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Charles Sturt University Senior Lecturer in Wine Chemistry Dr Andrew Clark has been elected as president of arguably the preeminent scientific forum for wine science in the world, the In Vino Analytica Scientia (IVAS) symposium series.

The achievement is recognition of the significant contribution Dr Clark makes to the understanding of wine chemistry, particularly in relation to wine oxidation mechanisms and control.

Dr Clark is based at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga in the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences and the Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment.

His appointment was announced at the close of the July 2022 conference held in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany.

Dr Clark said that it is an honour to be elected as president of this international group which focuses on the science underpinning the production of high-quality wine.

“To use a winemaking analogy, the conference series presents a unique blend of analytical science and oenological (wine) science” Dr Clark said.

Charles Sturt University has been associated with ‘In Vino’ since its inception in 1997 with the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC), a predecessor organisation of the Gulbali Institute, always being represented on the scientific committee.

The NWGIC hosted the 2007 conference in Melbourne and held the presidency in 2013-15 through Professor Geoffrey Scollary, the inaugural Director of the NWGIC.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to continue the high-level commitment of Charles Sturt University to the IVAS Symposium series”, said Dr Clark.

“I joined the Scientific Committee in 2015, so it is a rapid rise to become president.

“It has also been quite humbling to lead a committee that has contained my mentors and scientists that have most inspired me.”

Charles Sturt Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mark Evans said the achievement is recognition of the significant contribution that Dr Clark makes to our understanding of wine chemistry, particularly in relation to wine oxidation mechanisms and control.

“On behalf of the University I would like to congratulate Dr Clark. This appointment is a testimony to the intelligence and passion he brings to his field, which ultimately has a positive impact on his students and the industry,” Professor Evans said.

Professor Leigh Schmidtke of the Charles Sturt University Gulbali Institute is also a member of the Scientific Committee, and the newly elected Chair of the Scientific Committee is Dr Chantal Maury, now at L’École Supérieure d’Agricultures in Angers, France. Dr Maury worked with the wine chemistry group at the NWGIC in 2004.

“This trio will ensure that Charles Sturt maintains its strong international reputation in wine research”, said Dr Clark.

The next In Vino Analytica Science conference will be held in July 2024 at the Davis campus of the University of California.

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