Alison received a 2020 Playford PhD Scholarship for her research investigating industrial hemp drought tolerance, water use efficiency and plant physiology. She revealed that hemp can survive when water is scarce by regulating photosynthetic behaviour, offering valuable insights for Australian producers.

This work advanced fundamental understandings of hemp physiology, reinforcing its potential as a promising crop for future climates.

In 2022, Alison was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where she undertook research in the agroecology laboratory. She explored how soil management and variety influenced dry-farming productivity and fruit quality, along the way developing diverse skills, generating international networks, and exploring many parts of the US.

After completing her PhD in early 2024 with a Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, Alison joined the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space at the University of Adelaide as a postdoctoral research fellow. She has been working on a controlled environment autonomous agriculture project in collaboration with global vertical farming, space science, and university partners.

Alison is excited to join the Lunar Effects of Agricultural Flora project, which will see plants grown on the Moon’s surface as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission. Her future goals are to re-engineer plants with enhanced photosynthesis and higher yields for sustainable agriculture in controlled environments, improving food security in Space and on Earth.