Professor Steel has over 25 years of academic teaching experience that encompasses the fields of wine science, viticulture, microbiology and biochemistry. His teaching delivery includes on-campus, on-line and off-shore student cohorts at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has managed a number of international teaching partnerships between CSU and off-shore partners. He has published his teaching innovations in peer-reviewed journals and is a co-author of the second edition of the student text book, The Grapevine: from the science to the practice of growing vines for wine. He is currently the Head of Discipline for Wine Science and Viticulture and has served on course advisory committees for a number of universities both within Australia and overseas. He has served as an examiner for research higher degree theses from a wide range of universities both nationally and internationally and supervises PhD students in the fields of plant pathology and horticulture.

The impact of climate and the environment on grape production and disease incidence have been a major focus of Professor Steel’s research. Recent research has been concerned with the impact fungal plant pathogens have on grape and wine quality. Much of his research has been of a multi-disciplinary nature, encompassing plant pathology, analytical chemistry, and sensory science. His engagement with industry partners has led to the successful completion of several joint PhD projects. He is known nationally and internationally for his work on fungal bunch rots of grapes and in particular, Botrytis grey mould. Much of his research is of an applied nature, providing research solutions to the wine industry. He has conducted numerous workshops for grape growers and wine makers in Australia and has presented his research widely around the globe in diverse countries including Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, UK and the USA.