Participants
Brian Keating

Brian Keating
Chief, Sustainable Ecosystems
CSIRO
Brisbane, Australia

Dr Brian Keating is Chief of CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.

In recent years, Dr Keating has taken on research leadership and management roles, focusing in particular on the complex challenges of social, economic, cultural and environmental sustainability.

He is responsible for strategic science development, planning and operations across CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystem’s research programs, and also leads CSIRO's cross-divisional Agricultural Sustainability Initiative.

Dr Brian Keating has been with CSIRO since 1981.

His disciplinary background is in:

• crop physiology
• agronomy
• plant nutrition

He has built this background into a career in farming systems research, and in particular the development and application of simulation modelling to farming systems design and management.

His areas of expertise include:

• agronomy
• crop physiology
• farming systems
• planning and integration
• plant nutrition
• science management
• simulation modelling

Dr Keating’s work has addressed a diverse set of issues including:

• soil and water management
• farming system design
• bioenergy from agriculture
• climate risk management

This work has been largely focused on grain and sugar farming systems in Australia and small-holder farming systems in Africa.

Dr Keating was awarded a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with first class Honours from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland. He was subsequently awarded a Doctor of Philosophy, also from the University of Queensland.

He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute Company Directors.