PRESIDENT'S NOTES
17 October 2008
Dear Colleagues,
The much-anticipated Cutler Review of the National Innovation System is now complete, and I agree with the principal conclusions presented in the report Venturous Australia. In my response to the review (www.science.org.au/reports/30september08.pdf) I emphasised that it is Australia's continuing excellence in science and technology that will underpin our ability to innovate successfully and competitively in the long term and on the international stage. I therefore welcome the many recommendations in the review that work towards these aims.
I would be more concerned about the suggestion to replace the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) with a 'National Innovation Council' if this were to result in a reduced input of science and technology into the deliberation of the Council. There is certainly a place for social sciences and humanities at the table but science and technology underpin the activities of all government departments, either through the provision and facilitation of services and information or through the development of new technologies and material infrastructures. None of these will be unique to any one department and one of the positive features of the Council is that cross-cutting issues can be addressed to the benefit of all departments. Many of the issues faced by the nation have been with us, in one form or another, for many decades but what has changed, and what is continuing to change, is that the solutions have to be increasingly innovative if they are to be useful and that they will have to draw upon expertise from all quarters. I believe that the present structure of a good balance between ex-officio members and members appointed in a personal capacity is a successful one. In particular, the ex-officio members bring to PMSEIC the expertise of the bodies they represent and this is particularly important when it comes to the Council function of 'scanning for emerging opportunities or challenges and the avoidance of surprises' and in the preparation of in-depth emerging-issues reports. I believe that the proposed National Innovation Council of a small number of hand-picked individual experts cannot provide the same breadth and depth of advice and that the long-term usefulness of the Council would suffer.
It will now be known to all that Professor Penny Sackett has been appointed to the position of Chief Scientist of Australia. She faces a challenging task indeed now that the various review reports are coming in and raising great expectations for Australia's scientific and technological future. She will take over from Dr Jim Peacock FAA in November. Jim has done a great job in his relatively brief time in the position, ensuring that science and technology was above the horizon across all of government, and through his championing of education in the schools. Australian science and education today is the better for it. Another change at the top of Australian science is the appointment, from January 2009, of Dr Megan Clark as Chief Executive of CSIRO. To say that that will be a challenging task would be my understatement of the week! Also, Professor Robert Clark FAA has been appointed Chief Defence Scientist and head of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). This also is an important appointment at a time when the organisation is reviewing its relationships with the research sector outside of DSTO. I congratulate all three on their appointments and look forward to working with them to the benefit of Australia's welfare.
This year's Prime Minister's Prize for Science recognised the achievements of Professor Ian Frazer FAA. I am also very pleased to advise that the Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools was awarded to Bronwyn Mart. Bronwyn was one of the initial facilitators selected for the Academy's PrimaryConnections education program, playing a major role in its implementation in South Australia. This is the fifth year in succession that this prize has been awarded to a PrimaryConnections trained teacher.
With best wishes,
Kurt Lambeck
GOVERNMENT AND RELATED REVIEWS AND SUBMISSIONS
The government has initiated a series of wide ranging reviews relating to science and research that are running concurrently. Since the last President's Note, the Academy has commented on or responded to the following inquiries or reviews:
- Key questions for defence in the 21st century
- Venturous Australia: Building strength in innovation
- Cooperative Research Centre Review
- Senate Inquiry into Academic Freedom
- Review of Australian Higher Education Discussion Paper
- NCRIS exposure draft of the 2008 Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure For a complete list of reports and submissions by the Academy go to www.science.org.au/reports
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Affordable low emission energy and water
A one day roundtable will be held on 12 November at the Shine Dome, organised by the Embassy of France in Australia and the Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooperation. It is an opportunity for industrialists, policy-makers and academic researchers to meet to consider options for intensified FrenchAustralian cooperation in low emission energy and water technologies. In addition to awareness raising and networking, a key output will be the drafting, following the roundtable, of an agenda for French-Australian cooperation over affordable low emission energy and water solutions. Please contact science@ambafrance-au.org for more information. The provisional program, further information on speakers and registration details available from www.feast.org/france.
Australia-China remote sensing symposium
The Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), on behalf of the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, have been invited to organise the AustraliaChina remote sensing symposium to be held in Canberra on 24 and 25 November. This is the fifth in a series of annual symposia conducted with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The two-day symposium will enable Australian and Chinese participants to explore current and future remote sensing developments in four themes covering:
- energy and mineral exploration
- land management and agriculture
- water resources
- natural disasters and environmental change.
