Michael O’Shea: Director of Institute Operations

Michael O’Shea is the Director of Institute Operations at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) at The University of Queensland (UQ). This role oversees QAAFI strategy and operational areas and encompasses business development, grants and partnering, marketing and communications, indigenous engagement, health and safety, infrastructure and general administrative support. Prior to this role, Michael spent some time as an Innovation Broker within the Global Change Institute at UQ which involved pulling together significant research initiatives across the breadth of UQ research capability.

Before his time at UQ, Michael had a long career within the Australian sugar industry. Across his time at the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) and subsequently at Sugar Research Australia (SRA), Michael gained over two decades’ experience across varied roles as an industry researcher, program leader, research investment manager, operations manager and Executive Team member where he played a role in resetting organizational strategy and engagement.

Michael built and managed SRA’s Research Funding Unit which continues to deliver the Rural Research and Development Corporation (RDC) component of SRA’s remit. Australia has 15 RDCs which are charged with driving agricultural innovation and impact within their various industries. Michael’s team were responsible for developing and driving the sugar industry research investment process and ultimately, the successful delivery of research projects, programs, partnerships, outcomes and impact to the industry.

Most of Michael’s career has revolved around driving scientific and operational collaboration to deliver realized value and impact. However, Michael remains a chemist and scientist at heart with a background expertise grounded in diverse aeras such as plant chemistry and biochemistry, chemical methods of analysis including NIR spectroscopic methods, diversification opportunities, biomass utilisation and sugar quality/processing.

Michael is a member of the Steering Committee for Food System Horizons.