Ian Southwell, born at Cowra, NSW, Australia, graduated in Science with Honours (1967) and Masters (1972) degrees from the University of Sydney. He joined the Essential Oil group at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (1968). In 1982 he obtained his PhD from the University of Manchester, UK, for studies in terpene synthesis. After a brief time in alkaloid synthesis at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, he returned to Australia to lead the Essential Oi1 Unit at NSW Agriculture's Wollongbar Agricultural Institute where he is now Principal Research Scientist. He has published prolifically on essential oil bearing species in relation to chemical structure, bioactivity, irritancy, chemical ecology and essential oil production, has completed several short term UNIDO assignments and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and currently Chairman of Standards Australia's Essential Oil Committee.

Robert Lowe, born in Sydney. Australia, is a Technical Officer at NSW Agriculture's Wollongbar Agricultural Institute. He has a background and technical qualifications in analytical chemistry as well as diplomas from the University of Southern Queensland in Asian Studies and Further Education and Training. He has worked in Australian and Indonesian research and university laboratories and, in recent years, has been involved in agronomic and breeding research with tea tree.