The 1st Northern Universities Alliance postgraduate research conference

We welcome postgraduate students in agriculture and aquaculture fields to submit an abstract for the 1st Northern Universities Alliance Postgraduate Research Conference on the 8th and 9th April 2025 in Darwin. The theme is “Developing future researchers in northern Australian primary production”, valuing diverse disciplines and perspectives to meet the needs of an evolving sustainable food system. The conference is open to postgraduate students working on research related to primary production in northern Australia. We invite you to consider how your research connects to the theme through the disciplines of livestock production, indigenous food systems and supply chains, rangeland management, diversification, cropping, biosecurity, aquaculture or similar.

Abstract Guidelines

Submit abstracts to rina@cdu.edu.au
by 14th February 2025. Include contact information, and supervisor approval.

Submitted abstracts to be a Word document (150-250 words, Calibri 11pt font, standard margins, bold headings). Abstracts will be selected for a 10-minute oral presentation or a lightening presentation (pre-recorded static slide or 1-min video). Selection of oral presentations will be based on relevance to the theme, quality of writing, clarity of research aims and impact. Successful oral presentation applicants are eligible for a conference scholarship to support travel, accommodation and conference registration. Oral presentations must be delivered in person.

The abstract should follow the format below:

• Background: Context and motivation for the research problem or question.
• Purpose: State the main aim, objective or research question that the work addresses.
• Method: Describe the broad approach, design, data collection and analysis methods used in the study.
• Results: Main findings, outcomes or implications of the research. If candidate is at early stages of study this section can focus on intended impact.
• Conclusion/ Impact: Summarise significance, contribution or recommendations of results to northern Australian primary production systems.

If references are used, please include a reference list in APA7 style (not included in the word count).

Additional Conference information

The postgraduate conference will include

• Postgraduate student welcome dinner Monday 7th April
• skills development workshops,
• panel sessions and talks
• Field trips (as part of Food Futures 2025)

Further details on the postgraduate conference program will be available on the Research Institute for Northern Australia website by 3rd March 2025.

Students whose abstract is accepted will receive included in their postgraduate conference scholarship registration to Northern Australia Food Futures conference program at the Darwin Convention Centre. This industry collaboration provides opportunities for postgraduate students working in northern Australian agricultural and aquaculture systems to build networks, engage with industry and attend Food Futures fieldtrips.

E-mail rina@cdu.edu.au for updates about this event