Rate My Professor Stephen On

Professor Stephen On is Professor of Microbiology, Head of the Department of Wine, Food and Molecular Biosciences, and Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Lincoln University, New Zealand. He earned a BSc (Hons) and PhD from United Kingdom institutions, completing his doctorate on identification methods for rRNA superfamily VI at the Central Public Health Laboratory in London. His professional career began with a position as Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute of Food and Veterinary Research in 1994. In 2005, he moved to New Zealand as Food Programme Leader at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research. On joined Lincoln University in 2015 as Associate Professor of Food Microbiology, was promoted to full Professor in 2022, and assumed leadership of the Department of Wine, Food and Molecular Biosciences in June 2017. He also serves as Acting Director of the Centre for Foods for Future Consumers and is responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in microbial food safety and biotechnology.

Stephen On's academic interests focus on microbial taxonomy, diagnostics for foodborne pathogens of humans and animals using phenotypic and molecular methods, molecular epidemiology of antibiotic resistance, and microbial contributions to wine and beer production, spoilage, and safety. Current projects encompass Arcobacter characterisation, advanced photonic methods for bacteria, proteomics of winemaking yeast, metagenomics of wild-fermented wines, and biocontrol of Vibrio. He has authored over 170 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, accumulating more than 9,000 citations with an h-index of 44. His contributions have earned awards including the 2001 WH Pierce Memorial Prize from the Society for Applied Microbiology for outstanding bacteriology work, the 2014 New Zealand Business Events Award for hosting the 18th International Workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms, and the 2017 New Zealand Microbiological Society Distinguished Orator Award. Professor On chairs the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes subcommittee on Campylobacter and related bacteria taxonomy, serves as ICSP Secretary for Subcommittees, edits a major food microbiology journal as Editor-in-Chief, has supervised 15 PhD students to completion, and advises the World Health Organization, New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, World Bank Global Food Safety Partnership, and food industry as an expert witness.