Biography

Dr Ben Stodart is a Senior Lecturer in Plant Biology within the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, and a researcher with the Gulbali Research Institute. His research spans plant pathology, molecular biology, genetics and biosecurity, with a particular focus on the identification, characterisation and management of plant pathogens affecting broadacre and horticultural commodities. He has established a strong track record in the application of genomic and phylogenetic approaches to understand pathogen diversity, disease epidemiology and host resistance.

Dr. Stodart has lead international Research-for-Development initiatives in Southeast Asia, through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). These programs have strengthened plant health diagnostics, biosecurity capability and research capacity in Cambodia and Laos, delivering practical outcomes for agricultural productivity and resilience. His research outputs have contributed to advances in crop disease management, wheat genetics, biological control applications and pathogen diagnostics, with publications spanning plant pathology, microbial ecology, genomics and crop improvement.