Angela Freeman

Dr Angela Joan Freeman (born 1955) is an Australian agricultural scientist. She is a Senior Research Scientist in Microbiology at the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI).
Early life and education
Freeman was born in Melbourne in 1955 and attended Fintona Girls School in Melbourne. She received her B Agr Sci from the University of Melbourne in 1976. She then received a PhD in 1986 for her work on photosynthesis of the intertidal seagrass Zostera muelleri in Westernport Bay as part of an environmental study of the bay and its future development.
Career
In 1983, Freeman joined the Victorian Department of Agriculture (now DEPI) as a plant virologist, working on overseas development projects in South-east Asia and the Pacific. The work focused on improved root crop production through the introduction of new species (potatoes), improved disease management in tropical root crops, production of virus-free planting material and the development of the first tissue culture collection of the indigenous root crops from the region.
In 1990 Freeman transferred to the Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture at Horsham, Victoria and took over the Management of the Australian Temperate Field Crops Collection and the Australian Post-entry Quarantine Program for Pulses and Oilseeds with a focus on importation of key germplasm to meet the needs of plant breeders, the continuous improvement of post-entry quarantine policies and practice and the safe transfer of crop germplasm.
Over the next 20 years Freeman developed a virology team with a focus on management of endemic viruses of grains and biosecurity preparedness for incursions of exotic viruses of grains, including the development of field surveillance methodologies and new diagnostic methods.
Current work
Freeman manages the national post-entry quarantine program for pulses and oilseeds. Her scientific expertise has led to major changes in regulation and testing of imported material. Freeman’s research team at Horsham, Victoria undertakes large scale annual virus surveys and provides the grains industry with disease management advice. Most recently this has been applied to the Beet Western Yellows virus in 2014.
Freeman works with the Australian national pulse breeding programs to ensure that new varieties being developed are free of virus, and is involved in an international virus resistance screening program for pulse germplasm.
Freeman is researching the impacts of climate change on key pests and diseases of grains, including the study of barley yellow dwarf virus and its aphid vector under elevated temperature and CO2.

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