The Leadership team

Yvette is a specialist in multi-model data fusion and is dedicated to helping agricultural industries implement profitable and eco-friendly ways to increase productivity in challenging climates.  Currently Yvette holds positions as Director of the JCU Centre for Agriculture, Technology and Adoption, Professor in Data Science and Focus Area Chair in the World Meteorological Organisation on Weather and Climate Services for Agriculture.

Dr Eric Wang is a multidisciplinary engineer with more than 10-years’ experience in the Internet of Things (IoT).  His research focuses on implementing IoT to assist digital transformation in the industry. His recent research on smart irrigation has helped more than 20 farmers in the Burdekin region solve their irrigation management problems and created a significant impact on the local sugarcane industry.

Associate Professor Bronson Philippa is an electronics and software engineer whose research applies computational modelling, machine learning, sensor technology, and electronics to a diverse range of applications. Bronson has an applied research program in biosecurity, agricultural technology, machine learning, and near-infrared spectroscopy.

Dr Tao Huang has a strong research record in intelligent sensing, wireless communications, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and computer vision, with a focus on developing scalable, data-driven technologies for agriculture, biosecurity, and environmental monitoring in regional and tropical environments. He also brings significant industry experience, having worked across various sectors in roles such as senior engineer, project lead, and technical lead, where he applied engineering solutions to real-world challenges. He collaborates closely with industry and government partners to deliver innovative outcomes that support sustainability and resilience.

Associate Professor Nathan Waltham’s research spans aquatic ecology, ecosystem resilience, restoration and blue carbon in floodplains, estuaries, coastal wetlands and urban waterways. He focuses on northern Australia while also leading international collaborations across Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and North and South America. He is a prolific scholar and has examined topics such as wetland restoration, tidal regimes, fish connectivity, blue carbon and the ecology of urbanised coasts.

Dr Ben Jarihani is a highly accomplished Water Engineer and Hydrologist with expertise encompasses a diverse range of fields, including Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Hydraulic Design, Geomorphology, Soil Erosion, and Wetland Modelling. Dr Jarihani leads numerous interdisciplinary projects focused on water resource assessment, flood modelling, soil erosion, and the use of satellite and UAV data in environmental decision-making.