This month has been filled with moments to celebrate, alongside stark reminders of the role science must play in our reckoning with the threats and impacts of climate change.
We marked 30 years since Nancy Pritchard joined the Australian Academy of Science—gathering to celebrate her significant contributions to supporting Australian science here and abroad.
Nancy understands better than most that science has no national boundaries, and that by continuing to work together, we can make progress addressing the global problems faced by society and the planet.
On that note, the Academy hosted the first of three roundtables on the future of the Great Barrier Reef—bringing together 26 experts to discuss the differential impacts of climate change on marine and terrestrial species groups, habitats, ecosystem values and processes in different climate futures.
The IPCC also released its synthesis report covering seven years of work by about 700 scientists. The scale of the problems we face are daunting. But as I outline in my response to the report, solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are more readily available than ever before.
We have the tools, but must find the ambition to pursue them.
In mid-March, we celebrated the recipients of our 2023 honorific awards, which recognise early-career researchers through to researchers who have made career-long advancements in their fields. These 22 leading minds and future superstars of science are investigating the structure of space-time, the inner workings of volcanoes, decoding dragons and devils, and much more.
Many awardees tell us that receiving an award from the Academy is life-changing, and I strongly encourage all researchers to consider our 2024 awards and opportunities, which are now open.
All the best for the coming month and take care.
Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FREng FTSE
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
