Dr Maggie Mwathi-Nyarko

Maggie is a Plant research scientist and project management professional with experience in sustainable agriculture projects across multiple stakeholders, teams, and international organisations. She began her career at the CGIAR research centres (ICRISAT and International Potato Centre (CIP) working on projects on Climate change, improved Agricultural yield, resistance to weeds, pests, and pathogens with an aim to improve global food security. Maggie has a PhD in Genetics from the University of Queensland (2019), and defended her Thesis “Creating a new Brassica species: determination of fertility and stability in novel Brassica hybrids.”

In her role, Maggie is the key contact point for the diagnostic and surveillance networks and associated sub-committees (nationally and across the Australasia-Pacific region). Effective stakeholder management within and between these networks and sub-committees underpins Australia’s scientific capacity and capability in identification and detection of plant pests and are critical in our national readiness to respond to biosecurity threats. Maggie’s role will manage the organisation and delivery of annual workshops, and other events, such as webinars and conferences on specific topics.