Research interests

• Analysis using splines of repeated measures data coming from pasture trials
• Analysis of competition data from mixture experiments

Background

Steven joined the then Department of Agriculture and Fisheries* in December 1989. Was employed as a biometrician’s assistant and then as a Technical officer until 2001 when obtained current position as a Biometrician at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute (TAI). Work at Tamworth involves collaborating with researchers at TAI as well as at Narrabri, Armidale and Glen Innes. Recent work has mostly been on pasture trials (herbage mass and persistence) and on quality data of chickpeas (e.g. Splitting Yield) DPI’s in-house software “DIGGER” is used to produce efficient experimental designs for early generation testing of chickpeas.

*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

• B.Sc. (hons) – University of Canterbury (Christchurch NZ)
• Grad Dip Econometrics – University of New England (Armidale)
• Grad Dip Computing – Deakin University (Geelong)

Current projects

Steven has involvement in the following:  

• Evaluation of Hedysarum in northern NSW 
• Surface runoff response under simulated rainfall 
• Standardisation of methods to determine cooked spaghetti firmness 
• Latitudinal gradient in spider diversity in Australian cotton
• Resistance to phytophthora in wild Cicer varieties of chickpea 
• Competition experiments for grasses
• Perennial pasture cultivars in a recharge evironment

Recent Publications

Li GD, Lodge GM, Moore GA, Craig AD, Dear BS, Boschma SP, Albertsen TO, Miller SM, Harden S, Hayes RC, Hughes SJ, Snowball R, Smith AB and Cullis BC (2008) Evaluation of perennial pasture legumes and herbs to identify species with high herbage mass and persistence in mixed farming zones in southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture,48 449-466

Boschma SP, Lodge GM and Harden S (2008) Herbage mass  and persistence of pasture legumes and grasses at two potentially different saline and waterlogging sites in northern New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 48 553-567

Wood JA, Knights EJ and Harden S (2008) Milling performance in desi-type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): effects of genotype, environment and seed size. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture,88,109-115.

Greenwood PL, Harden S and Hopkins DL (2007) Myofibre characteristics of ovine longissimus and semitendinous muscles are influenced by sire breed, gender, rearing type, age and carcass weight. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture,47 1137-1146

Rhodes JW, Lacey MJ and Harden S (2007) Changes with age in Queen honey bee (Apis mellifera) Head Chemical constituents (Hymenoptera: Apidae).  Sociobiology, 2007,50,11-22

Fields of Research

010404 Applied Statistics

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

Consulant biometrician