Where Science Lives: Global Talent Attraction Program

The Global Talent Attraction Program

Australia has an urgent and unparalleled opportunity to attract the smartest minds leaving the United States and to bring their capability and talent here via a Global Talent Attraction Program.

We are in a global race for scientific and technological talent and we need to move fast.

The Australian Academy of Science is leading a bold, strategic and urgent national effort to rapidly recruit exceptional scientists and technologists from the US, whether they are returning Australians or leading international researchers.

For candidates

Candidate Merit Pool – Round 1

The call for applications to the Global Talent Attraction Program (GTAP) Candidate Merit Pool is currently open. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) on Friday 29 August 2025.

Information for applicants

For host organisations

Partner with us

Australian organisations are central to this program. By partnering with the Academy, your organisation gains access to world-class talent while contributing to a national effort that strengthens Australia’s R&D capability.

Information for prospective host organisations

For donors

Support our efforts

The Australian Academy of Science is leading a national effort to strengthen Australia’s research capability and scientific leadership by securing world-class researchers from the United States. Join this nation-building moment.

Here’s how you can help.

Attracting top talent is in our DNA

Leading scientists and Academy Fellows Professor Michelle Simmons, Professor Lidia Morawska and Professor Brian Schmidt.

Australia has a strong history of scientists migrating to Australia for our national and global benefit.

When Professor Michelle Simmons moved to Australia, she played a pivotal role in advancing the field of quantum technologies, which now positions Australia as a global leader. Her work laid the foundation for breakthroughs in quantum computing, a field that has far-reaching implications across industries such as healthcare, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. Thanks to her pioneering efforts, Australia has become a hub for cutting-edge quantum research, attracting further investment, collaboration and talent. This is the kind of multiplier effect that happens when world-class scientists contribute to our nation’s future.

When Professor Lidia Morawska brought her expertise in airborne transmission to Australia, she reshaped how the world responded to COVID-19. Her research has had global impacts, from improving public health policies to changing how we approach indoor air quality and disease transmission. This has had a ripple effect, influencing industries from healthcare to environmental science, and sparking ongoing research collaborations.

In 1994, astrophysicist Professor Brian Schmidt moved to Australia, where he was involved in building the High-Z Supernova Search Team. His work earned him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011 for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae.

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