This symposium is viewed by both governments as an extremely significant opportunity, not only to discuss areas of mutual interest between Australia and China but also to act as a platform to develop strategic relationships. The program for the symposium has been specifically designed to allow adequate time for networking and discussion amongst participants. The Australian participants include the Chief Scientist, key players from CSIRO, CRCs, university and industry, while the Chinese presenters have been selected by CAS and the Chinese National Science Foundation from key research institutes and leading universities.
Postdoctoral and invitational fellowships in Japan 2009
The Australian Academy of Science, in association with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), invites applications from Australian researchers to undertake postdoctoral and invitational fellowships in Japan. Postdoctoral fellowships (www.science.org.au/internat/jspspd) are for a period of twelve to twenty-four months; invitational fellowships are either short term (www.science.org.au/internat/jspsfst), for fourteen to sixty days, or long term (www.science.org.au/internat/jspsflt), for two to ten months.
Researchers in any field of natural sciences, including technology, engineering and medicine may apply. Please see web site for information and guidelines. Applications close on Friday 5 December.
AustralianEuropean Cooperation in S&T Research (COST)
The Academy invites applications from Australian researchers to be involved in EU COST Actions. Grants provided are to attend discussions and meetings in the 200809 financial year that foster scientific collaborations with colleagues participating in COST actions. Applications are funded in chronological order of receipt until funds have been committed. Further information is available from www.science.org.au/internat/cost.htm
NATIONAL COMMITTEES FOR SCIENCE
National committee meetings
The National Committee for Geography will meet at Ian Potter House on Friday 17 October.
The National Committee for Plant and Animal Sciences will meet by teleconference on Friday 31 October.
The National Committee for Earth System Science is commencing a decadal strategic plan, and will meet in mid November to review progress.
The National Committee for Astronomy will meet at Ian Potter House on Tuesday 16 December.
International union news
Australian Colin Simpson was elected to the executive committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences as a councillor for the period 200812 at the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, 614 August. The 34th International Geological Congress will be held in Brisbane in 2012.
Australian Professor Ruth Fincher (University of Melbourne) was elected vice-president of the International Geographical Union at the general assembly, 1215 August, Tunis, Tunisia.
Australia has rejoined the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA), and Australian scientist and chair of the newly formed National Committee for Data in Science, Dr Ray Norris, is a member of the CODATA executive committee.
Professor Peter Colman FAA was elected as vice-president of the International Union of Crystallography at its 21st general assembly, Osaka, 2331 August.
Dr Phil Wilkinson, former chair of the National Committee for Radio Science, was elected to one of four vice-president positions for a second three-year term at the XXIX General Assembly of the International Union of Radio Science, Chicago, 716 August.
In all, 23 Australians are on the executive councils of the 31 international scientific unions to which the Academy subscribes.
THEO MURPHY HIGH FLYERS THINK TANK 2008
Each year since 2002, the Australian Academy of Science High Flyers Think Tank is held to bring together 50 to 100 of Australia's brightest minds, including early- and mid-career researchers and a group of senior expert speakers from a broad range of disciplines. These Think Tanks not only provide opportunities for career development and network creation, but also increase community awareness and exposure in Australia to new scientific advances, and encourage collaboration and the transfer of ideas and skills between scientists and technologists.
The 2008 High Flyers Think Tank will be held on 6 November at the University of Sydney. It is the first to be funded by the Theo Murphy (Australia) Fund and is entitled Preventative health: Science and technology in the prevention and early detection of disease.
Theo Murphy was a Melbourne lawyer who bequeathed a significant amount of money to the Royal Society of London with the stated purpose of establishing an endowment 'to further scientific discovery in the fields of medicine, science, technology and engineering'. The Academy is pleased to have this funding made available to bring together some of Australia's most promising early- to mid-career researchers. The Think Tank will inform the government's Preventative Health Task Force by considering various applications of science and technology in the context of cancer, mental health, metabolic syndrome and infectious diseases. A draft program is available from www.science.org.au/events/thinktank2008
THE SHINE DOME OPEN DAY VISITORS FIND OUT WHAT'S INSIDE
On the evening of Wednesday 1 October, 20 ambassadors and their guests from across the globe attended an information session held at the Shine Dome. Visitors were treated to a guided tour of the Dome and informed of the many and varied Academy activities, including the international exchange program and educational projects.
A beautiful spring day in Canberra made for a fantastic open day on Thursday 2 October with over 400 curious visitors exploring the Shine Dome. Feedback from visitors was overwhelmingly positive and Academy staff hailed the day a great success.
