Stephen Powles

Professor Stephen Powles is one of the world's most highly cited plant scientists. His expertise ranges from the fundamental science on the evolution and molecular basis of herbicide resistance, through to applied agronomic research and management.

Professor Powles has strongly influenced Australian and international thinking on sustainable herbicide usage by reducing herbicide reliance and increasing diversity in agro-ecosystems. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Science & Engineering, and received the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to plant production.

In 2017 Professor Powles became the first Australian to win the American Chemical Society International Award for Research in Agrochemicals. The award is given to a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of agrochemicals at the international level, with their vision and sustained contribution having opened new horizons for investigators in their field and beyond.

As a former director of the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative at UWA’s School of Agriculture and Environment, Professor Powles was recognised for his long-standing research contribution to identifying the role of cytochrome P450 enzymes in endowing herbicide resistance in plants.

While fighting the war against resistant weeds, Professor Powles has supervised 30 PhD students. Professor Powles and his team have more than 250 research papers published on herbicide resistance.