-Jordan.webp?language=en-AU "Dr A (Tony) Jordan")
Dr Tony Jordan OAM Memorial Award
In 2019 Wine Australia established the Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award, an annual award for the most outstanding Wine Australia PhD scholarship applicant.
Over his distinguished career, Dr Jordan was an influential and determined advocate for the advancement of Australian wine as a winemaker, researcher, mentor, wine show judge and wine sector leader. Dr Jordan was crucial to the establishment of the wine science program at Charles Sturt University in the 1970s, influencing modern Australian wine practices. He was an ardent supporter of academic endeavour and encouraged excellence across the Australian grape and wine community.
Wine Australia awards merit-based PhD scholarships with a stipend top-up to $35,000. The Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award recipient will receive a stipend top-up to $40,000 annually to support their study.
The Tony Jordan award is offered to the most outstanding applicant based on merit. Wine Australia reserves the right to not offer this award annually.
Recipients of the Dr Tony Jordan memorial award
-
Yilin Bai, 2026 Australian National University
As a PhD candidate in Australian National University, am extremely grateful to Wine Australia for receiving the Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award alongside my PhD top-up scholarship.
My research investigates scale and mealybug control in Australian viticulture using a comprehensive approach that integrates ecology, genomics, and machine learning. Scale insects and mealybugs are among the most significant pests in vineyards, capable of causing substantial economic losses when populations reach critical levels. As important vectors for grapevine viruses, these pests also promote the proliferation of sooty mould at high densities, leading to widespread infection and damage. Despite their impact, much remains unknown about their biology and ecology. Through advanced technologies, this research aims to achieve more comprehensive and effective pest management in Australian vineyards.
A core component of this work involves developing a simple and robust species identification pipeline that combines machine learning with genomic approaches. Accurate identification of major vineyard pests will provide the foundation for investigating their ecological and biological characteristics, which in turn will inform the design of more targeted biocontrol strategies with enhanced pest specificity.
Building on this foundation, genomic methods will be employed to understand the population dynamics and movement patterns of these pests across vineyard landscapes. By identifying population connectivity and determining the spatial scales at which management should occur, this knowledge will be critical for preventing rapid reinfestation after treatment.
At a broader landscape scale, genomics, image recognition, and machine learning will be integrated to monitor natural enemy populations. Understanding when and where these beneficial organisms are present will help optimise the timing and application of biocontrol measures, ultimately reducing reliance on chemical interventions.
In collaboration with researchers from ANU and the Australian Wine Research Institute via the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity, this project will benefit from expertise spanning evolutionary ecology, quantitative biology, and industry-focused viticulture research. With their guidance, I hope to provide the Australian wine industry with science-based strategies to manage these challenging pests more effectively.
-
Jacob Long, 2024 Adelaide University
Investigating novel germplasm solutions: Sensory characteristics and consumer acceptance of 1st generation mildew resistant varieties and gene-edited grapevines.
-
Kate Kingston, 2022 Griffith University
Exploring climate-smart technologies for Australian viticultureDeveloping and applying climate smart and biochar-based innovative technologies for viticulture future in southeast Queensland.
-
Anne Johnson, 2021 Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University student Anne Johnson has been named the recipient of Wine Australia’s Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award 2021 to support her research exploring the benefits of agroecology in Australian viticulture and barriers to its adoption.
The Award, named in honour of the late Dr Tony Jordan OAM, recognises the most outstanding applicant of Wine Australia’s annual scholarships for postgraduate students in the fields of wine, viticulture, and wine business research.
Mrs Johnson said her PhD through the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre will study the adoption of agroecology – the use of nature’s ecosystem services in farming practices – to understand what discourages growers from embracing its use more broadly.
‘As the grape and wine sector adapts to and mitigates the effects of climate change, agroecological practices can improve resilience and sustainability. Around the world agroecology is delivering environmental, economic and cultural benefits in a number of agricultural industries and my work will identify and promote the viticultural practices that are delivering those benefits’, Mrs Johnson said.
‘In addition to the biophysical benefits in the field, which are commonly studied, there are many human factors that influence decisions and my research aims to take a holistic look at this to provide a model for future research strategies into social impacts of sustainability that could be extended across the entire sector.’
‘It was a surprise and a great honour to be awarded this scholarship particularly since Dr Jordan saw the importance of sharing knowledge of good winemaking practices and helped to establish Charles Sturt University’s wine research and education program.’
Wine Australia General Manager Research, Development and Extension Dr Liz Waters said Mrs Johnson’s research will support the Australian grape and wine community to grow its sustainable practices.
‘Mrs Johnson’s research will contribute to the increasing body of work on sustainability for the Australian grape and wine community and will help us to better understand how we can adapt to be more resilient to future challenges’, Dr Waters said.
-
Joseph Marks, 2020 Adelaide University
Sustaining viticulture: How under-vine (sp. Vitis vinifera) cover crops affect arbuscular mycorrhizal associations, soil organic carbon composition and soil carbon stocks.
