Project Overview

Wine scientists in Australia are conducting innovative research, but we don’t yet know the best ways to relay research outcomes to winemakers, grape growers and vineyard managers in order to generate change “on the ground.” My research (with Prof Alain Deloire at Charles Sturt University’s National Wine and Grape Industry Centre – NWGIC) documents the most effective strategies for wine scientists and industry bodies to communicate research findings, to ensure new practices and techniques are widely adopted by the industry.

In 2014 we developed a new style of seminar, where NWGIC-CSU wine scientists shared experimental wines to demonstrate innovations in assessing berry ripening and selecting harvest dates. In 2015, the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) commissioned us to extend our research across New South Wales and South Australia, and I was asked to assess and advise on the development of their unique peer mentoring strategy of Mentoring Circles. This work provides key evidence to inform our new Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (2015-2017), where we will trial new strategies to improve communication and adoption by the Australian Wine Industry.

This research has direct economic impact, by ensuring that industry dollars are well spent and that costly innovations like technology tools are tested by end-users. Ensuring that information practices evolve with members’ needs also enhances business owners’ profitability, sustainability and quality of life, as well as their professional practice.

Our Research is Changing Wine Industry Practices by:

• Increasing the uptake of research, by informing the design of extension strategies to share results across the industry;
• Helping industry bodies (such as AGWA) design extension activities to suit members’ needs, by providing evidence on the effectiveness of their communication strategies; and,
• Informing future initiatives of scientists and industry bodies by documenting the information and technology needs of winemakers, vineyard managers and grape growers in pilot wine regions chosen by NWGIC: Griffith & Orange NSW and Barossa & McLaren Vale SA. (NWG1301 AGWA funded project led by Prof. Alain Deloire).

Funding

Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant. $191,394 (AUD).

Project Team

Lisa Given, principal investigator

Professor Lisa Given is Professor of Information Studies (School of Information Studies) and Research Fellow in the Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education at Charles Sturt University, Australia. A former member of the College of the Australian Research Council and is an Adjunct Professor in Humanities Computing, Faculty of Arts and in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, Canada. Lisa leads the project (i.e., data collection, analysis, writing), including supervising staff, liaising with partners, and providing expertise in information behaviour, user experience of technology tools, and qualitative inquiry.

Alain Deloire, co-investigator

Professor Alain Deloire has worked as a team leader in Viticulture at Moët & Chandon (Champagne), and was professor in grapevine physiology and biochemistry at Montpellier SupAgro, France. His research topics include grapevine physiology and grape berry biochemistry. He is currently the Director of the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, Australia. Alain will provide wine sciences expertise, liaise with partners and design tools to be tested in the project.