Goondiwindi has taken centre stage at two of North America’s largest agricultural research and higher educational conferences as Marti Beeston, the One Basin CRC’s Goondiwindi Hub Manager, has embarked on an ambitious recruitment drive.

Beeston made the journey in a bid to attract world-class PhD students and post-doctoral researchers to the Northern Basin-based hub. Her first stop was the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual International Meeting in Toronto, Canada, before heading south across the border to attend the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She also travelled to Mississippi State and Texas A&M Universities, to meet with over 50 academics, and with students at Career Fairs.

“We’re looking for researchers who’re seeking more than just a quality job — they’re seeking a great quality of life and an opportunity to solve water-related challenges in partnership with industry and community,” Beeston said before departing. “Goondiwindi offers that rare combination of bleeding-edge science and regional lifestyle.”

Enticing international researchers to the Goondiwindi region is part of a broader initiative by One Basin CRC to support the growth of thriving research hubs across the Murray–Darling Basin (Basin). Our hubs, based in Goondiwindi, Griffith, Mildura, and Loxton, facilitate research tackling the immense water, agriculture, and environmental related challenges across the Basin.

“Our projects are industry-led, research-based, and co-designed by the communities and sectors facing these challenges,” Beeston said. “It’s all about tangible impact. We’re seeking researchers who want to use their skills to make a real difference.” 

Beeston’s recruitment mission is particularly focused on candidates with a background in agtech and cotton-related water research—fields where Goondiwindi is already a celebrated innovation hub. 

But why North America?

“North America has an impressive track record of translating research into real-world impact,” says One Basin CRC CEO Professor Michael Stewardson. “Whether that’s government policy, industry practices, or broader community benefits. Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) like One Basin are purpose-built to deliver that same style of impactful research here in Australia. We hope that American and Canadian researchers will recognise our shared values and grab the opportunity to move here with both hands.” 

Bringing international researchers into Goondiwindi offers a host of benefits: from economic stimulus and cultural enrichment to tourism boosts and educational growth. Locals may see new faces around town, but also new opportunities—for partnerships, learning, and showcasing regional Australia on a global stage.

There is also a growing interest in Australia from America’s early career researchers. Students from America’s regional and rural areas share many of the same challenges we face here in the Murray–Darling Basin, such as climate change, economic, social, and environmental shifts, and a need for resilience in the face of uncertainty and volatility. A One Basin CRC-supported PhD offers the opportunity for researchers to build skills and knowledge that can be directly transferable to their home communities and environments.

“Living onsite, as opposed to a fly-in-fly-out approach, will keep the outcomes of the research laser-focused on local needs,” Beeston said. “In return, our North American PhDs will get a real sense of community, a meaningful research mission, and the chance to live somewhere that balances adventure with belonging. It’s a win-win.”

Though the recruiting drive is just beginning, the ambition is clear: put Goondiwindi on the global map for agricultural innovation and environmental adaptation. 

Find out more about One Basin CRC’s PhD program, including currently available opportunities, please see https://onebasin.com.au/phd-program/

Photos from Goondiwindi Hub Manager Marti Beeston’s time in the USA and Canada