This month, I am delighted to share with you that Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC FAA FTSE will be the next President of the Australian Academy of Science, succeeding me in May 2022.
Jagadish, as he is known to many, brings enormous knowledge of the science sector and an extensive track record in advancing science in Australia and internationally. I encourage you to read more about Jagadish, his pioneering work in nanotechnology and his inspiring journey that brought him to Australian shores.
The Academy recently joined with the other learned academies in Australia to issue a joint statement on COP26 and Australia's path to net-zero emissions. Using the collective expertise and resources of more than 3,000 Fellows across all five academies, we are well placed to provide essential insights, knowledge and solutions to achieve net-zero. This challenge requires smart, holistic and cross-disciplinary thinking from all sectors, not just science.
With the holiday season approaching, it is timely to pause and reflect on what a tremendous year it has been for Australian science. This month, we have a number of awards, grants and fellowships to announce, each one a testament to the breadth and depth of research that is undertaken in Australia and that guides many decisions that steer our nation.
I warmly congratulate Fellow of the Academy Professor Eddie Holmes for being awarded the 2021 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. Professor Holmes’s research typifies excellence in Australian science and international scientific engagement. He has shown deep resolve and bravery in his research endeavours since the start of the pandemic, making him a most worthy recipient of this prestigious prize.
I was also proud to see our Chief Executive, Anna-Maria Arabia, recognised for her work in the Australian and international scientific community with the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, presented by the Ambassador of Italy to Australia. Among her achievements, Ms Arabia has steered the Academy through the challenges of the pandemic, established the Academy’s sophisticated public engagement capability and advanced diversity and inclusion practices in the Academy and across the STEM sector.
Our Max Day Environmental Science Fellowship recipients, Ms Bridget Campbell and Dr Brock Bergseth, are doing excellent work in conservation and were commended by the awards committee for their highly interdisciplinary approaches. The recipients of the Thomas Davies Research Grant and Margaret Middleton Fund have also been announced, with these researchers advancing the fields of marine, soil and plant biology and endangered Australian native vertebrate animals, respectively.
Our conferences and travelling fellowships have also been announced, allowing researchers from across Australia and around the world to share knowledge and ideas. Collaboration in its many forms remains the lifeblood of Australian science, and we are glad to see it return as the world begins to open up.
And finally, our scienceXart winners have been selected from hundreds of primary school students nationwide who were given the challenge of describing nutrition science using a creative plate of food. I encourage you to take a look at the gallery of creative and surprising plates shortlisted for the competition, and if you are interested in nutrition, our final Food for Thought event on the future of food and nutrition is taking place in Canberra and online in December.
I hope you are keeping safe and well and that you enjoy this November newsletter.
John Shine
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
