Dr Stephanie Watts-Fawkes
Internal Grant-Funded Researcher B
Waite Research Institute
Division of Research and Innovation
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
I enjoy conducting research on the plant-fungal symbiosis known as arbuscular mycorrhizas, especially investigating how they can improve plant zinc and phosphorus nutrition on nutrient-depleted soils. I am particularly interested in the potential agricultural applications of arbuscular mycorrhizas, and use important crops as model species in my research.
I am currently a ARC DECRA and Future Making Fellow, based at The University of Adelaide's Waite Research Institue.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2022 - ongoing ARC DECRA Fellow University of Adelaide 2021 - ongoing Future Making Fellow University of Adelaide 2020 - 2021 Research Scientist New South Wales Department of Primary Industries 2016 - 2020 Ramsay Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide 2015 - 2016 Postdoctoral Research Associate Cornell University, Ithaca -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2011 - 2014 Monash University, Melbourne Australia Doctor of Philosophy 2007 - 2011 Monash University, Melbourne Australia Bachelor of Environmental Science (Hons)
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Journals
2025-2027: Future Making Fellowship at the Waite Research Institute (CI).
2022-2025: Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (CI).
2023-2024: AgriFutures Rice Open Call ($58,000): Nutrient and water use efficiency in aerobic rice production: is there a role for beneficial soil fungi?
2023: Yitpi Foundaiton grant-in-aid ($14,000): Do beneficial soil fungi reduce the accumulation of toxic PFAS in cereals?
2023: The A.W. Howard Memorial Trust Inc. Early Career Researcher grant ($15,000): Do beneficial soil fungi reduce the accumulation of toxic PFAS in pasture legumes?
2023-2027: ARC Linkage Project: Enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in macadamia for sustainable production (Co-CI).
2022-2024: Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for High Performance Soils Dispersive soil and soil structure: Novel amendments for improving soil structure (Co-CI).
2018: The University of Adelaide Women's Research Excellence Award ($5,000).
2018: The A.W. Howard Memorial Trust Inc. Grant-in-aid ($5,000)
2018: Australasian Mycological Society Research Award ($3,000)
2017: Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council Roger Hill Travel Award ($2,000)
2016-2020: Ramsay Fellowship: Salary and start-up grant to support a 4-year independent research project at The University of Adelaide.
Research opportunities in my lab
Honours projects: you will have the opportunity to investigate the effects of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi on crop nutrition (i) or water use efficiency (ii).
(i) The mycorrhizal pathway of phosphorus uptake is important for plants, but may lead to increased accumulation of the anti-nutrient compound phytate in grains and pulses. Honours projects will uncover how mycorrhizal fungi affect phytate accumulation in the edible portion of crops, and how this modifies the bioavailability of micronutrients such as zinc and iron for human consumption.
(ii) Rice is typically grown in flooded paddies, where symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi is not functional. As we move to aerobic (non-flooded) rice production, we have an opportunity to see whether mycorrhizal fungi can improve nutrient and water uptake in rice. Honours projects will inoculate Australian rice varieties with mycorrhizal fungi and trial different water and nutrient availabilites to understand where mycorrhizal fungi have the greatest benefits.
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Principal Supervisor Enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in macadamia production using beneficial soil microbes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Chrysanthea Claire Budiman 2023 Principal Supervisor Assessing the impact of mycorrhizal fungi on legume crop nutritional quality Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yan Wen 2022 Principal Supervisor Exploring the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on cereal grain nutrition Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Thi Diem Nguyen -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2017 - 2020 Co-Supervisor The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on the growth and nutrition of agricultural plant species Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Binh Thi Thanh Tran 2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Soil Health in Urban Agriculture with an Emphasis on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Matthias Johannes Salomon 2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor The Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizas On Phosphorus Cycling And Leaching In Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Cuc Thi Kim Tran 2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Optimising Phosphorus Supply to Plants by Combining Inorganic P Fertilisers and Organic Amendments, and the Roles of Arbuscular Mycorrhizas Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Thi Thanh Hue Ngo -
Other Supervision Activities
Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name 2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on faba bean yield and nutrition The University of Adelaide - Honours Part Time Sebastian Smith 2022 - ongoing External Supervisor Manipulation of plant-derived phytonutrients and antinutrients in bread to improve iron bioavailability The University of Melbourne Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Rucha Patil 2021 - ongoing External Supervisor The potential benefits of dual placement phosphorus fertiliser application to south-eastern Australian crop species Charles Sturt University Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Olivia Brunton
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2023 - ongoing Representative University of Adelaide Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology EMCR forum The University of Adelaide Australia 2021 - ongoing Representative Australian Society of Plant Scientists Discipline Representative Plant-Microbe Interactions The University of Adelaide Australia -
Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2018 - ongoing Member Australasian Mycological Society Australia 2016 - ongoing Member Australian Society of Plant Scientists Australia -
Event Participation
Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country 2022 - ongoing Australian Society of Plant Scientists Conference Conference The University of Adelaide -
Connect With Me
External Profiles