Jeanette Chapman

Jeanette completed her PhD in Soil Science in 1995, after spending many years teaching at the Roseworthy Agricultural College.

"I returned to study because I was interested in doing something practical. I chose to investigate how to dispose of waste water from wineries because I wanted a project which used science to solve an environmental problem"

Wineries used to dispose of their waste water into holding ponds (which gave off a bad smell) or local creeks and rivers. Jeanette developed a system of using soil to clean up the winery waste water. The water from the wineries is used on the grape vines or to grow trees, which are eventually harvested. The wine industry was so impressed with Jeanette's work that they employed her to develop a set of guidelines for the whole industry.

"It makes me feel good to know that I have made the world a better place. Without my research, wineries would have had to continue to dispose of their waste water in environmentally unfriendly ways."

Jeanette has shown how science can be used to solve real problems. What do you want to be: part of the problem, or part of the solution?

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