Academy Fellows Dr TJ Higgins and Professor Frances Separovic (and Gigi) with their favourite books of this year. Photos: supplied

The Australian Academy of Science’s Annual Fellows’ Christmas Book and Podcast List, released today, contains 37 favourite reads (and listens) recommended by the Academy’s Fellows.

As we have for the past four years, we asked our Fellows to provide their top book and podcast suggestions for this year.

External opportunity Indigenous Media Mentoring Program

Indigenous STEM researchers from around Australia can register their interest in joining the Australian Science Media Centre at the SBS studios in Sydney for intensive media training on 8 and 9 April 2021.

More information on the Indigenous Media Mentoring Program

Expressions of interest close 21 December 2020

Honours and awards to Fellows

Professor Richard Bryant AC FAA FAHMS FASSA—awarded the James Cook Medal by the Royal Society of NSW

Professor Matthew England FAA—awarded the Morton Medal by the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society

Professor Doug Hilton AO FAA FTSE FAHMS—named Melburnian of the Year by the City of Melbourne

Professor Nalini Joshi AO FAA—awarded the George Szekeres Medal by the Australian Mathematical Society

From left:  Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger, Professor Graham Goodwin, Professor Mark Randolph, Professor Helene Marsh and Professor Roger Reddel.

Five Academy Fellows are among the Australians recognised in the 2021 Australia Day Honours List.

The new members of the EMCR Forum Executive (from top left): Dr Vipul Agarwal, Dr Raffaella Demichelis, Dr Mohammad Taha, Dr Mary McMillan, Dr Patrick Taggart, Dr Vanessa Moss and Dr Maithili Sashindranath.
From left: Dr Ken McCracken, Dr Alex Held, and Dr Daniel Graham. Image adapted from photos by CSIRO and Yuri Khotyaintsev, IRF

Three Australian researchers, including a Fellow of the Academy, have received international recognition for their contributions to astronomy and space science at the awards ceremony of the 43rd Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assembly.

Deterioration of ecosystems and species extinction is occurring at an unprecedented rate in Australia. Photo by Scott Kelly on Unsplash.

 

With the world’s population expected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, increasing food production is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.

The future of our food sources relies on photosynthesis and scientists say improving photosynthesis is critical to improving crop yield.

© 2025 Australian Academy of Science

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