PRESIDENT'S NOTES
15 May 2000
Dear Colleague,
I had the pleasure of talking with many Fellows at the Annual General Meeting and Symposium in early May. It was also great to see so many youthful speakers and audience members in the Dome.
With best wishes,
Brian D O Anderson
AUSTRALIA’S SCIENCE FUTURE SYMPOSIUM
The Academy’s Annual General Meeting was a huge success, with 340 registrations. Australia’s science future was a fitting theme for the symposium as we see out the 20th century and embark on a period that promises scientific advances at an even greater rate than in the last century. Information on the meeting and the symposiumis available on the Academy’s website at http://www.science.org.au/future.
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
The final day of the Academy’s Annual General Meeting saw the presentation of awards to some of Australia’s foremost scientists. The awards presented were: the Flinders Medal and Lecture to Professor David Boger; the inaugural Craig Medal to Professor Noel Hush; the Mawson Medal to Professor Christopher Powell; the Fenner Medal to Professor Hugh Possingham; the Frederick White Prize to Dr Peter Scales; the Gottschalk Medal to Dr David Vaux; and the Pawsey Medal to Dr Anthony Murphy.
NEW FELLOW ELECTED
On 5 May the Fellows elected Australia’s Chief Scientist, Robin Batterham, to the Fellowship. Dr Batterham was elected by special election for his contribution to science. Dr Batterham has brought erudition, energy, acuity and skill to his appointment as Chief Scientist and has shown his deep understanding of the two worlds of laboratory science and industrial development.
NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
The Academy has replaced five retiring members of its governing council. The new members are Graeme Pearman, the Chief of CSIRO Atmospheric Research; Cheryl Praeger, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Western Australia; Marilyn Renfree, Professor and Head of the Department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne; Kurt Lambeck, Professor of Geophysics at the Australian National University (as Foreign Secretary); and Bruce McKellar, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Melbourne (as Secretary, Physical Sciences).
NEW FELLOWS SEMINAR
Those who attended the presentations made by new Fellows of the Academy on 2 May will have been delighted and stimulated, as I was, by the breadth and quality of their work. For information about the new Fellows and abstracts of their talks go to http://www.science.org.au/ future/newfel.htm.
THE SHINE DOME
It was a great pleasure to be able to announce at the AGM that the Dome building will in future be called the Shine Dome, honouring Professor John Shine. His major gift is a great fillip for our fundraising drive. We are still seeking $900,000 to cover landscaping and the upgrading of the Wark Theatre. Council has determined that for all donations over $500 ($550 after 30 June), donors will be acknowledged with a small plaque on a seat in the theatre, bearing their name or the name of someone they wish to honour. For more information email Nancy Pritchard at mailto:ds@science.org.au.
The Academy is seeking Dome memorabilia for a display on the building, which is affectionately known to some visitors as the ‘Martian Embassy’. The star of the hit Australian film, The Castle, Michael Caton, launched the search on 5 May. A public display of Dome artefacts will be held next year at the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery. More information is available at http://www.science.org.au/dome.
QUALIFICATIONS REVIEW
The Academy will consider responding to a discussion paper on the review of guidelines for the bachelor degree and postgraduate qualifications. The discussion paper will be released by Advisory Board for the Australian Qualifications Framework in July.
SUSTAINABILITY MEETING
The Academy has decided to endorse the proposed statement on the global transition to sustainability to be issued by the InterAcademy Panel meeting in Tokyo later this month. Copies are available from Ros Wallace at mailto:ns@science.org.au.
MICHAEL PITMAN 1933–2000
It was with great sorrow that friends and colleagues of Michael Pitman, the former Foreign Secretary, attended his funeral service in Canberra on 3 April. Friends gathered at the Dome after the service.
VICTORIAN GROUP ACTIVITIES
The Victorian Group of the Academy has two important events planned for July and August. On 19 July they will welcome new Victorian Fellows at a dinner at University House at the University of Melbourne. And on 8 August they will hold the combined dinner of the Academies, again at University House. This will feature Professor David Yencken speaking on ‘Cassandra or Nostradamus: The Environmental Debate’. For more information contact Professor Geoffrey Opat, phone (03) 8344 5121 or fax (03) 9349 4912.
DIARY HIGHLIGHTS
1 June: Excom
19 July: New Victorian Fellows dinner
26 July: Council
8 August: Combined Academies dinner for Victorian Fellows
NATIONAL COMMITTEES
Minutes of the following meetings are available at www.science.org.au/
internat/natcomm/natcom.htm. Copies can be requested from Ros Wallace at mailto:ns@science.org.au or (02) 6247 3966.
- Plant sciences (18 October 1999)
- Animal sciences (13 August 1999)
- Geography (30 July 1999)
- Astronomy (12 July 1999)
- Quaternary research (11 June 1999)
- Biophysics (21 May 1999)
OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ACADEMY
President, Professor Brian Anderson
phone (02) 6279 8667, fax (02) 6279 8688,
mailto:brian.anderson@anu.edu.au
Secretary (Physical Sciences), Professor Bruce McKellar
phone (03) 9344 5122, mailto:b.mckellar@physics.unimelb.edu.au
Secretary (Biological Sciences), Professor John Young
phone (02) 9351 4600, mailto:johny@physiol.usyd.edu.au
Secretary (Science Policy), Professor John White
phone (02) 6249 3578, mailto:jww@rsc.anu.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Professor Kurt Lambeck
phone (02) 6249 5161, mailto:kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au
Treasurer, Professor Athel Beckwith
phone (02) 6249 3234, mailto:beckwith@rsc.anu.edu.au
