Decadal plans are 10-year strategic plans for science disciplines, and are developed by the Academy’s National Committees for Science.
The diversity of each discipline makes the production of decadal plans exciting and unique projects. Decadal plans are produced by the research community, but the audiences for the documents are, to a large extent, policy makers and funding bodies.
Printed copies of decadal plans can be ordered online. Booklets are free and standard delivery is also free within Australia.
The National Committee for Space and Radio Science is currently writing the Australia’s Future in Space strategic plan and is seeking images to feature in the final publication. The committee is looking for images that encompass and represent Australian space science, as well as demonstrating the diversity of the people and the field. Submissions from all fields of space science are encouraged. Submit images via our website by Monday 5 October.
One of the white papers written as part of the Decadal plan for Australian astronomy 2016–2025: Mid-term review has led to a publication in the prestigious journal, Nature Astronomy.
The white paper on carbon emissions and sustainability was authored by researchers at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), the University of Western Australia and Swinburne University of Technology. The mid-term review’s call for the commissioning of a carbon footprint survey led to a series of recent papers published in Nature Astronomy on the topic of improving the carbon footprint of astronomical research, including The imperative to reduce carbon emissions in astronomy.
The publication has prompted major astronomy research centres and organisations including ICRAR, CSIRO and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory to create sustainability information pages.
Lead authors Adam Stevens and Sabine Bellstedt have also published an article in The Conversation on the importance of sustainability in astronomy.
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