The Academy’s celebration of science held in May each year, Science at the Shine Dome, saw 400 attendees hear from 57 speakers over three days.
The event kicked off with the Academy’s annual symposium, which looked at the role of science in predicting, mitigating, responding to and recovering from natural hazards and weather events. The first day also saw 21 new Fellows admitted to the Academy in recognition of their work in science.
On Day Two, the Academy’s newly elected Fellows presented their science, starting with Dr Alan Andersen, the world’s leading ant community ecologist and the first Fellow from the Northern Territory. Attendees also heard how materials scientist, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, is revolutionising recycling.
The red carpet (which was actually Academy blue) was rolled out on Wednesday evening with the Academy's annual gala dinner. Writer and broadcaster Virginia Haussegger interviewed 2018 Australian of the Year, Professor Michelle Simmons FAA, about her science career so far and the quest to build a quantum computer.
The gala dinner also saw the launch of the Academy’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Travelling Research Award. The award recognises research in the natural sciences by outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD students and early- and mid-career scientists.
The final day saw outgoing President, Professor Andrew Holmes AC PresAA FRS FTSE, give his final President’s address. He was also interviewed by Academy Fellow Robyn Williams about his time as President. The interview was broadcast on ABC’s The Science Show.
On the final day of the event, 15 researchers received highly sought-after honours for outstanding achievements in early- and mid-career research or across a lifetime of work. Associate Professor Tracy Ainsworth from James Cook University received the Dorothy Hill Medal for her research, which has improved our understanding of how stress responses and diseases occur in corals. More about the recipients of the Academy’s 2018 awards.
Videos on each of the 2018 New Fellows and Honorific award winners are available on the Academy’s YouTube channel.
You can also see and share photos from the event (please credit Australian Academy of Science).
The Academy is grateful to the following organisations that partnered with us to make Science at the Shine Dome 2018 such a successful event.
CSIRO
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