President's notes
5 March 2007
Dear Colleagues,
The Academy ‘s initiative in primary school science and literacy, known as PrimaryConnections, is enjoying what can only be called spectacular uptake by schools across Australia. Academy staff led by Shelley Peers, are now ‘training the trainers’, providing professional learning for educators who will, in turn, train teachers in PrimaryConnections.
I was delighted to welcome to the Shine Dome on 1719 January, 125 educators from every state and territory, from the public school sector, independent schools and Catholic Education. On 1213 February, I welcomed to the Academy 65 science teaching educators from every Australian University that provides pre-service primary education. Engaging university education faculties in incorporating PrimaryConnections into the curriculum is a critical milestone and important for the long-term success of the program.
The Academy’s partnership with the Department of Education, Science and Training in PrimaryConnections was recently reinforced when the Minister, Julie Bishop, announced on 7 February that 500 Awards for Excellence of $2,000 will be offered to final-year student teachers who incorporate elements of PrimaryConnections into their university course.
I commend our Secretary for Education and Public Awareness Julie Campbell and her predecessor, John McKenzie, for their dedication and commitment to quality education for Australia’s youth.
Best wishes
Kurt Lambeck
The Academy’s latest Newsletter is available at: http://www.science.org.au/newsletters/aas66.pdf
Water, population and Australia’s urban future
The Academy is hosting Water, Population and Australia’s Urban Future, a Fenner Conference on the Environment, at the Shine Dome from 1516 March. The conference will explore the water-population nexus, focussing on Australia’s urban areas and the expanding suburban fringe. All those interested in the critical relationship between population and water and how it may shape Australia’s urban future should attend.
The conference will bring together speakers from government, business, academia and research organisations, with panel discussions and break-out discussion groups an integral part of the proceedings.
Conference sessions include:
• Australia’s population movements, water, climate and climate change
• National water policy, knowledge needs and institutional reform
• Science-based planning for water and population in high-growth areas
• Innovative technical solutions for water management
Registration for the two-day conference (including lunches and refreshments) is $150.00 per person. The conference dinner is $66.00 per person.
For more information and registration visit: http://www.science.org.au/events/fenner2007
NATIONAL COMMITTEES FOR SCIENCE
The Chairs of the Academy’s National Committees will meet at the Shine Dome on 22 March. Discussions will focus on current and emerging issues — both local and international — in each of the disciplines represented by the Committees. The proceedings will be available at: http://www.science.org.au/natcoms/index.htm
Upcoming meetings of the National Committees
Chairs, 22 March, Shine Dome
Earth System Science, 24 April, Ian Potter House
Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (joint meeting), 7 March, Shine Dome
Nutrition, 20 April, Sydney
Space Science, 1415 March, Ian Potter House
URANIUM MINING, PROCESSING AND NUCLEAR ENERGY REVIEW (UMPNER)
The Academy made a submission to UMPNER on 14 December following the release of the draft report, ‘Uranium mining, processing and nuclear energy — opportunities for Australia?’.
The Academy considers it important that discussion should be transparent and cover all aspects of the nuclear energy cycle. The Academy advocates strong support for basic research in nuclear science in Australia to ensure that Australian scientists are alert to new opportunities and are well poised to develop and adopt emerging technologies. In view of the long-term timescale for development of a nuclear energy industry, it is appropriate to invest in development of skills and expertise in this area. The submission is at: www.science.org.au/reports/18august06.pdf
REVIEW OF FEDERATION FELLOWSHIPS
The Academy made a submission to the Australian Research Council’s Review of Federation Fellowships on 11 January. The Academy considers that the Federation Fellowship scheme was timely and appropriate when introduced but recommends changes to the scheme, including increasing the number of early-career Fellowships. The Academy’s submission is available at: http://www.science.org.au/reports/12january07.htm
INTERACADEMY PANEL WORKSHOP ON SCIENCE EDUCATION
The report from the IAP Working Group on International Collaboration in the Evaluation of Inquiry-Based Science Education programs has been released. The Academy’s Secretary for Education and Public Awareness Professor Julie Campbell co-chaired the Working Group and is a co-author of the report.
The working group highlighted the need for evaluation and research in inquiry-based science education and recommended that an international committee be established to provide support to countries wishing to implement evaluation programs. The report is available at: http://www.interacademies.net/CMS/7083.aspx
SCIENCE AT THE SHINE DOME
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 24 May this year. One of the highlights of the three-day event will be on Wednesday 2 May when our new Fellows present short talks on their research. This year’s symposium, ‘Development and evolution of higher cognition in animals’, will be held on Friday 5 May.
