
Graeme Hammer
Professor Graeme Hammer was a co-leader of Research Program 4, which focuses on linking leaf function and field performance of crops. He is also a node leader at the University of Queensland (UQ) and the Director of the Centre for Plant Science in the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). As part of the Centre, he focused on the development and analysis of crop growth models together with the use of genetic variation to assess consequences of changes in photosynthetic efficiencies on crop growth and yield.
Graeme obtained Bachelor degrees in Science (Forestry and the University of Melbourne and Arts (Mathematics) at the University of Queensland before completing a research masters on forest growth modelling at the University of Melbourne and a PhD in crop physiology and modelling at Kansas State University.
Graeme is internationally known for his research on understanding and predicting crop growth and development; physiological modelling of genetic variation in adaptive traits in field crops; and the use of physiological models to enhance molecular breeding in field crops.
Graeme is an expert in crop ecophysiology and modelling of major cereal crops: sorghum, maize and wheat. His research underpins the development of mathematical models of crop growth, development and yield that enable simulation of consequences of genetic and management manipulation of crops in specific target environments. He is one of the founders of the APSIM Initiative, a joint venture with CSIRO and Qld Government to develop and maintain the agricultural simulation platform (APSIM), which is now used world-wide in agricultural research and development.
Graeme was awarded both the Australian Medal for Agricultural Science and the Farrer Memorial Medal in 2012.
Graeme was part of the Centre from 2014 to 2021