News and views

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates its Fellows Professor Michelle Simmons and Professor Graham Farquhar AO, who have been named the 2018 Australian of the Year and Senior Australian of the Year respectively.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes newly appointed Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation, Senator Zed Seselja, and congratulates Minister Michaelia Cash on her appointment as Minister for Jobs and Innovation.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the Australian Government’s commitment to fund a much-needed upgrade to Australia’s national supercomputer in today’s Mid-Year and Economic Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO).

A generous donation to the Academy from the University of Queensland will continue to support female early-career researchers working in the Earth sciences.

The Academy’s national speaker series aims to deliver science around Australia in an engaging, accessible and positive way. Since August, the Academy has delivered Making Better Humans with Polymers in Wollongong, Brisbane and Adelaide, with audiences taken on a polymer journey by Dr Katherine Locock, Dr Georgina Such, Professor Martina Stenzel, Professor Gordon Wallace, Professor Christopher Barner-Kowollik and Professor Peter Murphy.

The Academy recently hosted a Primary Connections showcase professional learning workshop at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). This was the first workshop of its type, with key stakeholders in STEM education observing part of the workshop and engaging with the 30 primary school educators in attendance.

The Academy has awarded more than $200,000 to a number of high-quality research projects and conferences, generously supported by donations to the Academy. In 2018 these will, among other things, fund cutting-edge Australian marine, soil and plant biology research and help the survival of some of Australia’s endangered species. There is also support for specialist conferences on subjects such as the rapid collapse of ecosystems in a changing world.

Central to the purpose of the Academy is the recognition and support of outstanding contributions to the advancement of science. The honorific awards were established to recognise distinguished research in three categories: awards of medals and prizes are made to early-career scientists up to 10 years post PhD, mid-career scientists 8 to 15 years post PhD, and the prestigious career awards which are made to scientists for life-long achievement.

The Australian Government has initiated a review looking at ways to achieve excellence in Australian schools. The review will examine and report on how Australian schools could use additional funding to improve student performance.