History was made in Samoa last week when the Pacific Academy of Sciences was launched.
The Australian Academy of Science—via our leadership of the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific—together with our sister Academy in New Zealand, the Royal Society Te Aparangi, have worked alongside Pacific scholars and played a critical advisory role in its establishment.
Until now, there has not been a means for knowledge holders from across the Pacific Islands to convene and enable their unique regional knowledge to support science and to advance an evidence-based Pacific voice in international fora.
The launch, hosted by the National University of Samoa, saw the election of 12 Foundation Fellows from across the natural and social sciences, the humanities, Indigenous knowledge, and technology. Their work will benefit the Pacific Islands region and beyond.
I am immensely proud of the Academy’s contribution to removing structural barriers faced by Pacific knowledge holders. Their participation in international fora is critical, particularly as Pacific Island states and territories navigate climate-related vulnerabilities.
As the world faces multiple challenges, the role of science and actionable knowledge in addressing these challenges is increasingly important.
We welcome the Pacific Academy of Sciences into the global network of academies that play a critical role in supporting research, national development and curating knowledge.
You can read more about the establishment of the Pacific Academy of Sciences and its Foundation Fellows in this month’s newsletter.
In other news this month, I warmly congratulate Academy Fellows Professor Matthew Bailes and Professor Andrew Wilks for being awarded the 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science and the (joint) 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, respectively.
Please enjoy the October edition of the newsletter.
Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FREng FTSE
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
