Lauren Adler

Former Austin resident Lauren Adler studied her Bachelor of Rural Science degree for the first two years at the Armidale campus of UNE in 2021.

Afterwards she moved on to 5 acres at Horsley Park in Sydney where she completed her studies by distance education. During that time, Lauren was determined to get some real-world experience in her field and worked part-time at Barter & Sons Chicken Hatchery and as Assistant Farm Manager at Prairiewood High School. Upon completion of her studies in 2021, Lauren followed her dream to the country, taking a full-time position at Elders Rural in Mudgee as a Rural Products Sales Representative and living on 25 acres in Cooks Gap, 34 km NW of Mudgee. In her time at Elders, her crowning achievement was introducing Faecal Egg Counting as a service to local farmers. Using a Parasite Faecal Egg Counting machine in store, she was able to check the worm burden of farmer’s sheep, cattle and goats.

In January 2023, Lauren was selected to take part in the NSW Local Land Services Graduate Program for the Central Tablelands region, based in Mudgee. The Local Land Services graduate program provides a great pathway for university graduates to kick-start their career. Graduates receive dedicated support and development opportunities through on the job experience, mentoring, training and engagement with landholders and stakeholders. As a graduate with Local Land Services, Lauren had the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained through her university degree in a dynamic, supportive organisation focused on enhancing community outcomes in rural and regional communities.

In November 2023, Lauren was successful in gaining a position with NSW Local Land Services for the Central Tablelands region, based in Mudgee, as a fully-fledged Land Services Officer. This role delivers front line services to farmers and community that help them manage our landscapes to be healthy and productive including the provision of natural resource management and agricultural productivity information, advice and extension services; management of natural resource management and agricultural productivity projects; delivery of emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery services; development of partnerships and collaboration; and monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement of programs and projects.

Lauren was a Southern Australia Livestock Research Council Young Researcher and Extension Scholar for 2023 and has submitted articles to the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN), which is the premier international event for rural and community advisory practitioners, researchers, policy makers, academics and others involved in extension and education. She has participated in emergency responses for local bush fires, was a guest judge at the Taralga / Cromwell pasture competition, and involved in management activities for Varroa mites which are the most serious pest of honey bees worldwide.

Most recently, Lauren was celebrated by Local Land Services NSW during this year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, where she gave her thoughts on working in her field, stating "Science is not just for those who love numbers or being in laboratories. For me, I am strong in biological sciences, agriculture, earth, and environmental science. There are career opportunities in science wherever your strengths are, all you need is passion and commitment."