News and views

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.

The winners this year of Australia’s second Falling Walls Lab, Dr Vini Gautam from the Australian National University and Dr Mortaza Rezae from Curtin University, represented Australia at the international event in November. The Berlin event was attended by 100 finalists and winners from the 49 international Falling Walls Labs held during the year.

The December 2017 issue (Volume 28 Number 2) of the Academy’s journal, Historical Records of Australian Science, is now available. This issue contains five articles on the history of Australian science, four biographical memoirs of Fellows, and a selection of book reviews.

A meeting of representatives of some of the world’s major brain research projects, hosted by the Australian Academy of Science in Canberra, has made a declaration to establish an International Brain Initiative.

Multiple Academy videos have gone viral internationally on Facebook since the launch of the Academy’s new daily commitment to answer everyday questions and introduce people to science.

The Productivity Commission has added its influential voice to the ongoing debate on the role of universities—in particular, their research and teaching roles.

Australian science and technology is well placed to seize opportunities to commercialise at home and abroad, according to experts who gathered in Sydney in November.

A collection of videotaped biographical interviews with more than 130 important figures in clinical medicine and science from the United Kingdom and Australia—including several Academy Fellows—is now available online.