Curriculum Vitae

Research interests

  • Chemical analysis and evaluation of edible oils for quality and nutrition
  • Harvest timing, cultivars and processing for improved olive oil production
  • Oxidative stability and shelf life in edible oil.
  • Canola breeding and quality
  • Quality improvement in canola oil and meal

Background

Rod Mailer for many years headed the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ edible oil research program. He joined NSW Agriculture* in 1979 and has managed research projects in various oil crops, particularly canola and olive oil during that time. He is associated with the release of 20 canola cultivars from the breeding program.

Dr Mailer carried out studies on environmental effects on the quality of canola at Australian National University for his MSc. He studied for, and obtained, his PhD at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada using HPLC and DNA-PCR technology to measure canola cultivar variation and discrimination.

He has represented the NSW DPI as a technical advisor to the Australian Oilseed Federation (AOF) and is an honorary member of the AOF and the Australian Olive Association (AOA).

He was the inaugural President of the Australian Section of the American Oil Chemists’ Society.

He has been the Australian representative on the International Standards Organisation for Fats and Oils and past President of the International Society for Fat Research (ISF), Germany.

Dr Mailer chaired the organisation of the International Rapeseed Congress in Canberra in 1999 and was chairman of the organising committee for the World Congress on Oils and Fats and 28th ISF Congress held in Sydney in 2009 and again in 2019.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

  • Master Science – Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
  • Doctor of Philosophy – University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

Selected Past projects

  • Harvest timing to improve oil quality and sensory characteristics in olive oil
  • Effects of processing on canola meal
  • Shelf life and oxidative stability in oil
  • Storage and transport of olive oil
  • Improved quality characteristics in canola (National Brassica Project)
  • Effects of irrigation on olive oil yield, quality and sensory characteristics.
  • Compliance of Australian cultivars to international standards
  • Developing an Australian sensory panel network for olive oil.

Book & Journal Publications

  • Dr Mailer has published chapters in 9 books and has over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Awards

  • National Agricultural Commodities Marketing Association Ltd (NACMA) – service to industry award
  • American Oil Chemists’ Timothy Mounts Award 2008
  • Australian William Farrer Award – contribution to agricultural research – 2009
  • Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, KSLA, Sweden – Research Fellow, 2011
  • Groupe Consultatif International Recherche sur le1Colza, GCIRC, Paris – Honorary member, 2012
  • Australian Olive Association – Honorary member, 2001.
  • Australian Oilseed Federation – Life Member, 2006
  • American Oil Chemists’ Society Fellowship Award – Research Fellow, 2014 –

Professional associations and activities

  • Research Fellow, American Oil Chemists’ Society, 2014
  • Emeritus Member, AOCS 2019
  • Research Fellow, Royal Swedish Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, KSLA. Sweden – Present
  • Past Associate Supervisor – University of Sydney.
  • Past Associate Supervisor – University of Western Sydney
  • Adjunct Professor – EH Grahame Centre – Charles Sturt University.
  • Past President (2007 – 2009) – International Society for Fat Research (ISF) Germany
  • Past President – Groupe Consultatif International de Reserche sur le Colza, Paris, France (GCIRC) 1995-1999
  • Executive Board member – Groupe Consultatif International de Recherche sur le Colza 1995-2021
  • Inaugural President – Australasian Section of American Oil Chemists Society 1996-1998
  • Chair – World Congress on Fats and Oils and ISF Congress, Sydney 2005- 2009.
  • Chair – International Rapeseed Congress, Canberra 1997 – 2001.
  • Australian Olive Association – Honorary member since 1996
  • American Oil Chemists Society – Member since 1981
  • German Fat Society, DGF – Member 2006-2010
  • Australian Oilseed Federation: Technical Standards Committee, Chair – Canola quality objectives group
  • International Society for Fat Research – Executive Committee member
  • International Standards Organisation (ISO) Fats and Oils Standards – Australian representative, ISO TC 34 Food Products: ISO TC34/SC2 – Oleaginous seeds and fruits and oilseed meals, ISO TC34/SC11 – Animal and vegetable fats and oils

Contact details

Business

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rodney-mailer-bb542127/

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