MEDIA RELEASE
Appointment of New Director for ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development
30 January 2026 | Canberra, Australia
The ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development today announced the appointment of Associate Professor Anthony Millar as its new Centre Director. The Centre is a research industry partnership established in 2022 to train the next generation of researchers and industry leaders to build new capabilities for agriculture.
The leadership transition reflects the Centre’s strong commitment to career development, succession planning and building the next generation of research leaders, as outlined in the Centre’s original ARC proposal.
Now in its fourth year of operation, the Centre has delivered significant impact in capacity building for Agriculture. It has successfully recruited a full cohort of 35 Higher Degree Research (HDR) students and six Innovation Fellows across The Australian National University and The University of Adelaide, with strong engagement from academic and industry partners.
All Professional Intensive Courses have been delivered to the first student cohort across topics such as responsible innovation, understanding the regulatory landscape across agricultural biotechnology, and practices of science communication and engagement. Many students have completed industry placements, and Centre researchers have secured major competitive grants and awards. In 2026, the Centre is expanding communication of its research achievements while strengthening training delivery for partners and early‑career researchers.
The leadership change follows a planned succession process undertaken by the Centre Executive Committee:
- Professor Barry Pogson will step aside from the Centre Director role and continue as a Chief Investigator
- Associate Professor Anthony Millar, previously Deputy Director (Training and Education), will assume the role of Centre Director
The Centre acknowledges Professor Pogson’s impactful leadership since establishment and welcomes his continued contribution through strategic input and supervision of Centre students. Professor Pogson was instrumental in building the Centre’s partnerships and co‑designed industry research projects.
Associate Professor Millar has been closely involved in the Centre since its inception, contributing to the original proposal, designing the innovative training program, and supervising or guiding a substantial number of HDR projects. He has also served successfully as Acting Centre Director, including leading the Centre’s Annual Meetings in 2024 and 2025.
The transition has also enabled broader leadership opportunities within the Centre, including the appointment of mid‑career researchers Florence Danila, Joana Melonek and Rachael Rodney Harris as Centre Affiliates, and the addition of Dr Kai Chan as a Chief Investigator and Deputy Director (Research). These appointments reinforce the Centre’s commitment to mentoring, career progression and diverse leadership.
Centre partners and stakeholders can expect continued delivery of high‑quality training, strong industry engagement, and innovative research outputs as the Centre advances its mission to accelerate future crop development.
The ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development is supported by the Australian Research Council, university and industry partners (IC210100047).
Media contact:
Dr Lauren DuFall
📧 office@futurecropscentre.edu.au
📞 02 6125 0102