Our People

Dr Ken Quail studied Agricultural Science and followed this with a PhD in Food Technology. He has gained wide experience in the domestic and international grain food industries.

This includes the operation of research collaborations and the delivery of training programs across Asia and the Middle East.

Ken specializes in the relationship between grain quality and food properties. His development of effective methods to evaluate grain food quality has been a key to the success of BRI Australia's wheat program.

Ken is currently a board member of GoGrains Health and Nutrition and Research Director of the Grain Foods CRC.

Dr Michael Southan is Research & Services Manager - Produce at BRI Australia.

He is an Agricultural Scientist specialising in grain quality and grain processing as well as being a partner in the family farming business.

Michael has been involved in training university undergraduate students, grain growers, industry executives and government personnel.

Michael has made a unique contribution to milling research by combining cereal chemistry disciplines with milling engineering. He enjoys working with farmers and has been the deputy chair of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's Southern Panel and a member of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's Northern Panel.

John Kalitsis has a keen interest in energy management and process optimisation. This has led to John participating and managing a number of energy efficiency initiatives for the industry. This work has resulted in industry improving its environmental performance while reducing costs.

In addition to energy management, John has worked closely with industry in assisting with process measurement, optimisation and troubleshooting. This has been predominantly in high temperature processing and drying of food products.

To assist with process measurement, John has been involved in the design and development of new and innovative instrumentation for monitoring high temperature environments, mixing process and grain quality. 

Dr Ian Wesley studied chemistry in the UK at the Universities of York and Southampton where he gained extensive experience in the application of vibrational spectroscopy (Infrared, Raman and NIR) to a wide range of food and agricultural products.

Ian has worked on projects aimed at determining the underlying chemical basis for NIR calibrations and methods, with a particular focus on measurements of grain and food quality. He also developed and patented a novel technique for monitoring dough development.

Ian also has experience in data processing and information recovery, with an emphasis on multivariate methods.

Mathew Rees gained a BSc(hons) in Biology at university before deciding to move into the milling industry.

Since then, he has built up a skills base in the field of technical milling, initially through the completion of the London City & Guilds Correspondence course but then through involvement in and management of numerous milling projects and experiments spanning a period of over a decade.

Mathew currently manages the BRI Pilot Mill and hopes he can assist you to achieve whatever milling goals you may have. Whether you are interested in commercial toll milling of a grain or a food ingredient, method development, data acquisition or gluten free of organic milling.

Robert Quodling was born into a mixed cereal/livestock farming family in the Riverina town of Leeton.

His secondary education took place at Yanco Agricultural High School. After completing studies at the University of Western Sydney, Robert returned to the rural area.

Robert worked as a Rice Miller for Sunrice Australia (formerly known as the Ricegrowers Co-Operative Ltd.) for 6 years. His duties included Grain Recieval, Processing and Quality Assessment.

Robert joined BRI Australia after relocating to Sydney in 2003.

Robert's areas of expertise include: Grain Processing, Grain Quality Assessment, AQIS Quarantine Procedures and Management, NATA Laboratory Management, Project & Quality Management.

Sonya joined BRI Australia in 1998 after completing her PhD.

Her background is in Education, Agricultural Research and Food Mycology.

Sonya has worked for CSIRO and NSW Agriculture. In her role at BRI Australia, Sonya manages the day to day operations in the Asian Foods Laboratory.

One of her areas of interest is Sensory Evaluation of Foods.

Emeritus Professor Gordon MacAulay is Research & Services Manager - Economics at BRI Australia. He has wide experience in research, teaching and consultancy.

Emeritus Professor Gordon MacAulay was an inaugural member and Deputy Chair of the Wheat Export Authority, and worked on the Royal Commission into Grain Storage, Handling and Transportation and was Chief Research Economist in ABARE for two years.

Gordon was Professor of Agricultural Economics and Head of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Sydney from 1992 to 2003 and Acting Director of the Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific at the University of Sydney for 2005.

Gordon's main research interests are Policy Analysis and Economic Modelling of Agricultural Systems and Spatial Trading Systems. He has worked on Agricultural Systems and Spatial Trading Systems and has worked on Agricultural Development Projects in China, Indonesia and Vietnam related to land and natural resource use.

Gordon holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne and a PhD from the University of Guelph, Canada.

Steven's passion for the industry began with the commencement of his apprenticeship at a patisserie in the Southern Highlands.

During this time, Steven gained a wide range of processing experience including cake and pastry production, medium/large scale sour dough production and medium scale bread production.

Steven also represented NSW in various national awards; WorldSkills, Bake Skills and L A Judge. Completing his apprenticeship with distinction and the NSW State "Apprentice of the Year" Medal, Steven jumped straight into his role as Production Manager for a wholesale baked goods manufacturer.

In 2006 Steven joined BRI Australia as a Bakery Consultant, reinforcing his knowledge and developing greater experience within the industry, leading to his appointment of Bakery Manager in 2008.

With nearly 40 years of experience in food analysis, Richard previously worked in the Public Analysts System in England obtaining the qualification of Mastership in Chemical Analysis before emigrating to Australia in 1990.

Richard joined BRI Australia in 1991 as Manager of Analytical Services initially serving the baking and milling industries but charged with expanding the services to the whole food industry.

Richard believes in quality analysis with NATA accreditation, good response times and a close relationship with customers built on meeting their expectations and marketing timelines.

Noel Wright

Business Development Manager

Mr Sidi Huang

Research Scientist - Asian Foods

Noel is a graduate from the University of Queensland where he attained his B App Sci (Rural Technology).

He has gained wide experience in the R&D and commercial sectors of agriculture spanning livestock, horticulture and broadacre/irrigated cropping systems.

Noel has over 30 years of experience in commercialising R&D and business IP in the rural sector from pre farm gate to the plate.

Mr Sidi Huang has been a Senior Research Scientist in China, Scotland and at BRI Australia. 

Sidi has a wealth of knowledge in the wheat industry and a unique insight into the Chinese Market.

His expertise lies in the quality requirements for noodles, dumplings and steamed breads.