PRESIDENT'S NOTES
28 September 1999
Dear Colleague,
This note covers the meetings of EXCOM and a number of other events that I and the other Officers have shared in. For example, the Standing Committee of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council and the Steering Committee for the National Innovation Summit have both met since my last note.
From now on, this newsletter will be sent to members of the Academy’s National Committees. Welcome to you who are helping to advance the work of your disciplines and of science in Australia. At the end of this note you will find links to minutes of recent meetings of National Committees.
With best wishes,
Brian D O Anderson
CLONING FOR TISSUE REPAIR
The Academy hosted a very successful forum on therapeutic cloning for tissue repair on 16 September. Leading scientists, politicians, legal experts and philosophers attended. They agreed that there was a need for wide public debate on issues related to human embryonic stem cell research. The Academy believes such research should be permitted under appropriate regulations, but recognises that legislation governing the issue is patchy. Any legislation must allow for the rapid changes in the evolving technology. More information on the Academy’s position is available at www.science.org.au/
policy/statemen/cloning.htm.
GREEN PAPER
The Academy was early with its response to the Green Paper’s proposals. You have had an earlier email about that statement (www.science.org.au/
policy/statemen/green.htm). The Presidents of the three other academies and I have also written to the Minister for Education following a meeting with Dr Kemp in August. I also met the Chief Scientist and the ARC Chair on the same subject.
BRIEFING FOR OPPOSITION FRONTBENCHERS
The Academy has always adopted a non-partisan approach to advising elected representatives. I was grateful for the opportunity to expand on the Academy’s positions on science, innovation and education policies to an informal meeting of the Shadow Ministers for Industry, Science and Education (Mr Bob McMullan, Mr Martyn Evans and Mr Michael Lee).
REGIONAL GROUPS
One of the objectives of the Academy’s Strategic Plan is to raise the national profile of the Academy. To increase its visibility outside Canberra, Council will support the initiatives of Regional Groups of Fellows in visits to politicians and officials, organising meetings and seminars, and the representation of regional concerns in issues such as educational policy.
NATIONAL INNOVATION SUMMIT
Following discussions between members of EXCOM and the Deputy Secretary of DISR, John White and I are preparing a submission to the National Innovation Summit Working Parties. For more information contact Peter Vallee at the Academy on es@science.org.au or (02) 6247 5777.
REVIEW OF LEARNED ACADEMIES
Following a written communication, I am meeting the Chair of the Australian Research Council to discuss the review of the learned Academies due next year. I will be seeking an appropriate description of the scope of the next review - the last one was in 1995 - and an assurance that the review will respect the independence and integrity of the academies.
DAVID CRAIG MEDAL AND LECTURE
The Secretary (Physical Sciences), Kurt Lambeck, has been finalising the details of an award to honour our colleague, a great chemist and former President of the Academy, David Craig. Lew Mander and Denis Evans have taken leading roles. Many of you have already contributed to the fund. If you wish to do so, contributions may be made out to the ‘AAS - David Craig Fund’.
NH&MRC RESEARCH PRIORITIES
The National Health and Medical Research Council has invited the Academy to participate in the process of setting the Council’s strategic research priorities for the triennium 2000-2002. The Secretary (Biological Sciences), John Young will represent the Academy.
The Academy has also nominated two Fellows (John Young and David
de Kretser) and other scientists for membership of the NH&MRC and of its the Australian Health Ethics Committee.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The Academy has made its first annual report to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources under the three-year contract for funding the Academy’s international collaborations program. Sections of the report are available at www.science.org.au/internat/internat.htm.
WARK MEDAL TO TOM HEALY, FAA
On 25 August I enjoyed the Wark dinner in Melbourne and an after-dinner speech from Tom Healy, of the University of Melbourne, our 1999 Ian Wark Medallist. He had some very perceptive things to say about the future of university research. For more on his medal-winning research, see the news release at www.science.org.au/media/wark99.htm.
ENDANGERED ANIMALS RESEARCH AWARDS
We have established, with private funding, a program to support research into the conservation of endangered native animals. It has made its first three awards. Dr Patricia Woolley will receive $13,000 to study the Julia Creek dunnart; Dr David Taggart will receive $12,000 to study the south-eastern Australian brush-tailed rock wallaby; and Dr Jean-Marc Hero will receive $10,000 to investigate endangered frogs in south-eastern Queensland.
FREW FELLOWSHIP
The Academy will offer a Frew Fellowship to Professor Ahmed Zewail of the California Institute of Technology. Professor Zewail will visit Australia and attend the Australian Conference on Optics, Lasers and Spectroscopy in July 2001. As the fellowship proceeds the Academy will make more information available.
SOILS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA
Fixing the Foundations, an Academy symposium on the role of soil science in sustainable land and water management, will be held in Adelaide on 11 and 12 November. I am grateful to Keith Boardman and John Williams of CSIRO for their work on the meeting program. For program details visit the web site (www.science.org.au/soil.htm) or contact Faye Nicholas at the Academy on ac@science.org.au or (02) 6247 5777.
Professor David Copolov of the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria has been invited to develop a draft program for a special symposium on schizophrenia. This will be the second in a series of symposia relating research to social issues, supported by a private donor.
AGM SYMPOSIUM TOPICS
EXCOM has been considering potential topics for the Academy’s annual general meeting symposia in the years 2001 and 2002. John Young is developing a proposal for 2001 on the impact on research of knowledge of the human genome. We will consider the topic for 2002 after next year’s symposium. Suggestions are welcome. As mentioned in an earlier note, the year 2000 symposium will be on Australia’s Science Future and will feature a number of our brightest younger researchers.
INTELLECTUAL OWNERSHIP
The report of a National Academies Forum symposium on Scholarship, Intellectual Ownership and the Law, held in July, is now available at www.naf.org.au/iosymp.htm.
GENIUSES, PRODIGIES AND SAVANTS
In December the Centre for the Mind at ANU will hold a conference entitled Geniuses, Prodigies and Savants. The conference will explore the human mind and feature the personal stories of some people who have been touched by unusual minds. For more information email mind.centre@anu.edu.au.
AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HERITAGE CENTRE
Ross Day, a Fellow from La Trobe University, has agreed to represent the Academy on the Board of the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre.
OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ACADEMY
President, Professor Brian Anderson
phone (02) 6279 8667, fax (02) 6279 8688,
email brian.anderson@anu.edu.au
Secretary (Physical Sciences), Professor Kurt Lambeck
phone (02) 6249 5161, kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au
Secretary (Biological Sciences), Professor John Young
phone (02) 9351 4600, johny@physiol.usyd.edu.au
Secretary (Science Policy), Professor John White
phone (02) 6249 3578, jww@rsc.anu.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Professor Michael Pitman
phone (02) 6247 7636, pitman@science.canberra.edu.au
Treasurer, Professor Athel Beckwith
phone (02) 6249 3234, beckwith@rsc.anu.edu.au
NATIONAL COMMITTEES
Minutes of the following meetings are available at www.science.org.au/
internat/natcomm/natcom.htm.
- Animal sciences (13 August 1999)
- Geography (30 July 1999)
- Astronomy (12 July 1999)
- Quaternary research (11 June 1999)
- Biophysics (21 May 1999)
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE
In future issues of this note there will be links to information about ICSU and the work of the National Committees.
