Delegations from the Academy and the International Science Council (ISC) Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific attended the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, on 1–3 May. Attendees gathered from more than 65 countries and shared their work to enable trusted science advice to be integrated into decision-making and government policy.
It is clear that science advisory mechanisms and science diplomacy efforts are increasingly sophisticated across the world in response to changing geopolitics, and in recognition that science and technology – and how they interface with society – are crucial to address global challenges.
We are proud to have supported the participation of four delegates from the Asia-Pacific region – Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kiribati and Malaysia – and efforts to uplift science advisory capabilities in countries across our region.
Read more about the Asia-Pacific delegation
It has been a busy time for visiting international delegations, with the Academy hosting four recent meetings.
Read more in our international round-up
Every year the Australian Academy of Science works with institutions across Australia to deliver Falling Walls Lab Australia. Falling Walls Lab is a challenging and inspiring event for emerging bright minds, giving them a unique chance to share their research and innovative ideas with a global audience.
Applications are open for researchers and innovators from all states and territories to present their ‘big idea’ in the Falling Walls Lab Australia heats being held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Winners from the heats compete at the Falling Walls Lab Australia Finale on Friday 30 August in Canberra.
The three finale winners will receive a return trip to Berlin and entry to the Falling Walls Science Summit in November 2024. They will each give their three-minute presentation at the Falling Walls Lab Global Finale as one of the 100 finalists selected from Labs across the globe. Last year, Australia’s Dr Emma-Anne Karlsen placed third in the global competition.
The International Science Council (ISC) is a global non-government organisation with a vision to advance science as a global public good. The ISC Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific is led by the Australian Academy of Science, functioning within the broader framework of the ISC.
The Regional Focal Point held the first in a series of online media and communication training sessions with members from across the region. In this session, the Australian Science Media Centre explored strategies for getting research into the media, followed by a Q&A session with the environment and energy deputy editor at The Conversation.
The Regional Focal Point was represented at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), which took place 27–30 May. Held in Antigua and Barbuda and co-chaired by New Zealand and the Maldives, the conference focused on sustainable development, with the theme ‘Charting the course towards resilient prosperity’. Alongside the wider ISC delegation, the Regional Focal Point worked to mobilise the scientific community and ensure that research on and from the SIDS is brought to the attention of global policymakers.
Read more about the SIDS4 conference
The Academy made the following submissions to government:
Find out more about coming opportunities for scientists:
Keep abreast of the Academy Fellowship in the Fellows update:
If Fellows have been recognised with an award, please let us know via fellowship@science.org.au so we can consider including it in the next update.
This event will focus on the work of Emeritus Professor Dorothy Hill AC CBE FAA FRS, who was the first woman elected to the Australian Academy of Science.
Date: Tuesday 11 June 2024
Time: 5.30pm–6.00pm at the venue for refreshments, followed by the talks 6.00pm–7.00pm AEST
Venue: The Shine Dome Canberra, and online livestream
Cost: $17 to attend in person, free online
More information and registration
Put these dates for Academy events in your calendar – more information to come!
Find out more about upcoming events.
The Academy’s Library and Archives hold one of the most significant histories of Australian science collections in the world, with many thousands of rare and unique items. These intellectual treasures—often hidden behind locked doors—reveal the development of scientific thinking responsible for shaping our modern world.
Through meticulous digitisation of archival materials and recording conversations with Australian scientists, we are preserving history whilst providing future generations with access to critical insights and discoveries.
Now in our 70th year, we invite you to support our 2024 appeal to help us bring many more of these stories and our collections to life. Through preserving Australia's scientific legacy your donation will support:
We invite you to read some of our recently digitised material online.
We hope you will consider a gift to support and preserve Australia’s scientific legacy and help us to bring more of our collections and conversations online, for everyone.
To learn more about giving to the Academy visit our website or contact Kate Groves on (02) 6201 9460 or kate.groves@science.org.au
The Honorary editor of the Academy newsletter is Professor Yuri Estrin FAA
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
