Masterclass
Conference ticket holders can add a masterclass ticket during registration. Two masterclasses are available, running concurrently, so participants must choose one. These sessions will be held on 24 August 2026, with limited spaces available. We’re pleased to acknowledge the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) for sponsoring this masterclass, helping us deliver valuable insights to attendees.
For any inquiries, please contact agronomy@associatedadvertising.com.au.
Masterclass 1: The Craft of Scientific Writing
With Professor Victor Sadras & Dr Andrew Fletcher | Limited to 20 participants
Learn from two of Australia’s leading agronomy researchers and editors in this hands-on Masterclass. Victor and Andrew bring complementary perspectives on scientific writing in ag sciences during this Masterclass designed to enhance scientific writing skills and confidence. They will share their experiences on the motivation, challenges, and craft of scientific writing.
Participants will edit a colleague’s manuscript in a structured peer-review exercise. Please bring a printed manuscript (double-spaced, wide margins).
Professor Victor Sadras is Leader, SARDI Ecophysiology Unit and a Fellow of Agronomy Australia. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and co-edited Crop Physiology: Applications for Breeding and Agronomy. He has extensive editorial experience, including Co-Editor-in-Chief of Field Crops Research, Associate Editor of Crop and Pasture Science, and editorial roles with European Journal of Agronomy, CABI Agriculture and Bioscience and Frontiers
in Agronomy. Victor brings a deep understanding of what makes a manuscript compelling, rigorous, and publishable.
Dr Andrew Fletcher is Senior Research Scientist and Team Leader at CSIRO Agriculture
and Food and past Secretary of Agronomy Australia. His multidisciplinary research spans crop physiology, agronomy, farming systems and G×E×M approaches, focusing on Mediterranean-climate cropping systems. Andrew has published extensively in journals including Field Crops Research, European Journal of Agronomy, Crop and Pasture Science, and Science of the Total Environment, and has editorial experience with Crop and Pasture Science and Plant and Soil. He leads a team of 10, integrating plant-to-farm-scale research to deliver high-quality science with industry impact.
10:00 - 12:30 - Guided Conversation
- Motivation and barriers for writing scientific papers – why bother?
- Implications for visibility and networking
- Papers vs reports; report by publication
- Dealing with rejection
- Core elements of strong papers: structure, results, discussion, conclusions, focus, style, clarity, conciseness
12:30 - 13:15 - Lunch
13:15 - 16:00 - Hands-on Editing Workshop
Masterclass 2: How to be a trusted advisor
With Dr John James & Denise Bewsell | Limited to 50 participants
Effective advisory work relies on more than technical expertise - it depends on the strength of the relationships we build. In this three-hour masterclass, John James and Denise Bewsell share practical, evidence-based approaches to help farm advisors and consultants deepen trust and rapport with the farmers they support. Drawing on the Extension Model of Practice and illustrated with relatable, real-world examples, the session explores how to prepare well, listen deeply, and communicate with clarity and transparency. Participants will learn how to build connection from the very first interaction, create space for farmer-led problem-solving, and bring technical advice into the conversation at the right moment. We also unpack the small behaviours - before, during, and after a farm visit - that make the biggest difference to credibility, confidence, and follow-through. Advisors will leave with practical tools they can apply immediately to strengthen relationships, improve engagement, and enable meaningful, lasting change in their day-to-day work.
Dr John James, Enablers of Change, is a respected extension specialist with extensive experience supporting farm advisors, researchers, and innovation partners across Australia and New Zealand. He is known for his practical, people-centred approach, with particular strengths in helping practitioners build trust and rapport with farming communities. John emphasises empathetic listening, authentic connection, and collaborative problem-solving -
skills that underpin effective engagement and behaviour change. He regularly delivers capability-building programs through Enablers of Change, focusing on extension planning, behaviour change, and strengthening practitioner confidence. A past President and now Life Member of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN), John is widely recognised for
creating engaging, practical learning experiences that lead to real-world impact. He enjoys sharing his extension knowledge and experience, doing so through his role as Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Queensland.
Denise Bewsell, Scarlatti, is an experienced extension practitioner and capability-building specialist with deep expertise in co-design, adult learning, and participatory research. She draws on extensive monitoring and evaluation experience to help organisations understand what works, why it works, and how to adapt strategies to improve outcomes. Her practice integrates practical tools for reflective learning, evidence-informed decision-making, and
strengthening engagement across agricultural settings. A recipient of the APEN Award for Excellence in Extension by an Experienced Professional and now an APEN Life Member, Denise also serves as an Assistant Editor of the Rural Extension & Innovation Systems Journal. Through Scarlatti and in partnership with Enablers of Change, she delivers workshops across Australia and New Zealand that build practitioner capability and support meaningful, lasting impact.