News and views

We, the Presidents of Australia’s Learned Academies, are committed to a research and innovation system underpinned by the expertise and talent of researchers across the sciences, humanities, technology and engineering, social sciences, and health and medicine.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the Australian Government’s University Research Commercialisation action plan which contains a range of targeted and positive policy measures to further stimulate the commercialisation of research.

The Academy welcomes announcements regarding the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Recent marine heatwaves that resulted in damage to the coral cover in the shallow waters of the Great Barrier Reef highlight some of the consequences of a warming planet on this national icon.

Five Academy Fellows are among the Australians recognised in the 2022 appointments to the Order of Australia, including four who were appointed to Companions in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC).

The Australian Academy of Science says political interference in the selection of research grants is eroding Australia’s international reputation and the integrity of Australia’s research system. Of the four known occurrences of political interference, three have occurred in the last three years.

Traditionally, Science at the Shine Dome is an annual three-day event in May where Australia's most influential scientists gather at the Shine Dome in Canberra to celebrate science and to honour outstanding achievements in science.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the announcement of an Australian mRNA vaccine manufacturing capability. The agreement reached between the Victorian Government, the Commonwealth Government and Moderna will significantly grow our sovereign capability to respond to future pandemics, as well as respond to uniquely Australian problems.

Throughout 2021, the Australian Academy of Science has again sought to place science at the service of the nation and to make science available to everyone. Here is month-by-month a snapshot of the year that was.