Featuring
Panellist: The Leadership Q&A
Dr Karen Aitken Agricultural scientist at CSIRO
Dr Karen Aitken leads the sugarcane molecular genetics research at CSIRO in Brisbane where she focuses on understanding complex plant genomes and polyploidy (contain more than one set of chromosomes).
She is also the principal investigator on a United States Department of Energy community science project that is sequencing the first complete sugarcane genome. The aim of the research is to develop tools for the sugarcane industry that will help develop more resistant and higher yielding sugarcane varieties for the farmer.
Karen was a participant in the 2019 Homeward Bound program and Antarctic voyage and is passionate about encouraging women into science and making science more accessible to the wider community.