Spotlight on science to tackle carbon emissions for Academy trip to WA

Science is key to Western Australia’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero, participants heard at a workshop led by the Australian Academy of Science.  

Academy Fellows, leading researchers, policymakers, and representatives from the private sector gathered at Curtin University on Tuesday 24 October to discuss technologies to reduce WA’s emissions toward zero.  

The impressive speaker line-up featured three Academy Fellows:   

• Emeritus Professor Malcolm McCulloch FAA FRS outlined the current state of human-caused emissions and near-future projections.   
• John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kliti Grice FAA traced how the climate has changed in deep time.  
• Emeritus Professor David Blair FAA spoke about the importance of climate science education.  

The workshop was part of a two-day visit for Academy President Professor, Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FREng FTSE and Chief Operating Officer, Melissa Abberton.   

The trip was an opportunity for the Academy to connect with WA-based Fellows, learn about their pioneering advances in science, and discuss barriers to further advances.  

To see science in action, Professor Jagadish and Ms Abberton toured several cutting-edge facilities. At the University of Western Australia, they stopped at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. And then, a visit to the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre.

At Curtin University, the pair visited the WA Organic Isotope and Geochemistry Centre, directed by Academy Fellow Professor Kliti Grice FAA. The Trace Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab and the John de Laeter Centre were among the facilities toured. A visit to the Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine at Murdoch University with Professor Elaine Holmes FAA completed a productive day.  

Following the carbon emissions workshop, the two-day trip concluded with an opportunity for early-career researchers to meet with Professor Jagadish at the Forrest Research Foundation.  

Professor Jagadish and Ms Abberton are grateful for the hospitality extended by Fellows and their institutions, with special thanks to the Chairs of the WA Regional Committee: Professor Stephen Powles FAA FTSE and Professor Kliti Grice FAA, and Academy Executive Committee member Professor Lyn Beazley AO FAA FTSE.  

The visit to WA was part of wider efforts to connect with Fellows across Australia. Previously, Professor Jagadish and Academy Chief Executive Anna-Maria Arabia visited Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, and Adelaide. 

Read more about the Academy's visits to state capitals