Tracey Steinrucken is a plant pathologist with a foot in the door of both surveillance and diagnostics using novel molecular techniques. As a research scientist at the CSIRO in Brisbane, her primary focus is on plant pathogens of biosecurity concern to Australia’s agricultural and horticultural industries. She’s also interested in the use of airborne eDNA for the early detection of airborne plant pathogens such as Myrtle rust in Australia, and Ash dieback in Switzerland with her collaborators at WSL. Tracey has an extensive background in biocontrol research using plant pathogens as potential mycoherbicides for weeds during her time with RMIT University for her undergrad, Western Sydney University for her PhD, and Biosecurity Queensland and CSIRO for her postdoc. She did her Masters in Science – Plant Ecology – at Lund University in Sweden, she was a visiting fellow at ETH Zurich for her eDNA research, and a Fulbright scholar at the Forest Pathology lab at UC Berkeley in California. Tracey is passionate about science communication, STEM education, conservation and equality. She's a mum of two kids, a lifelong soccer player, and the immediate Past-President of the Australasian Mycological Society. Tracey is excited to help showcase the exceptional diversity of agricultural and environmental ecosystems in her home state of Queensland to the global plant pathology community. She’s especially hoping to ensure that ICPP2028 can be considered as part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many delegates, including those with families.