The intersection of scientific and legal proof draws a big audience

The Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Law jointly sponsored a symposium on the reception, quality and evaluation of scientific evidence in Australian courts during National Science Week.

The online event was moderated by the Hon Justice Virginia Bell AC, Judge of the High Court of Australia, and drew an estimated audience of around 600. It was the third year the two academies have held a joint event and the first time it was held fully online.

The panel eminent panel members were:

• The Hon Justice Mark Weinberg AO QC, Reserve Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Formerly a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia
• Professor David Balding FAA, Professor of Statistical Genetics, University of Melbourne
• Tim Game SC, Senior Counsel Forbes Chambers, Principal Practice in Criminal Law Professor
• Professor Carola Vinuesa FAA, Professor of Immunology and Co-Director, Centre for Personalised Immunology, Australian National University.

“There's clearly an appetite for these events that reaches around Australia and the globe, and the volume of registrations for tonight demonstrates a real appetite to continue this collaboration between the two academies,” said the President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor John Shine.

“It's at that intersection of the Academy of Science and the Academy of Law where I think a lot of very important issues arise and can be constructively discussed with society. And we certainly won't let this pandemic slow us down in that respect.”