PRESIDENT'S NOTES
26 July 2001
Dear Colleague,
I have been looking at the statistics on business expenditure on R&D in the most recent reporting period (see below). It is a real shame that these figures have not improved. This is a serious situation that should have all sides of politics and indeed all Australians very worried. Policies such as Backing Australia’s Ability and Knowledge Nation show that there is bipartisan acknowledgment of the need to stimulate both business and public investment in R&D. The business expenditure figures demand that these policies be implemented as a matter of urgency.
Best wishes,
Brian D O Anderson
DECLINE IN BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN R&D
On 11 July 2001 the Australian Bureau of Statistics released the latest figures for business expenditure on research and development (BERD). Business expenditure on R&D in 1999-2000 showed a 3 per cent decline on 1998-99, confirming the slump since 1995-96. As a percentage of GDP, Australia’s business expenditure on R&D fell to 0.64 per cent in 1999-2000, following decreases in the previous three years. The falls follow significant increases in the five years before the high of 0.86 per cent in 1995-96.
The Bureau of Statistics news release is available at http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/BAE5FB25D2121F6DCA2568A9001393EF?Open&Highlight=0,BERD.
KNOWLEDGE NATION
Earlier this month I welcomed the report of Barry Jones’s taskforce on the Knowledge Nation. There is a lot of work to be done, in terms of setting priorities, budgets and timelines, before this report becomes policy. Nevertheless, this is the first time in a decade that science and technology have come to the forefront of the national agenda. Bipartisan support for the Chief Scientist’s initiatives can only be in Australia’s best interests.
The Academy’s media release is available at http://www.science.org.au/media/bold.htm.
PRIORITIES FOR THE PARTIES
As the Federal election approaches, the Academy hopes to influence the parties’ platforms with a paper on priorities for the next Australian government. It now seems opportune to press for a greater priority on education, since Australian expenditure on education is low compared to other OECD countries. The policies encouraging competition between universities and between states also need to be managed better. The Secretary (Science Policy), Michael Barber, and other Fellows are working on the paper, which should be released soon.
ARC APPOINTMENTS
I welcome the new appointments at the Australian Research Council: Vicki Sara as Chief Executive Officer and Peter Wills as Chair of the Board (of which I am also a member). Both are strong advocates of investing in research and development. The Academy’s media release is available at http://www.science.org.au/media/arc3.htm.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SUPPORT SCHEME
The International Conference Support Scheme (ICSS) has been run in recent years by the Institute of Engineers Australia (IEAust) on behalf of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), providing loans to organisers of international scientific conferences. Following development of the policy on Backing Australia's Ability, DISR has now given the parties to ICSS (the two science Academies and IEAust) the opportunity to develop a revised plan for ICSS under the Innovation Access Plan. The Minister's guidelines specify that:
* the existing ICSS funds (of about $800,000) will be dispersed over the four year period 2002-2006; and
* funds will be used strategically to support multi-disciplinary conferences and symposia in Australia involving key Australian and overseas stakeholders.
The Academy, together with IEAust and the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, is developing a proposal that will enhance the Innovation Action Plan and accord with the Ministerial guidelines. Essentially, the two Academies will be taking the lead and organising major conferences in emerging new areas, probably one from each Academy per annum, with Fellows as convenors.
If any Fellows have ideas for topics for cutting-edge, high-profile conferences, please contact your ICSS representative Brian Gunning at mailto:Gunning@rsbs.anu.edu.au or the Executive Secretary at mailto:es@science.org.au. Formal consultative procedures will be established if the new proposal is accepted; meanwhile it would be helpful to have informal ideas as soon as possible for initial conference(s) that might be held in 2002.
VICE-PRESIDENTS
The Secretary (Physical Sciences), Bruce McKellar, and the Secretary (Biological Sciences), John Young, have been appointed as Vice-Presidents of the Academy for 2001-02. They also held the positions last year.