50 YEARS OF THE DOME
The Academy has commissioned an historian to write a book to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Dome on 6 May 1959. If you have any interesting stories or information about the design or construction of the building please contact Sharon Abrahams on 02 6201 9415 or sharon.abrahams@science.org.au
LATEST PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES ON RENEWABLE ENERGY
Transcripts or audio from public lectures in the Australia's renewable energy future series by Dr Barney Foran and Professor Martin Green FAA are available from www.science.org.au/events/publiclectures/re/archive via the link from the title.
The next public lecture is on Wednesday 5 November. In his talk Wave energy: The industry now and in the future Dr Tom Denniss, Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer from Oceanlinx, will discuss the development of commercial 'wave farms' within the next five years. For more information about the lecture series go to: www.science.org.au/events/publiclectures/re
PRIMARY CONNECTIONS
Representatives of the Academy Professor Julie Campbell, Dr Sue Meek, Ms Shelley Peers and Professor Denis Goodrum met with the interim National Curriculum Board in Melbourne in August to discuss the development of the national curriculum for science.
PrimaryConnections Professional Learning Officers have commenced a series of one-day workshops to update all facilitators trained during Stage 3 of the project (200608). Workshops will be held in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide over the coming weeks for over 300 facilitators. Following feedback, the resource folder for facilitators has been revised and two new workshops have been added, including one on incorporating indigenous perspectives. The new folder will be published and distributed to all trained facilitators by the end of 2008.
A total of 107,500 PrimaryConnections units have been distributed throughout Australia and overseas to the end of September. For more information about PrimaryConnections go to www.science.org.au/primaryconnections.
AUSTRALIAN HONOURS THE NATION'S WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU
Australia honours its citizens for their outstanding service and contribution to our society. The Australian honours system helps define, encourage and reinforce national aspirations, ideals and standards by identifying role models. We give honours to recognise, celebrate and say thank you to those who make a difference, those who achieve their best and those who serve others.
Nomination forms for the Order of Australia and the Australian Bravery Decorations are available from the Australian honours and awards secretariat on 1800 552 275 or from www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/nominating
STAFF AT THE SECRETARIAT
There have been some staffing changes at the Academy secretariat recently. To contact the relevant member of staff, go to www.science.org.au/aas_con
ACADEMY NEWSLETTER
The September issue of the Academy newsletter is available online at www.science.org.au/newsletters
DIARY DATES 2008
2830 October. The future of agriculture value or volume? Horizons in Livestock Sciences Conference. Christchurch, New Zealand. Registration and program available from www.livestockhorizons.com
5 November. Wave energy: The industry now and in the future. Public lecture by Dr Tom Denniss, Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer, Oceanlinx. Shine Dome, Canberra.
67 November. The Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank, Preventative health: Science and technology in the prevention and early detection of disease. The University of Sydney, Sydney. A draft program is available from www.science.org.au/events/thinktank2008
7 November. A dinner will be held at the Hyatt Hotel in Adelaide for the presentation of the Ian William Wark Medal and Lecture. The medallist is Dr Alan Reid FAA. Contact the Academy on 02 6201 9400.
1718 November. The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering will hold its 31st annual symposium Alternative transportation fuels for Australia. RACV Club, Melbourne. For further information go to www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=35
1619 November. Medical bionics a new paradigm for human health, Sir Mark Oliphant Conferences: International Frontiers of Science and Technology. The Bionic Ear Institute, Melbourne. For further information go to www.medicalbionics.consec.com.au/
2425 November. AustraliaChina remote sensing technologies and sustainability. Shine Dome, Canberra.
2 December. Public lecture on the theme of geothermal energy by Dr Anthony Budd, Project Leader for the Geothermal Energy Project, Onshore Energy and Minerals Division, Geoscience Australia.
31 January4 February 2009. Asia-Pacific Congress on Electron Tomography, Sir Mark Oliphant Conferences: International Frontiers of Science and Technology. For further information go to http://homepage.mac.com/marshbj/APCET/
ACADEMY DELEGATES ATTENDING INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
The Academy has approved voting delegates to attend the following general assemblies over the coming months:
29th General Assembly of the International Council for Science, 1325 October 2008, Maputo, Mozambique: Professor Bruce McKellar FAA.
General Assembly of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, 1318 October, Tsukuba, Japan: Professor Michelle Simmons FAA.
Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research 50th Anniversary Symposium, 2224 October, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA: Dr John Volkman. Young Scientist Andreas Klocker will also be sponsored to attend this meeting.
