PRESIDENT'S NOTES
4 February 2005
Dear Colleague,
We were all shocked by the loss of life and devastation caused by the Boxing Day Tsunami. In response to the disaster, the Academy, together with the three other learned academies (Academy of Technical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences, and Humanities), the Crawford Fund and the ARC Asia Pacific Research Network, will be holding a symposium on 31 March-1 April called ‘After the Tsunami—Harnessing Australian Expertise for Disaster Recovery’ in the Shine Dome, Canberra. A planning meeting was held on 27 January to determine the format and a draft program. It is an event that promises to distil important and timely recommendations to assist with the rehabilitation process. It also offers an opportunity for the Australian sciences, Social sciences and Humanities to partner with our Asia/Pacific neighbours to develop strategic approaches for longer-term, sustainable planning and preparedness and response for such disasters.
The Academy is this year hosting the annual meeting of FASAS (Federation of Asian Scientific Academies and Societies) in Canberra from 4 to 7 September 2005; we plan to markedly increase our financial contribution and other commitments to that organisation, in order to engage in capacity building. There are 17 member academies of FASAS, including those from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The meeting will provide an opportunity for discussion of global collaboration (sharing of scientific information) as it relates to development of early warning systems and other challenges.
The Academy will be hosting a High Flyers Think Tank for early career researchers on 2-4 October in Darwin, in conjunction with Charles Darwin University, on the topic of ‘Innovative Technical Solutions for Tropical Australia’, that will include scientific contributions in areas of communications, early warning systems for cyclones and tsunamis, and disaster recovery.
With best wishes, Jim
The Academy’s most recent Newsletter is available at http://www.science.org.au/newsletters/aas60.pdf.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2005 ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS
Senior awards
The 2006 Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture for research in the biological sciences:
Professor Jenny Graves, FAA, Australian National University
The Craig Medal for research in any branch of chemistry:
Professor John White, FAA, FRS, Australian National University
The Hannan Medal for research in applied and computational mathematics:
Professor Richard Brent, FAA, Australian National University
The Haddon King Medal for research in mineral exploration:
Professor Ross Large, FTSE, University of Tasmania
The Jaeger Medal for research in the Earth sciences:
Professor Brian Kennett, FAA, Australian National University
The Lyle Medal for research in mathematics or physics:
Professor Tony Guttmann, FAA, University of Melbourne
Junior awards (researchers under 40 years)
The Dorothy Hill Award for research by female scientists in the Earth sciences:
Dr Madeleine van Oppen, Australian Institute of Marine Science
The Fenner Medal for research in biology (excluding the biomedical sciences):
Associate Professor Brett Neilan, University of New South Wales
The Gottschalk Medal for research in the medical sciences:
Dr Ricky Johnstone, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute
The LeFèvre Memorial Prize for research in chemistry:
Professor Frank Caruso, University of Melbourne
The Moran Medal for research in statistics:
Associate Professor Mark Blows, University of Queensland
The Pawsey Medal for research in physics:
Professor Michelle Simmons, University of New South Wales
Other awards
The Selby Fellowship sponsors distinguished scientists to visit scientific centres in Australia and to deliver public lectures:
Professor Bonny Bassler, Princeton University, New Jersey
The Conservation of Endangered Species Award offers support for research on endangered Australian vertebrate species:
Dr Terry O’Dwyer, University of Wollongong
Dr Sarah Pryke, University of New South Wales
Mr Glen Gaikhorst, Perth Zoo
Ms Monica Ruibal, Australian National University
The Maxwell Ralph Jacobs Awards promotes research in forestry:
Ms Alison Miller, University of Tasmania
Dr Ian Brooker, CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products
PUBLIC LECTURE BY PROFESSOR F. SHERWOOD ROWLAND
I am looking forward to joining with the Canberra Fellows’ Dining Club in hosting a private dinner at the Academy for Professor Rowland and Mrs Rowland on Monday 21 February, after he presents a public lecture at the Shine Dome. Professor Rowland is the Donald Bren Research Professor of Chemistry and Earth System Science at the University of California Irvine. He shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Mario Molina and Paul Crutzen for their work in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Institute of Medicine (US) and the American Philosophical Society. He served as Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences from 1994 to 2002 and was the foundation co-Chair of the InterAcademy Panel.
Professor Rowland’s lecture. The changing atmosphere in 2005, will commence at 6.00pm and conclude at 7.00pm. Admission is free.
FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE 2005
In 2003 the Academy initiated Frontiers of Science, an innovative event showcasing Australia’s rising research science talent. Planning is now underway for our next Frontiers of Science, to be held at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne on 12 and 13 April. The symposium will bring together some of Australia’s best young scientists to present and discuss emerging science and technology, highlight and discover new opportunities, and share cutting-edge advances in their fields. The event will involve participants from universities, government and industry, with topics covering a diverse range of biological and physical sciences. Over the course of the symposium 16 young scientists will explain what they do and why, and hopefully, during this process will come to discover how ideas can bridge disciplines.
