Welcome to our first newsletter for 2023. I hope you had the opportunity to have a break over the summer, relax with family and friends, and possibly even enjoy some of the recommendations in our Fellows’ annual reading, listening and viewing list!
You’ll see from the February newsletter that the Academy has started the year energetically. In partnership with the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, we convened experts to inform the Parliamentary Inquiry into Long COVID and Repeated COVID Infections being conducted by the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport.
We are delighted to be working with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to convene a series of roundtables that will support the Reef 2050 Independent Expert Panel in its role of advising government. We will develop our scientific advice by bringing together experts across the country to deliberate in three roundtables. Our final report will be publicly available and of interest to Australian governments of all levels and to the non-government sector.
Our report on greenhouse gas removal in Australia, generated from the novel negative emissions approaches for Australia roundtable held last September, will be launched on 1 March. The report explores the scientific capability, research, collaboration and investment needed to support new breakthroughs in greenhouse gas removal. I invite you to join a panel of experts at the launch webinar from 11 to 12.30 AEDT for discussion on this emerging topic.
Ever wondered how scientific work in Australia on the rabbit plague and cattle disease helped see the establishment of the Louis Pasteur Institute in Paris? Read about this fascinating story which is part of the Adrien Loir scientific collection held at the Academy. This unique collection has recently been digitised and is freely accessible on our website.
You can also read about the remarkable contributions of ten women to coral reef science over the past 90 years in the most recent issue of Historical Records of Australian Science.
Finally, we offer our warmest congratulations to all the Academy Fellows who have been recognised with honours and awards within the past two months. We are especially proud of Professor Tom Calma, elected to the Academy last year, who was announced as Senior Australian of the Year. This important recognition provides Professor Calma with a national platform to continue as a leading driver of change in the lead-up to the referendum on whether to update the Constitution to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
Much has been happening—I hope you enjoy finding out more in this newsletter.
Anna-Maria
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
