PRESIDENT'S NOTES
23 February 2000
Dear Colleague,
The National Innovation Summit was held in Melbourne on 10 and 11 February; I attended with our Science Policy Secretary, John White. There will be a report in the Academy's next Newsletter.
With best wishes,
Brian D O Anderson
WHITE PAPER TOO SIMPLISTIC
The Federal Government’s White Paper on Higher Education Research and Research Training is too simplistic and too late. Last year the Academy recommended a number of changes to the Green Paper but significant differences remain and no extra funding has been provided. See our press release at http://www.science.org.au/media/white.htm, and the latest printed Newsletter, which will be posted in the next few days.
MAJOR NATIONAL FACILITIES
The Academy will convene a Working Group on Major National Facilities in March to study the availability of cutting-edge research facilities in Australia. The Secretary (Science Policy), John White, will chair the study and Professor Sue Serjeantson will act as project consultant. More information can be obtained by emailing Trish Nicholls: mailto:nr@science.org.au.
SCIENCE AND THE BOARDROOM
Discussions between the Dr Peacock and government officials about the Science and the Boardroom project are going well. The proposal is for a joint project of the two S&T Academies and other peak science organisations to develop a dialogue between scientists, technologists and company leaders.
FELLOWSHIPS
Council has endorsed a Fellowship policy report from a Committee chaired by the Foreign Secretary, Kurt Lambeck. Council has also endorsed a procedure for prioritising Sectional Committees’ recommended candidates for Ordinary Election.
SYMPOSIUM 2000
We are encouraging younger researchers to attend the Australia’s Science Future symposium, to be held on 3–4 May. This major national symposium will address eight major themes, looking at likely developments and their implications for the community. The speakers will include scientists who are expected to contribute to breakthroughs in these areas. If you are in a position to help some younger researchers to attend, please do so. We are also assisting research leaders in approaching potential sponsors of their younger people. More information and registration details are on the Academy’s web site at http://www.science.org.au/future or mailto:ac@science.org.au.
FENNER CONFERENCES
The Academy’s Fenner Fund will provide funds to support two proposed Fenner Conferences on the Environment. The Academy will provide $8000 to the conference on nature tourism and the Australian environment, to be held late this year, and the same amount for a conference on biodiversity conservation in fresh waters, to be held in April 2001.
PRIZE COMMITTEE
Bruce McKellar (Secretary, Physical Sciences), John Young (Secretary, Biological Sciences) and I will represent the Academy on the committee to nominate candidates for the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science and the Minister’s Prizes for Achievement in Science.
DIARY HIGHLIGHTS
25 February: National Committee for Nutrition
8 March: Council and Executive Committee
2000 AGM:
2 May: New Fellows' Seminar
3-4 May: Australia's Science Future: the 2000 AGM Symposium
5 May: Admission of New Fellows; Award presentations and formal business
NATIONAL COMMITTEES
Minutes of the following meetings are available at http://www.science.
org.au/internat/natcomm/natcom.htm. Copies can be requested from Ros Wallace at mailto:ns@science.org.au or (02) 6247 3966.
- Plant sciences (18 October 1999)
- Animal sciences (13 August 1999)
- Geography (30 July 1999)
- Astronomy (12 July 1999)
- Quaternary research (11 June 1999)
- Biophysics (21 May 1999)
OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ACADEMY
President, Professor Brian Anderson
phone (02) 6279 8667, fax (02) 6279 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 John White
phone (02) 6249 3578, mailto:jww@rsc.anu.edu.au
Foreign Secretary, Professor Kurt Lambeck
phone (02) 6249 5161, mailto:kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au
Treasurer, Professor Athel Beckwith
phone (02) 6249 3234, mailto:beckwith@rsc.anu.edu.au
