Australian Academy of Science Newsletter 187

Message from the President

This month, the Academy participated in a historic event for science in the region.

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Learned academy a first for Pacific Islands scientists

The new academy was launched alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa.

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Creating history for the new Pacific Academy of Sciences

The gifts for the new academy continue a long-held traditional amongst learned academies across the globe.

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Two Fellows awarded PM Prizes for Science

Professors Matthew Bailes and Andrew Wilks were recognised at the 2024 Prime Minister’s Prizes.

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Submissions to government

The Academy made the following submissions to government:

• AI guardrails in high-risk settings
• NSW’s Independent Forestry Panel

Opportunities for scientists

Find out more about coming opportunities for scientists:

• IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering (closing soon—1 November)
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowships (closing soon—4 November)
• NHMRC Biennial Awards
• The Wolf Prize

Fellows update

Keep abreast of the Academy Fellowship in the Fellows update:

• Honours and awards to Fellows
• The Academy and our Fellows in the news
• Obituary for Professor Henry Burger AO FAA FAHMS

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.

The uptake of science by the courts: are the science and justice systems keeping pace?

The pace of scientific and technological discovery is rapidly increasing and this has significant implications for how the justice system receives and evaluates scientific evidence.

Join the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Law for their annual joint symposium, where an expert panel of scientists and legal professionals will discuss the evolution of how evidence is dealt with in the courts, and specific cases that illustrate the interface between science and justice.

Event details:

• Date: Monday 25 November 2024
• Time: 5.30pm — 7.00pm AEDT, followed by refreshments
• Venue: Shine Dome in Canberra, and online livestream
• Cost: $20 general admission; $10 students; free for Fellows of both academies; free livestream

More information and to register

The journey of Australian science – Eccles and neuroscience

You are invited to join the Australian Academy of Science for the final instalment of the 2024 public speaker series, which will explore the work of Professor Sir John Carew Eccles AC FAA FRS Nobel Laureate.

His numerous scientific papers and books, arising from detailed and pioneering experimental studies of synaptic mechanisms and the organisation of neurones in the mammalian central nervous system, continue to have a major influence on brain research. Furthermore, his writings on the mind-brain interaction generated wide interest and debate.

Event details:

• Date: Tuesday 10 December 2024
• Time: 5.30pm — 6.00pm at the venue for refreshments, followed by the talks 6.00pm — 7.00pm AEDT 
• Venue: The Shine Dome Canberra, and online livestream 
• Cost: $17 to attend in person, free online 

More information and to register

Preserve Australia’s scientific legacy

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 bring many more of these stories and our collections to life.

Through preserving Australia's scientific legacy your donation will support:

• digitisation of the archives: to collect, manage and preserve items of scientific importance that hold intrinsic value in Australia’s history
• recording conversations with Australian scientists: in these interviews, outstanding Australian scientists talk about their early life, development of interest in science, mentors, research work and other aspects of their careers.

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.