The Australian Academy of Science 2023 Annual Report covers 1 January to 31 December 2023.
The Academy recorded significant achievements that elevated our influence and standing in Australia, the region and globally, including the establishment of the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, and our support for the establishment of a Pacific Academy.
Significant achievements for the Academy during the year included bringing together leading minds to gather evidence to inform decisions on how to protect the Great Barrier Reef, prepare our nation for its high-performance computing needs, progress solutions to blood cancer, examine our nuclear science capability and enable international scientific collaboration.
Our four-year effort to bring science to bear in the Kathleen Folbigg case culminated in December when she had her convictions quashed after spending 20 years wrongfully imprisoned. The Academy continues to call for law reform so the justice system can engage more effectively with complex and emerging science.
The Academy convenes scientific expertise to ensure that evidence-based science is heard by the Australian Government, in the courtroom and wherever science is needed to inform decisions.
In 2023, we:
published expert reports on possible futures for the Great Barrier Reef, novel negative emissions approaches for Australia, and educating Australia’s future bioscientists
played an integral and sustained role in the Bathurst inquiry into the convictions of Kathleen Folbigg, providing access to the latest scientific evidence and helping the inquiry understand the science
convened experts in partnership with the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences to inform a parliamentary inquiry into long COVID
made 31 submissions to government
released position statements on an Australian system for managing research misconduct, freedom and responsibility of science, and the Voice to Parliament.
International engagement
The Academy facilitates Australia’s access to global science and technology, promotes strategic partnerships between Australian and overseas researchers, and contributes Australian expertise and leadership in regional and global science networks.
During the year, the Academy demonstrated its growing regional leadership role by establishing the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific. Together with the International Science Council, the Academy facilitated a meeting of Pacific scholars which led to a historic agreement to establish a Pacific Academy of sciences and humanities.
In 2023, we also:
facilitated a Global Knowledge Dialogue in partnership with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and the International Science Council, which brought together more than 150 scientists from 31 countries to provide input into regional priorities
brought together top minds from Australia and overseas at our annual symposium in November to discuss the implications of geopolitical tensions on international science collaboration, and we released a discussion paper on international scientific collaborations in a contested world
launched the Ukraine-Australia Research Fund, supporting Ukrainian scientists who have fled the war with Russia or who have been unable to work due to the destruction of their workplace
hosted the 16th Australia–China Symposium on Marine Sciences for Sustainable Development, in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
awarded nearly A$1 million in travel grants and fellowships to support international collaboration between Australian researchers and their counterparts across the globe
awarded nearly A$100,000 in France and Europe mobility grants to 14 Australian early- and mid-career researchers to collaborate with leading researchers at major science and technology organisations across Europe
hosted the finale of the eighth Falling Walls Lab Australia for early-career researchers and supported the winners to compete at the global event in Berlin—where Dr Emma-Anne Karlsen of the University of Queensland achieved third place
supported seven early-career researchers to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany.
National Committees and Future Earth Australia
Our national committees serve to shape scientific disciplines and anticipate their future needs. This year, the National Committees for Science and Future Earth Australia facilitated collaboration between Australian scientists, governments, industry and NGOs both nationally and abroad.
In 2023, we:
published an update to the Sustainable Cities and Regions strategy by the Future Earth Australia Early Career Urban Research Working Group
worked with the Australian Research Data Commons to convene a joint symposium on digital government meeting open science to address grand challenges
held two early career innovation labs to foster transdisciplinary solutions to key sustainability issues and convened two conferences dedicated to progressing the recommendations of the Nourishing Australia decadal plan.
Diversity and inclusion
The Academy is committed to supporting excellence in science and empowering the next generation of scientists. We recognise that to achieve this, it is imperative that we embrace diversity and inclusion in all its forms and embed diversity and inclusion in everything we do.
In 2023, we:
implemented recommendations from the Diversity and Inclusion Governance review, including establishing a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee including expert external advisors
were recognised as an Inclusive Employer in the Diversity Council of Australia Inclusive Employer Index
expanded our STEM women Australia platform to become STEM Women Global with 1194 profiles at year’s end, connecting women in the STEM industries with opportunities and with each other on a global scale
grew our network of Women in STEM decadal plan champions, welcoming The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS)
recognised two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, who received the Academy’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award
explored how Indigenous Knowledges are informing the modern world, through our 2023 public speaker series
made significant progress on our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.
Bringing science to a broad audience
Communicating effectively on key Academy initiatives and the work of our Fellowship is fundamental to achieving our mission: to advance Australia as a nation that embraces scientific knowledge and whose people enjoy the benefits of science. We achieved this by reaching policymakers, the science community and the public with scientific information they engaged with deeply on the issues that matter most.
In 2023, we brought science to a broad public audience by:
welcoming nearly two million viewers in total to our websites
delivering more than 50 events—from symposiums to award ceremonies, expert roundtables, and speeches by government ministers and Indigenous Australian Elders
being featured or mentioned in more than 7,700 articles in Australian and international mainstream media
digitising important historical documents, including a collection of papers belonging to Professor Sir Mark Oliphant, one of the 20th century’s most influential physicists
publishing and sharing 78 videos on a wide range of science topics.
One of our breaking news videos, exploring Academy Fellow Professor Matthew England’s research into the slowing of massive ocean currents, was widely shared online and shortlisted in the Best Use of Video category at the 2023 Mumbrella Publish Awards. This story, along with the Academy’s involvement in the Kathleen Folbigg case, were two of the top news stories featured by the Australian Science Media Centre for 2023.
Education
We supported primary and secondary school education across Australia by providing:
access to quality, downloadable, curriculum-aligned teaching resources for mathematics and science through our Education program websites
online professional learning courses available throughout the year for teachers to complete at their own pace.
In doing so, we reached more than 270,000 people across Australia who have a role in teaching science and mathematics in schools.
