On one hand, Tiarna Scerri is about to be admitted as a solicitor. On the other, she is halfway through a PhD focused on tackling one of the dairy industry’s most persistent challenges, mastitis.
It is an unusual combination, but one that neatly sums up why Ms Scerri has been selected as a 2026 evokeAG Groundbreaker. She sits at the intersection of science, regulation and practical agriculture, and she is focused on turning research into outcomes that matter on farm.
Based at Charles Sturt University’s Gulbali Institute in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Ms Scerri’s PhD research is centred on developing non-antibiotic treatments for bovine mastitis using advanced omic based biotechnology.
“Antibiotics are effective now, but they are not going to work forever,” Ms Scerri said. “We need alternatives that support animal health and productivity, while also being responsible about antibiotic use.”
While the specifics of her treatment remain confidential at this stage, the goal is clear. Improve mastitis management without increasing reliance on antibiotics, while supporting long term sustainability and regulatory confidence for the dairy sector.
Ms Scerri’s path into agriculture was not a traditional one. She grew up in Sydney’s Camden region and attended Hurlstone Agricultural High School, where exposure to dairy cattle sparked an interest that has stayed with her for more than a decade.
From there she completed a Bachelor of Science in genetics and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Sydney, before moving to Charles Sturt University for her PhD.
That dual background in science and law has shaped her long-term interests in how emerging agricultural technologies are regulated, approved and adopted.
“I am really interested in how people talk to each other to get technology into policy and practice,” Ms Scerri said. “Being able to understand both the science and the regulation is where I think I can contribute something meaningful.”
It is also why the evokeAG Groundbreakers Program appealed. The program provides targeted mentoring, storytelling and communications support, and a national platform at evokeAG to help emerging leaders clarify their message and connect with the right people faster.
As part of the program, each Groundbreaker receives a $3,000 bursary to invest directly into their work. Ms Scerri is using hers to attend and present at the International Dairy Federation Mastitis and Milking Technology Symposium in Stockholm in 2026.
“That conference is made for my project,” she said. “Being able to go, and to present, is something I simply could not have done without this support.”
For evokeAG, the Groundbreakers Program is about backing people who are driving practical change across the agrifood system. For Ms Scerri, it is about taking promising research beyond the lab and into conversations with producers, industry and regulators.
Ms Scerri will join other Groundbreakers and industry leaders on stage at evokeAG in Melbourne from February 17-18, where conversations around innovation, leadership and practical change will shape the future of Australian agriculture.
Tickets for evokeAG are available now.