This year we are privileged to host the Royal Society’s Rutherford Memorial Lecture as the plenary address for the symposium. The lecture will be given by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, Professor of Ethology, Cambridge University, UK, who will speak on ‘Cognition and the need to take the stink out of instinct’.
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/sats2007/index.htm).
ORIGIN OF SPECIES LECTURE SERIES
The Academy’s Public Lecture Series 200607 continues to be well received. The series, ‘The origin of species: the Australianconnection’ highlights the contribution of Australian material in developing the ideas of Charles Darwin on evolutionary theory.
In the most recent lecture, Professor Terry Hughes discussed the long-term survival of the Great Barrier Reef in the face of climate change and other human impacts.
The next lecture, ‘Mr Toad comes to Darwin: an evolutionary perspective on the cane toad invasion’, will be given by Professor Rick Shine on Tuesday 6 March. This will be followed by Professor John Chappell on Tuesday 3 April with ‘Geological crises in the evolutionary theatre’. Both lectures will take place at the Shine Dome, 67pm, with refreshments available from 5.30pm.
Transcripts of lectures and information on upcoming lectures are available at: http://www.science.org.au/events/publiclectures
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE LINKAGES — COMPETITIVE GRANTS
The Department of Education, Science and Training is advertising the next round of International Science Linkages (ISL) Competitive Grants.
Competitive Grants provide support for Australian researchers who are undertaking strategically focussed, leading-edge, collaborative research projects with international partners including participation in European Union Framework projects. Support may also be provided to participate in international strategic planning activities for major international collaborative scientific projects and for showcasing Australia’s scientific research and technology capabilities. The Competitive Grants component also offers support of up to $50,000 per application for major international conferences to be held in Australia.
Applications close on 30 March.
For application forms, information and guidelines visit: http://www.dest.gov.au/science/isl
DIARY DATES 2007
6 March. Public lecture by Professor Rick Shine, ‘Mr Toad comes to Darwin: an evolutionary perspective on the cane toad invasion’, Shine Dome, Canberra (see item above).
1516 March. Water, Population and Australia’s Urban Future (Fenner Conference on the Environment), Shine Dome, Canberra. Organised and co-sponsored by the Academy (http://www.science.org.au/events/fenner2007).
20 March. Deadline for applications for International Science Linkages — Australia‑China Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (http://www.dest.gov.au/science/isl).
30 March. Deadline for applications for International Science Linkages — Competitive Grants (see item above).
3 April. Public lecture by Professor John Chappell, ‘Geological crises in the evolutionary theatre’, Shine Dome, Canberra (see item above).
10 April. Nominations close for the 2007 Victoria Prize and Fellowships (http://www.business.vic.gov.au/vicprize).
10 April. Deadline for applications for the Taiwan Scholarship Program from the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia (http://www.cultural.teco.org.au/2005/latest/28_news_01.html).
27 April. Nominations close for the 2007 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science (http://www.dest.gov.au/scienceprize).
24 May. Science at the Shine Dome, incorporating the Annual General Meeting and symposium (see item above).
4 May. Nominations close for the 2007 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (http://www.amonline.net.au/eureka).
16 May. Nominations close for the Oxford Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2006-2007 (http://www.science.org.au/awards/nuffield.htm).
31 May. Nominations close for the 2008 Rolex Awards for Enterprise (http://www.rolexawards.com).
2628 June. eResearch Australasia 2007, University of Queensland, Brisbane (http://www.eresearch.edu.au).
COUNCIL MEMBERS (www.science.org.au/fellows/council/)
President, Kurt Lambeck
phone (02) 6125 5445, fax (02) 6125 5443, kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au
Secretary (Physical Sciences), Robert Frater
phone (02) 8884 2338, rfrater@resmed.com.au
Secretary (Biological Sciences), John Shine
phone (02) 9295 8120, j.shine@garvan.org.au
Secretary (Science Policy), Philip Kuchel
phone (02) 9351 3709, p.kuchel@mmb.usyd.edu.au
Secretary (Education and Public Awareness), Julie Campbell
phone (07) 3365 4658, julie.campbell@uq.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Jenny Graves
phone (02) 6125 2492, jenny.graves@anu.edu.au
Treasurer, Phil McFadden
phone (02) 6249 9612, mcfadden@grapevine.com.au
