AN early career researcher whose work looks at how plants respond to drought conditions, Dr Kai Xun Chan, was announced the 2017 ACT Scientist of the Year today (August 11) by Chief Minister Andrew Barr.
Dr Chan’s career breakthrough was the identification of a novel stress sensor protein that controls the pores on leaves of drought-stressed plants. His work is helping to find ways to improve drought tolerance in crops.
“The ACT Scientist of the Year Award aims to inspire young people to consider a career in science and STEM more broadly,” Mr Barr says.
“Dr Chan joins former recipients of the ACT Scientist of the Year Award, Dr Colin Jackson (2015) and Dr Ceridwen Fraser (2016).
“Dr Chan will take up a prestigious Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2018 which will give him the opportunity to further promote the contribution that Canberra scientists and innovators are making worldwide.”
To view a video of Dr Chan’s research, and for more information on the ACT Scientist of the Year Award, visitwww.cmtedd.act.gov.au/
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