SYMPOSIUM 2002
Planning is underway for the Academy’s public symposium in 2002, which will be convened by Graeme Pearman on the topic of sustainability. There will be contributions from the other Academies under the Joint Academies Committee for Sustainability. The UN Commission on Sustainable Development will hold a major international meeting next year, ‘Rio plus 10’, which will once again focus international and national discussion on the need for and mechanisms by which nations can address the transition to sustainability. This will make the Academy symposium on sustainability particularly timely.
SYMPOSIUM 2003
The Academy’s public symposium in 2003 will be convened by Michael Barber on nanoscience.
NEW FELLOWS SEMINAR 2001
Videotapes are now available of this stimulating and inspirational event held on 2 May at the Shine Dome. The cost is $60 (including GST and postage). A loan copy is available for the new Fellows who presented their work at the seminar. Contact Jo Justin at the Academy, phone (02) 6247 5777 or mailto:em@science.org.au.
ROLE OF NATIONAL COMMITTEES
The Academy’s National Committees are the face of the Academy presented to other organisations. They play an important national role in reviewing disciplines. The Council is looking at ways to increase the participation of Fellows in National Committees and to improve links with professional societies.
POTENTIAL FELLOWS
Some time ago the Academy set up search committees to find, in under-represented areas, potential candidates for election to the fellowship of the Academy. One under-represented group is women. The Academy’s Secretaries have asked the search committees why so few women are being put forward as candidates. The Council is also trying to better balance the representation of states and territories, and of scientific disciplines, on sectional committees.
MEETINGS OUTSIDE CANBERRA
The Academy has looked into the cost of holding its annual general meeting in Melbourne rather than Canberra. Because the additional cost would be about $40,000 (apart from secretarial dislocation) and many Fellows would miss the tradition of attending induction ceremonies in the Dome, we have decided not to hold the annual general meeting outside Canberra. Other activities and meetings are being planned for other cities.
THE ACADEMY’S FIRST FIFTY YEARS
Frank Fenner has most thoroughly and enthusiastically recorded the Academy’s history in two books, ‘The first twenty-five years’, published in 1980, and ‘The first forty years’, published in 1995, which updated and expanded the earlier volume. He has recently agreed to write ‘The first fifty years’, which will cover the period from 1954 to 2004.
SELBY LECTURES
One of the Academy’s 2001 Selby Fellows, Dr Jean Jouzel, will present public and scientific lectures around Australia in July and August. His topics are deuterium, oxygen-18 and the Vostock ice core project in Antarctica. For more details see http://www.science.org.au/awards/selby.htm#jouzel.
OLIPHANT CENTENARY DINNER
The centenary of the birth of the Academy’s founding President, Sir Mark Oliphant, will be on 8 October 2001. The Academy will mark this occasion with a public lecture and dinner in the Shine Dome. For more details mailto:do@science.org.au.
DIARY HIGHLIGHTS
30 August: Nominations for the Academy's 2002 awards close. Information
about the awards is available at http://www.science.org.au/awards/index.htm.
3-6 September: Fenner Conference on the Environment - Nature tourism and
the environment. More information is available from
mailto:r.buckley@mailbox.gu.edu.au, phone: (07) 5552 8677.
15 September: Deadline for applications to the Academy's international
exchange programs with Europe. More information is available at
http://www.science.org.au/internat.
30 September: Nominations for the Academy’s Travelling Fellowships and Research Conferences close. Information is available at http://www.science.org.au/awards/index.htm.
1 October: Deadline for applications to the Academy's international
exchange programs with Asia. More information is available at
http://www.science.org.au/internat.
1 October: Deadline for applications to the Academy's postdoctoral
fellowships program. More information is available at
http://www.science.org.au/internat.
8 October: Oliphant centenary dinner and public lecture. Contact mailto:do@science.org.au for more information.
12 October: Haddon King dinner at the Shine Dome. Contact mailto:ac@science.org.au for more information.
2 November: Deadline for applications to the Academy's international
exchange programs with North America. More information is available at
http://www.science.org.au/internat.
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
