Great minds to explore Big Australia population challenge

Experts and opinion leaders from Australia and around the world will come together in Canberra next week to explore strategies to deal with a bigger Australian population, and its potential impact on agriculture, the environment, human health and the economy.

The Australian Academy of Science Symposium, Australia 2050: Population challenges to sustainability, will be held at the Shine Dome, Canberra, on 6 May 2011.

To be opened by Professor the Hon Barry Jones, the symposium draws together international and national speakers from a range of disciplines including demography, agriculture, water, health and environmental science.

Highlights include:

• Professor Lord Robert May of the University of Oxford, Australian-born past President of the Royal Society of London and former UK Chief Scientist, will explore the challenges of population growth in Australia and globally, and offer suggestions for effectively addressing them.
• Sir Peter Gluckman, Chief Scientist of New Zealand, will speak about the human health implications of population growth.
• Professor Tim Flannery from Macquarie University will talk about the optimum sustainable population for Australia.
• 2011 Australian of the Year Simon McKeon will explore whether continued economic prosperity in Australia is dependent on significant population growth.
• Maria Deveson Crabbe, CEO of Marie Stopes International Australia, will speak about global family planning for the future.

Further information and program: science.org.au/sats2011/

Note to media: Media are invited to interview speakers prior to or during the event. Please contact Mona Akbari (below) to arrange.

Event:Science at the Shine Dome, Australian Academy of Science's annual event
This event will be streamed liveWhen:4 and 5 May 2011Where:The Shine Dome, Gordon Street, Acton, Canberra