PRESIDENT'S NOTES
5 June 2001
Dear Colleague,
It was good to see so many Fellows at Science at the Shine Dome earlier this month, especially those like Peter Doherty and Gus Nossal who had made special efforts to be there. The Prime Minister’s launch of the renovated Shine Dome, and the breakfast beforehand, gave us a great chance to impress on him the importance of basic research and the people who do it.
Best wishes
Brian D O Anderson
SCIENCE AT THE SHINE DOME
This was the title that brought together the Academy’s annual events in Canberra from 2 to 4 May. A pdf file of the full program (including citations and abstracts) is available at http://www.science.org.au/academy/sats.pdf.
NEW FELLOWS SEMINAR
Science at the Shine Dome began on 2 May with presentations from Fellows recently elected to the Academy. This is always exceptionally stimulating and informative, showing what is happening at a selection of the frontiers of science. Abstracts are available at http://www.science.org.au/academy/fellows/2001abstracts.htm.
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
On 3 May Grant Sutherland delivered the Burnet Lecture on unstable regions of human DNA and received the Burnet Medal for the biological sciences. Other medals presented were:
- Pawsey Medal for physics, Dr Brian Schmidt
- Gottschalk Medal for mammalian animals, Professor Christopher Goodnow
- Fenner Medal for plant and non-mammalian animal sciences, Dr Barry Pogson
- Craig Medal for chemistry, Professor Michael Paddon-Row,
- Moran Medal for statistical science, Dr Aihua Xia
- Jaeger Medal for solid earth and its oceans, Dr Bruce Hobbs
- Lyle Medal for mathematics and physics, Professor Ian Sloan
Hannan Medal for statistical science, Professor Adrian Baddeley
Citations are available on pages 6-9 of the program at http://www.science.org.au/academy/sats.pdf. Information on the Academy's awards is at http://www.science.org.au/awards/index.htm.
DOHERTY TALK
The Australian Nobel laureate, Peter Doherty (now working in Tennessee), addressed the relationship between science and society at the Academy dinner at Old Parliament House on 3 May. His talk was entitled ‘Science and prosperity in the global village’.
SHINE DOME REOPENED BY PRIME MINISTER
The Academy's Shine Dome, a Canberra landmark, has been closed for a year for repairs and improvements to fire safety, air conditioning, electrical systems, audiovisual facilities and landscaping. Major contributors to the $2.2 million cost of the renovations have been Professor John Shine and the Council of the Centenary of Federation.
After a breakfast in the Dome on 4 May 2001, the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, launched the renovated building. More information about the Dome is at http://www.science.org.au/dome/. The transcript of the Prime Minister's speech is at http://www.science.org.au/media/pmtrans.htm.
CRACKING THE CODE
After the launch, we were educated and entertained at the symposium, ‘Cracking the code - using the code: The Human Genome Project and its applications’. The range of research being done in this field in Australia, and the quality of the people doing it, is outstanding. (Details of speakers and abstracts are available on pages 13-20 of the full program at http://www.science.org.au/academy/sats.pdf.)
Next year’s symposium will be on the topic of Sustainability.
NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS
Six Fellows were elected to vacancies on the Academy’s governing Council:
Professor Ian McDougall, Treasurer
Professor Michael Barber, Secretary (Science Policy)
Professor Lew Mander, Member, Physical Sciences
Professor David Pegg, Member, Physical Sciences
Professor Bob Porter, Member, Biological Sciences
Professor Jim Angus, Member, Biological Sciences.
I would like to thank the retiring Council members for their efforts, especially retiring Officers Professor John White (Secretary, Science Policy) and Professor Athel Beckwith (Treasurer).
AUSTRALIAN JOURNALS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The Academy is considering the merits of its arrangement with CSIRO Publishing to publish 12 scientific journals together. Two are losing money and one, The Australian Journal of Physics, recently ceased publication.
Some Fellows are concerned about the worldwide trend for commercial publishers to take over scientific journals.
I would welcome suggestions from Fellows about the role of the Academy. The matter will be addressed by Council at its meeting on 11 July. Please
mailto:h.tyndale-biscoe@cse.csiro.au.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Cheryl Praeger has suggested that the Academy’s strategic plan should be available on the website or in the year book. Fellows’ views are welcome at mailto:es@science.org.au.
REGIONAL GROUPS
Some State governments seem to be taking a greater interest in science, funding research and setting up advisory bodies. This gives the Academy’s regional groups an opportunity to take the initiative in State science and technology policy matters.
SCIENCE DOCUMENTARIES
Robyn Williams told us of the plight of science programs at the ABC. He proposed the establishment of a foundation for supporting the production of science documentaries.
I would encourage Fellows and other scientists to join me in writing to Senator Alston and the Chair of the ABC about the downgrading of science on ABC television in particular. An awareness of science, technology and the environment is vital for the constantly changing lives of citizens in a technological society. Though schools and universities provide science education, the mass media are the only way to reach the broader public and to keep them up to date. If the commercial media fail to communicate much scientific information, surely it is the role of the national broadcaster to do so.
CONFERENCE SUPPORT
In other activities, the Academy has suggested to the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources that conferences on multi-disciplinary and emerging science and technology fields should be encouraged. The department, which is currently reviewing its conference support scheme, has some sympathy for this new approach.
FEAST
The Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology held its inaugural event (FEAST1) at the Academy on 30 and 31 May 2001. The theme of the meeting was Enhancing research through collaborations and linkages. The 220 invited delegates represented one of the largest gatherings of European and Australian researchers and research managers. The discussion papers on the four workshops held during FEAST1 are available at http://www.france.net.au/feast/.
DIARY HIGHLIGHTS
25 July: President to give the Telstra Address at the National Press Club - 'Australia and the ICT Revolution'. More information is available at http://www.npc.org.au/speak/future.html. The address will be televised live by the ABC.
September: Asian Post-Doctoral Awards Committee
October: Asia Collaboration Support Committee
November: Europe Collaboration Support Committee
December: North America Collaboration Support Committee
OFFICE BEARERS
President, Professor Brian Anderson
phone (02) 6125 8667, fax (02) 6125 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 Michael Barber
phone (08) 9380 2460, mailto:mbarber@acs.uwa.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Professor Kurt Lambeck
phone (02) 6125 5161, mailto:kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au
Treasurer, Professor Ian McDougall
phone (02) 6125 4136, mailto:Ian.McDougall@anu.edu.au
