Reshma Roy’s quest to transform carinata, an overlooked cousin of canola, into Australia’s next sustainable wonder crop is not just advancing agricultural research. It’s also showing how placements and partnerships can help cultivate the next generation of research talent. 

Through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Crops Training Centre, The Australian National University (ANU) PhD candidate Roy’s work is bridging the gap between academia and industry. Her research focuses on adapting carinata for Australian farming systems – particularly by shortening its lengthy growing season – to help it serve as a viable cover crop and a feedstock for biofuel production. 

“This is an underutilised crop in Australia, but it has strong potential as a dual-purpose solution,” Roy says. 

“We’re looking at how it can grow in fallow periods between food crops, providing a sustainable feedstock for aviation biofuel without competing for food production land.”

But it’s the hands-on training beyond the lab that’s proven just as transformative for Roy.

Real-world research, regional reach

Thanks to the Training Centre’s set-up and supported by an ANU stipend scholarship extension, Roy was able to complete a series of intensive placements with NuFarm (previously NuSeed), Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Regional Development (NSW DPIRD). These placements have taken her from the lab bench to the field, and from city centres to regional research hubs like the Horsham Research Hub in Victoria, and the NSW DPIRD-run Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute.

Her time with NSW DPIRD, a key partner in the Training Centre, provided exposure to on-ground research, fieldwork and regional community engagement.

“I worked alongside incredible scientists in breeding and genetics,” she says. 

“Being based in Wagga gave me a first-hand look at how field trials are run, how research is translated into farming practice, and how partnerships with regional communities really matter.”

Lab milestones and gene-edited success

Back in the lab, Roy used her CSIRO placement experience to address a significant technical gap in carinata research – developing a transformation protocol using Agrobacterium that had never been applied to the crop in Australia.

“We didn’t have any protocol for this crop before, so I worked with my supervisors to build one from scratch,” she says. 

“We’ve now used it to create gene-edited plants, and the results are very promising, with strong transformation efficiency. It’s a major step forward in this research area and a huge milestone for my project.”

Science, shared

One unexpected highlight came when an Instagram video featuring Roy’s work, drew a wave of interest and enthusiasm. It marked a turning point in how she viewed science communication.

“People were so engaged – it really surprised me,” she says.

“It made me realise that social media can be a powerful way to connect with the public. We need to make science accessible and transparent, so people understand the impact of what we do and why it matters.”

Professional and personal growth through placements

Roy says each placement gave her something different – new skills, networks, and perspectives. It also helped her begin to define where she sees herself after the PhD.

“Being exposed to both industry and academic environments has helped me understand what each pathway looks like. I feel more equipped now to decide where I want to take my career,” she says.

She’s also become more confident and capable as a researcher.

“I’ve learned how to manage competing priorities, solve problems in real-time, and adapt to new environments quickly. Those are things you can’t really develop in a lab alone.”

More than anything, Roy says, her placement experience has helped her grow on a personal level – building her resilience, independence and self-assurance.

“I had to push myself outside my comfort zone,” she says. 

“Travelling to new locations, working with different teams, balancing deadlines – it was all challenging, but incredibly rewarding. I’m not just learning about plants – I’m learning about myself, and how to keep going when things get tough.” 

She encourages other PhD students to consider placement opportunities, even if it means extra travel or flexibility.

“It might feel daunting at first, but it’s worth it,” she says. “You’ll come away with real experience, new confidence, and a stronger sense of who you are as a scientist – and as a person.”

This research was conducted by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Crops Training Centre (IC210100047) and funded by the Australian Government.