Associated Centres

Australia - China Research Centre for Crop Improvement (RCCI)

Host Institutes: The University of Newcastle, Australia. Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China

Directors: Assoc Prof Dr Yong-Ling Ruan, University of Newcastle, Australia. Prof Yue-Jian Yang, ZAAS, Hangzhou, China

Focus: Understanding response of fruit, seed and cotton fibre to drought and temperature stress at a cellular and molecular level
Identifying candidate genes for improving fruit, seed and cotton fibre productivity

Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration (CSER)

Host Institute: The University of Newcastle, Faculty of Science and Information Technology

Directors: Mr Michael Cole, University of Newcastle, Australia. Conjoint Professor Christina (Tina) Offler, University of Newcastle, Australia.

Focus: Understanding key factors underlying the ability to reconstruct sustainable ecosystems following degradation. 

The Don McNair Herbarium

Host Institute: The University of Newcastle, Faculty of Science and Information Technology

Director: Mr Don L McNair, University of Newcastle, Australia.

Focus: The Don McNair Herbarium was opened in October 2003 and is recognised nationally and internationally as a very significant collection with a regional focus on the flora of the Hunter Valley, an extensive coverage of the flora of New South Wales and some regions of other states of Australia.

Natural History Illustration

Host institute: The University of Newcastle, Faculty of Science and Information Technology.

Teaching team: Anne Llewellyn, Dr Trevor Weekes & Roger Quinn, University of Newcastle, Australia

Focus: A strong interdisciplinary link is being developed between the Plant Science Group and Natural History Illustration at the University of Newcastle. A primary focus is to fill a significant gap in the illustrated description of Hunter Flora.