National Institute of Animal Science Research Centre. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2018 Buddle, E. A., Bray, H., & Ankeny, R. (2018). Don't stress the animal! Poor animal welfare and the resulting 'essence' in meat. Poster session presented at the meeting of Society for Social Studies of Science. Sydney, Australia. 2017 Williamson, N. M., & Bray, H. J. (2017). Using Social Media in a Science Communication Course. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education. Melbourne, Australia. 2017 Buddle, E., Bray, H., Pitchford, W., & Ankeny, R. (2017). ‘I don’t want to think about it’ concerns about sheep and beef cattle transportation and slaughter amongst Australian meat consumers. Poster session presented at the meeting of Proceedings of the 63rd International Congress of Meat Science and Technology. Cork, Ireland. 2016 Bray, H. J., Buddle, E. A., & Ankeny, R. A. (2016). Consumers link 'better' farm animal welfare with better quality products. Poster session presented at the meeting of 31st Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production. Adelaide, South Australia. 2016 Buddle, E. A., Bray, H. J., Pitchford, W. S., & Ankeny, R. A. (2016). Meat Consumers Ignore Online Animal Welfare Activism. Poster session presented at the meeting of 31st Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production. Adelaide, South Australia. 2015 Bray, H., Keenihan, S., Hutson, J., & Alford, K. (2015). An online community of practice around science communication: #onsci. Poster session presented at the meeting of Proceedings of the Australian Science Communicators Conference. Brisbane, Qld: Australian Science Communicators. 2004 Smart, A., Bray, H., McLean, M., & Able, A. (2004). Grain growers' perspectives on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Poster session presented at the meeting of Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress 2004. www.cropscience.org.au: The Regional Institute Ltd. 1994 BRAY, H., BEHRENDT, R., GILES, L., GOODEN, J., & BLACK, J. (1994). THE EFFECT OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA AS A STRESSOR ON PIG PERFORMANCE. Poster session presented at the meeting of ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA. UNIV W AUSTRALIA, PERTH, AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY ANIMAL PROD. -
Internet Publications
Year Citation 2017 Bray, H. J., & Ankeny, R. A. (2017). Perceptions of genetically modified food are informed by more than just science. The Conversation. 2017 Ankeny, R. A., & Bray, H. J. (2017). What comes first: the free-range chicken or the free-range egg?. The Conversation. 2016 Bray, H. J., & Ankeny, R. A. (2016). It’s complicated: Australia’s relationship with eating meat. The Conversation. 2016 Bray, H. J., zambrano ramos, S. C., Chur-Hansen, A., & Ankeny, R. A. (2016). 'Mummy, where does steak come from?' How Australian families talk about meat. The Conversation. 2014 Bray, H. J., & Ankeny, R. A. (2014). Making a meal of GM food labelling. The Conversation. 2014 Bray, H. J., & Ankeny, R. A. (2014). Making a meal of GM food labelling. The Conversation.
Since 2012 I have been a guest lecturer for Communicating Science (Science 7020 and in 2015 also Science 3200) in online communication, oral presentation, networking, the political and economic context of Australian science, and event planning, marketing and evaluation.
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2016 Co-Supervisor The Bounty of The Suburbs- Backyard Food Production and Use in Adelaide, Post World War Two to the Present Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Linda Alison Haines 2016 Co-Supervisor 'Blackboxing' Australian Science? Understanding Popular Perceptions of Science in Australia, 1939- 1963 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Lisa Hunt 2015 Co-Supervisor History of Community Attitudes and Activism in Australia Around The Emergence and Development of GM for Food and Agricultural Purposes, 1970s- Present Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Kelly Anne McKinley 2015 Co-Supervisor Science at the Interface: Community Engagement and The Promise and Transdisciplinarity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Virginia Elizabeth Baker 2015 Co-Supervisor Consumer and Producer Perception of Animal Welfare Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Emily Anne Buddle 2015 Co-Supervisor Rethink Difference with The Non-Human Animal: Eating Animals As a Site to Criticize Cultural Difference Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yvette Kim Clarissa Wijnandts -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2012 - 2016 Co-Supervisor A History of Local Food in Australia 1788 - 2015 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Susan Chant
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2014 - 2016 Member Radio Adelaide Advisory Committee Radio Adelaide — 2012 - ongoing Member Australian Science Communicators South Australian Branch — —
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