Links with Japan

Australian delegation to attend HOPE meeting

The name ‘HOPE’ signifies the promise held for young scientists, and optimism for a bright science and technology future in the Asia–Pacific region and in Africa.

A delegation of researchers from Australia are travelling to Tokyo in March to attend the eighth HOPE Meeting.

The meeting is organised by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). The name ‘HOPE’ signifies the promise held for young scientists, and optimism for a bright science and technology future in the Asia–Pacific region and in Africa.

A number of Nobel Laureates from around the globe will present lectures at the meeting on physics, chemistry, physiology/medicine, and related fields.

A committee comprising Academy Fellows selected six students and researchers to attend. The successful applicants are:

• Dr Danielle Barrington, Monash University
• Emma Beckett, University of Newcastle
• Prabhjot Juneja, University of Sydney
• Dr Xiaoshan Lin, UNSW Australia
• David McDonald, University of Sydney
• Jessica Veliscek Carolan, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

Funding for these participants to attend the HOPE meeting was provided by the Department of Education and Training.

Find out more about the current and past HOPE meetings

Australian researchers to participate in exchange program

Ten Australian researchers will travel to Japan under the Australia–Japan Bilateral Exchange Program.

Participants will visit Japan over 2016–17 and will be hosted by the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the National Institute for Materials Science, the Prefecture University of Kumamoto and the Osaka University, among others.

They will work on a diverse range of projects, including:

• analysing beat-to-beat fetal heart rate for monitoring fetus growth and abnormalities
• understanding how defects in mitochondrial sugar and fat metabolism cause mitochondrial disease
• combining Japanese expertise in neuroscience with Australian expertise in visual neuroprostheses (bionic eyes)
• researching species diversity in the Southern Ocean.

The successful participants were nominated by the Academy after being selected by a committee comprising Academy Fellows and a representative of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Funding for the program has been provided by the Department of Education and Training.

Find out more about the Australia–Japan Bilateral Exchange Program