Stephanie Watts-Fawkes

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.


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.

  • 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)

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.

 

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

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Development of innovative nano-structured amendments for improving soil structural stability in alkaline dispersive soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Zeinab Ghasemzadeh
    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
  • 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 -
  • Position: Internal Grant-Funded Researcher B
  • Phone: 83137224
  • Email: stephanie.watts-fawkes@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: Waite
  • Building: Plant Research Centre, floor 2
  • Org Unit: Waite Research Institute

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