PrimaryConnections
Along with my colleague, Dr Trish Mercer from the Department of Education, Science and Training, I was delighted to welcome 105 primary school teachers from 56 schools across Australia to the Shine Dome on 17 January. The occasion was the week-long professional learning workshop for teachers trialling the Academy’s new PrimaryConnections program in 2005.
The teachers participated in the hands-on science activities that they will be teaching as part of PrimaryConnections, and also explored the range of literacy practices that are used to represent science. They visited CSIRO Discovery and Questacon during the week.
Those of you interested in finding out more about PrimaryConnections can visit the website at http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections.
SCIENCE AT THE SHINE DOME 2005
One of the most important events on the Academy’s calendar, Science at the Shine Dome (which incorporates our Annual General Meeting), will run from 4-6 May this year. One of the highlights of the three-day event will be on Wednesday 4 May when our new Fellows present 10-minute talks on their research. And this year’s symposium, ‘Recent Advances in Stem Cell Science and Therapies’ to be held on Friday 6 May, features the leading Australian and international researchers in this fast-moving field of human endeavour.
Programs and registration details for Science at the Shine Dome are being added to the Academy’s website as they are finalised (http://www.science.org.au/sats2005).
FOR THE FELLOWSHIP
ARC LINKAGE-LEARNED ACADEMIES SPECIAL PROJECTS SCHEME
Fellows are invited to prepare expressions of interest in Academy activities that might be funded in 2006 under the ARC Linkage-Learned Academies Special Projects scheme.
The objectives of Special Projects funding are to support projects undertaken by the Learned Academies which:
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capitalise on their unique capabilities;
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assist programs of research undertaken by institutions; and
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may be expected to have results of broad benefit for research and scholarship in the natural and applied sciences, technological development and applied technology, the social sciences and the humanities. The Australian Research Council is particularly interested in supporting activities in areas of demonstrable national importance.
Expressions of interest should be forwarded by email to the Secretary (Science Policy) at aas@science.org.au by 2 May 2005. Information about the ARC Linkage-Learned Academies Special Projects scheme is available at http://www.arc.gov.au/grant_programs/linkage_learned.htm.
NOMINATIONS FOR SPECIAL ELECTION
In accordance with the Bye-Laws, Chapter II Section 10, Council may consider electing to the Fellowship a person ‘who has rendered conspicuous service to the cause of science or whose election would be of signal benefit to the Academy and to the advancement of science’.
Fellows are invited to submit names and citations for Special Election to the President at any time (email president@science.org.au).
DIARY DATES
21 February. Public lecture by Nobel Prize winner Professor F. Sherwood Rowland, ‘The changing atmosphere in 2005’. The Shine Dome, Gordon Street, Canberra, 6.00pm. (See item above.)
23 February. Public lecture by Professor Rod Rhodes, ‘Is Westminster dead in Westminster (and why should we care)?’ The first in ANU-ANZSOG’s series of public lectures to be held at the Shine Dome during 2005. The lecture will commence at 5.30pm and will be followed by light refreshments.
31 March-1 April. ‘After the Tsunami—Harnessing Australian Expertise for Disaster Recovery’. (See item above.)
8 April. Deadline for nominations for DEST’s 2005 Science Prizes (https://sciencegrants.dest.gov.au/scienceprize/pages/home.aspx).
20 April. ‘Green Chemistry: An Australian Imperative’. A free one-day symposium to be held at the Shine Dome, Canberra. Organised by Monash University’s Centre for Green Chemistry, Monash University (phone (03) 9905 4547 or mailto:green.chemistry@sci.monash.edu.au).
2 May. Deadline for expressions of interest for ARC Linkage-Learned Academies Special Projects scheme. (See item above.)
4-6 May. Science at the Shine Dome. (See item above.)
COUNCIL MEMBERS (www.science.org.au/fellows/council/)
President, Jim Peacock
phone (02) 6246 5250, fax (02) 6246 4866, president@science.org.au
Secretary (Physical Sciences), Robert Frater
phone (02) 9886 5628, rfrater@resmed.com.au
Secretary (Biological Sciences), John Shine
phone (02) 9295 8120, j.shine@garvan.org.au
Secretary (Science Policy), Michael Barber
phone (02) 6276 6388, michael.barber@csiro.au
Secretary (Education and Public Awareness), John McKenzie
phone (03) 8344 6407, dean@science.unimelb.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Bruce McKellar
phone (03) 8344 5122, b.mckellar@physics.unimelb.edu.au
Treasurer, Ian McDougall
phone (02) 6125 4136, Ian.McDougall@anu.edu.au
