Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035

There has never been a national effort to systematically assess Australia’s science capability against its future needs – until now.

The Australian Academy of Science has launched one of the most ambitious policy efforts in our history: Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035.

Time to change

We are in the midst of unprecedented global change. Geopolitical uncertainty has become the norm, while technology is accelerating at a pace not seen since the Industrial Revolution, leading to both opportunities and job insecurity. Productivity is slowing, the population is ageing, science and maths participation in schools is declining, and our economy lacks diversity, relying on too few industries to be resilient to shocks.

Australians require a science and technology uplift to prosper in this future – both in terms of skills and capability.

Do we have the national science capability we need to rise to this challenge?

Building sovereign science capability requires immediate action for long-term prosperity. If gaps are not addressed by 2035, Australia will not meet the challenges of 2060.

Australia must be prepared not just to participate, but to shape its future with clarity and purpose.— Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035

What we found

This initiative analysed Australia’s science capability to meet three national challenges informed by the forces shaping the economy listed in the Australian Government’s 2023 Intergenerational Report.

Drawing on data dashboards, expert workshops, and foresight techniques, the Academy mapped scientific capability and shortfalls across three major challenge areas – technological transformation; demographic change; and climate change, decarbonisation and environment – all three underpinned by sovereign capability and science literacy.

Based on these challenges, the report identifies the following eight science capabilities increasing most in demand over the coming decade:

• Agricultural science
• Artificial intelligence
• Biotechnology
• Climate science
• Data science
• Epidemiology
• Geoscience
• Materials science

Gaps in capability

The findings indicate gaps across all eight capabilities, shown below. 

Rating scale for the graphic above:

• Green thumb: No trends decreasing. No gap or unlikely to have a gap in capability.
• Amber thumb: Some trends decreasing or no majority of increasing trends. Some gap or likely gap in capability.
• Red thumb: Most trends decreasing. Existing gap or certain gap in capability.
• Question mark: Insufficient data available.

Findings

The Academy’s analysis found:

We aren't training enough geoscientists

– yet our economy rests heavily on resources, and ‘Critical Minerals’ is a priority of the National Reconstruction Fund

Jobs in artificial intelligence (AI) are expected to surge

– yet only one in four Year 12 students is studying mathematics – the fundamental science discipline

We’re facing national shortages of materials scientists

– and the workforce in process and resources engineering is also projected to decline

The current pipeline and study choices of students is not aligned with the needs of our future workforce

– with declining STEM participation and teacher shortages threatening relevant capability

Read the report

Additional resources

• Media release
• More about the launch of the report at our National Symposium on 4 September 2025
• Full recording of the National Symposium
• Keynote address by the Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP
• Launch speech by Professor Ian Chubb AC, Chair of the advisory panel for the report
• Article in The Conversation by Academy President Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC