Sixty young analytical chemists from around Australia are presenting their research to industry leaders and peers at a conference hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre in Wagga Wagga this week.

The eighth annual Research and Development Conference of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is being held from Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 December.

Director of the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Professor Geoff Scollary, said the conference was important for the development of communication skills of postgraduate students and young industry researchers in environmental, clinical and food analytical chemistry.

"Conferences of this type meet some of the criteria set by the Commonwealth Government's recently released Research and Research Training plan," Professor Scollary said.

Guests include Professor Brynn Hibbert from the University of NSW as Chair of the RACI Analytical Chemistry Division and Associate Professor Neil Barnett from Deakin University, the driving force behind the research and development meetings.

Special overseas guest is one of the world's leading analytical chemists, Professor Alan Townshend of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, who is a conference judge with representatives from industry sponsors.

Professor Scollary said the participants will be judged on their oral and poster presentations.