News and views

The Academy has just admitted two internationally renowned scientists as Corresponding Members, Dr Raghunath Mashelkar (India) and Professor Rudiger Wehner (Switzerland).

How will we provide enough food, water and energy for the 9.7 billion people living on Earth in 2050? This will be one of the questions to challenge school students in National Science Week this August, thanks to a new sustainability science resource by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA).

The Academy has awarded the Douglas and Lola Douglas Scholarship to Dr Bianca Middleton for her research on improving the health of Indigenous children.

Smarter bank notes, health-protecting wearable electronics, and bendy solar cells are just some of the ways that polymer science is making plastic fantastic. Next week, three Australian researchers will tell audiences in Sydney and Melbourne how they are putting polymers to work.

Academy President Professor Andrew Holmes has been recognised with Australia’s highest honour, Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia in the 2017 Australia Day Honours list.

The Australian Academy of Science has welcomed newly-appointed Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science—Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO, and congratulates Minister Greg Hunt MP on his appointment as Minister for Health and Sport.

The Academy Medal was awarded to Australia’s former Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb AC, at a special ceremony held at Ian Potter House on Thursday.

The Future Earth Program is being launched in Australia. Future Earth is a global initiative of the International Council for Science that brings together thousands of researchers and billions of dollars of sustainability research programs across the world.

Australia’s brightest scientific minds have been recognised in the Academy’s annual honorific awards, acknowledging their contributions to important scientific challenges.