May has proven to be a month for renewal, with new leadership both in the Australian Parliament and in the Academy. The Academy looks forward to working with the newly elected Albanese Government and with the whole of the Australian parliament as we continue to bring science to the service of the nation.
Please join me in congratulating Professor Jagadish on his election as the Academy’s 20th President, along with several new members of Council and the Executive Committee. Earlier this month, we had an opportunity to pause to thank Professor John Shine for his leadership and guidance and to celebrate his achievements as the Academy’s 19th President.
This month, I’m delighted to share with you our 2021 annual report, hot off the press, where you can read about the many ways the Academy championed, supported and celebrated excellence in Australian science.
In the lead-up to the election, we gave voice to Australian scientists who clearly shared with us why science matters to them and to Australians. The videos are available on our website and on social media, and I encourage you to share these with friends, family and colleagues, in particular, with young people.
Joining the Academy this month are also our newly elected 2022 Fellows – 22 exceptional scientists from a diverse cross-section of Australian science whose scientific contributions have shaped science in Australia today. Among them is Professor Tom Calma, the first Academy Fellow who identifies as an Aboriginal person. I look forward to getting to know them all. We also warmly welcome two new Corresponding Members, Professor Anne Dell from London and Professor Lei Jiang from Beijing, who help extend our reach across the globe.
I am delighted to announce that this year marks the first time the Academy has achieved gender parity in the election of our Fellows. This achievement is a direct result of a range of Academy initiatives aimed at removing biases and barriers to under-represented groups. Our work to better promote scientific excellence and diversity continues across all our activities.
Finally, I congratulate the four Academy Fellows who have been elected to the world’s oldest scientific academy in continuous existence, the Royal Society. This is a wonderful recognition of the tremendous scientific talent present in the Fellowship and demonstrates Australia’s well-earned place in global science.
I hope you enjoy reading the May newsletter.
Anna-Maria
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
