Michael Thomson

Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences

m.thomson@cqu.edu.au

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1868-6867

(07) 4930 6884
0408 819 666 Mobile Phone

Rockhampton North
Building 361 - G.20
CQIRP

About Me

Michael Thomson provides communications and stakeholder engagement support for the researchers within the Department of Agriculture, Science and Environment.

He has a research interest in supporting new methods of extending innovation and encouraging adoption of new technologies by the community, in particular the use of creative non-fiction storytelling to motivate a willingness to change behaviour.

General

Background

An experienced communicator with skills for all seasons.

With more than a decade in journalism in print, television and online media, and five years in public relations, I have skills including:

* clear and concise writing

* media liaison

* multimedia production

* website traffic analysis and design architecture

* social media management

* strategic communications planning

* stakeholder relations, and

* public speaking.

I am based in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, with exceptional networks in agribusiness, agripolitics and media, and have worked for clients including including Woolworths, Sheep CRC, Beef Australia, AgForce, NSW Food Authority, Incitec Pivot and Meat & Livestock Australia.

Universities Studied At

University of Queensland (1995-98) - B.A. (double major in journalism, minor in English Literature)

Awards

2006 - McKillop Prize for Rural Reporting from the NSW Farmers' Association, for coverage of the AWB Oil for Food scandal.

2005 - Finalist in the Eureka Awards for science reporting.

2004 - Rural Press Journalist of the Year.

2003 - Qld Media Award for Excellence in Rural Journalism from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, for coverage of the Qld land clearing debate.

Previous teaching

RHD communications training - two-day workshops for postgraduate scholars sponsored by Australia's red meat R&D corporations.

Professional Memberships

Rockhampton Golf Club Committee 2018 to present.

Professional Interests

2015 - Advanced Facilitation training

2014 - Certified in the use of Advanced Google Analytics

1995 - AMEB - 6th Grade Speech and Drama

1990 - AMEB - 5th Grade Theory of Music

Industry Reports

Lead editor and contributing author to the 2019 publication, 'Concept to Impact - The story of the Sheep CRC 2001-2019'.

Editor

2007-10 National Online Editor, FarmOnline network, Rural Press / Fairfax Agricultural Media

Consultancy Work

2010-15 Senior Consultant, Cox + Inall Communications, Australia's leading public relations firm specialising in agribusiness issues.

Australian Sesame Program of Research (PRO-016365)

From: 31/03/2023 to 29/02/2028
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Scheme: AgriFutures Australia - Request for Quote - Australian sesame industry five-year program of research
Total Funding: $2,000,000.00

Integrating AgriTech into beef cattle enterprises to improve drought resilience

From: 31/03/2023 to 30/06/2023
Grant: Contract Research (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Scheme: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Cwth), Agricultural Innovation Hubs Program through James Cook University (JCU)
Total Funding: $123,989.00

Great Northern Spices (A.2.2122016)

From: 08/11/2022 to 15/12/2026
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 4: CRC)
Funding Scheme: CRC Developing Northern Australia
Total Funding: $2,525,000.00

Decide and thrive. Innovative and regionally-relevant livestock ranking strategies that secure the business into, during and out of drought, and preserve and improve natural capital in agricultural landscapes (C22/419)

From: 01/06/2022 to 30/06/2024
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Scheme: Future Drought Fund Drought Resilience Innovation Grant - through University of New England
Total Funding: $920,000.00

Innovating communications for accelerated growth in emerging industries (PRO-015966)

From: 27/05/2022 to 27/05/2025
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Scheme: Agrifutures RFQ Emerging Industries Extension and Adoption Coordinator
Total Funding: $434,941.00

Grain and Graze: Dual purpose peanuts for Northern Australia (A.2.2021083)

From: 18/02/2022 to 18/02/2025
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 4: CRC)
Funding Scheme: CRC Developing Northern Australia 2020/21 Funding Call
Total Funding: $916,719.00

Increasing uptake of performance-recording genetics through automated livestock management systems (Phase 2) (P.PSH.1186)

From: 19/06/2019 to 30/07/2024
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Scheme: Meat & Livestock Australia Donor Company MLA-DC
Total Funding: $3,634,138.00

Automated livestock management technologies for Argentinean production systems (GIL 73665)

From: 17/06/2019 to 30/06/2025
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Scheme: Department of Innovation, Industry & Science - Global Innovation Linkages Round 2
Total Funding: $751,514.00

Stories of Success: Case studies of Women Farmers in PNG. (Report women's experience of village based extension approaches in PNG TADEP program (C0020907))

From: 17/12/2021 to 30/09/2022
Grant: Contract Research (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Scheme: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Total Funding: $72,000.00

Automatic Weighing System Product(s) Implementation and Discovery prior to Commercialisation

From: 01/09/2021 to 28/02/2023
Grant: Contract Research (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Scheme: Contract Research - Gallagher Group Limited - Automatic Weighing System Discovery 2021/2022
Total Funding: $120,000.00

Long term site development to investigate the environmental benefits of riparian fencing on grazing properties

From: 29/02/2020 to 30/10/2020
Grant: Contract Research (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Scheme: Fitzroy Basin Association
Total Funding: $9,333.00