Dr Brett Summerell is the Director, Research and Chief Botanist at the Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands, Sydney. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney and at Kansas State University. He has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Hons 1) and a PhD from the University of Sydney.
In his role as Director Research & Chief Botanist, Brett is building on the Garden’s legacy of studying, documenting and protecting plant life in Australia for over 200 years by advocating for plant conservation and how important plants are in our lives. He also provides senior scientific advice to the Gardens and to government and is mentoring and inspiring the next generation of plant scientists. Brett is s a fungi expert and has helped describe over 120 new species and published over 150 journal articles, books and book chapters. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the deadly Fusarium pathogen, which can wreak havoc on our food crops and native plants.
