Despite immediate relief for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure scheme (NCRIS) and an ongoing commitment to establish a Medical Research Future Fund, overall funding for science in Australia will continue to decline.

Part one contains a summary and commentary of the major funding announcements.

Part two analyses the impact of the federal Budget on the large science agencies, and the most significant science funding programs. This section makes direct comparisons between the science expenditure plans as set out in the 2015–16 Budget with the 2014–15 Budget.

This review examines the health of research in the mathematical sciences in Australia. The review also investigates the provision of high-level mathematical services, and demonstrates how the nation gains benefit from its investment in this discipline. 

This strategic review of mathematical sciences research and advanced mathematical services in Australia has four principal findings and 20 recommendations.

Principal findings

1. It is essential for Australia to have a sound research base in the mathematical sciences for the following reasons:

   • to be able to respond to new research ideas and opportunities
   • to capture benefit through collaborative research and downstream technology transfer
   • to educate future mathematical sciences graduates
   • to contribute to the economic and cultural strength of the nation
   • to benefit from international developments.

   In general, Australia possesses a sound research base, although certain sub-disciplines, among them operations research and financial mathematics, need to be strengthened.

2. The mathematical sciences are critical to Australia's economic competitiveness and quality of life, and will become more so. The mathematical sciences are generic and enabling technologies. They are essential to the prosperity of many value-adding industries in Australia.
3. The mathematical sciences make a vital contribution to many fields of research and endeavour. The importance of this contribution needs further emphasis because
   • much work in the mathematical sciences is multi-disciplinary in nature
   • there is a spillover of concepts and techniques from the mathematical sciences into other disciplines, particularly through methods and software widely used in those disciplines
   • researchers in many other disciplines (including the social sciences) who would not describe themselves as mathematical scientists nonetheless make extensive use of mathematical and statistical concepts.
4. The mathematical sciences profession in Australia faces a number of major challenges:
   • improving the image of the profession to match its importance and effectiveness
   • balancing an age distribution which is currently skewed by the growth in the profession in the late 1960s and 1970s
   • redressing the gender imbalance at senior levels
   • attracting good undergraduate students into mathematical sciences courses
   • increasing opportunities for postdoctoral level researchers
   • broadening the funding base for research
   • educating potential users to the value of the mathematical sciences
   • improving technology transfer programs and associated educational programs, particularly for SMEs (small to medium enterprises).

If these challenges are not addressed successfully, there will be significant diminution in Australia's capabilities in the mathematical sciences, to the detriment of the nation.

This report gives a brief review of the geodetic activities carried out in Australia over the period July 1995 to June 1999.

The report summarises the activities of the federal and state government survey organisations and the universities.

It was prepared by the geodesy sub-committee of the National Committee for Solid Earth Sciences.

Compiled by the National Committee for Space Science, this report presents aspects of Australian space activity which the contributors regard as relevant and appropriate to the International Science Council's COSPAR for 2004–06.

Significant events include: 

• the successful operation of FedSat, Australia’s first scientific satellite since the 1960s
• Australian members of the Japanese Hayabusa (MUSES-C) spacecraft team helping the spacecraft reach, identify a safe landing site, and land on asteroid Itokawa for its sample-return mission
• completion of the Unwin radar at Invercargill, New Zealand, and its successful operation with the similar Bruny Island radar to form the Tasman International Geospace Environment Radar (TIGER) system, within the international SuperDARN network
• an international team, including Australian scientists readying NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) to launch from Cape Canaveral in mid-2006, in order to study the Sun, solar wind, and space weather effects on the Earth’s environment and human technology.

Compiled by the National Committee for Space Science, this report presents aspects of Australian space activity which the contributors regard as relevant and appropriate to the International Science Council's COSPAR for 2002–04.

The most significant event in Australian space science in the last two years was the satellite program from the Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS) which resulted in the launch of FedSat, the first satellite built in Australia since the 1960s.

Compiled by the National Committee for Space Science, this report presents aspects of Australian space activity which the contributors regard as relevant and appropriate to the International Science Council's COSPAR for 2000–02.

The research areas encompass earth observation (remote sensing), solar terrestrial physics, upper atmospheric physics, climate and weather modelling, space astronomy, and space communications research.

Compiled by the National Committee for Space Science, this report to the International Science Council Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) was assembled from contributions from the wide range of institutions undertaking space-related research in Australia.

Australian institutions active in space research comprise CSIRO, numerous university groups, and various government bodies such as the Australian Antarctic Division and the Ionospheric Prediction Service. 

Industry is also making a contribution to space research in Australia.

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates the grant recipients of the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) grant funding for the 2023–24 round.

Established by the Royal Society to further scientific discovery, the TMI is administered by the Australian Academy of Science and provides grant funding to support career development opportunities for Australia’s early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

A total commitment of A$300,000 has been allocated to support 30 applications, with the grant recipients spread across Australia. These grants are distributed among four Flagship projects, six Amplify Initiatives, and 20 Participation Support Grants, which are expected to start implementation from January 2024.

Funding stream one: Flagship Activities

Four grants, each with an average size of A$40,400, have been approved to deliver activities designed to provide tangible benefits to EMCRs in Australia and the wider scientific community.

These initiatives are strategically designed to extend their impact beyond a single Australian organisation, fostering collaboration and synergy across multiple institutions.

Sponsorship support from additional event partners enhances the scope and effectiveness of these activities.

Below is the list of projects approved under the category of Flagship Activities:

Funding stream two: Amplify Activities

Six grants, averaging A$13,600 each, were approved for activities that will bring additional benefits and opportunities to conferences, workshops, symposia, and networking events.

Serving as complementary add-on events, they will amplify the overall impact of the main activities, specifically by facilitating increased engagement of EMCRs.

These grants cover the additional costs associated with ensuring the active participation of EMCRs, contributing to a richer and more inclusive experience for all attendees.

Below is the list of projects approved under the category of Amplify Activities:

Funding stream three: Participation Support

Twenty grants, with an average size of A$2,800, were approved for Australian EMCRs to cover the expenses associated with attending events or activities.

This funding is tailored to alleviate costs related to caregiving, accessibility, and mobility needs, ensuring that EMCRs can fully engage in career development opportunities such as conferences or training workshops.

The aim is to eliminate financial barriers, enabling EMCRs to participate meaningfully in activities vital for their professional growth.

Below is the list of grant recipients under the category of Participation Support Grants:

Every application underwent thorough evaluation by the EMCR Committee of Council—a panel consisting of esteemed Academy Fellows and subject matter experts.

The conclusive decisions regarding approvals and allocations were made by the Academy's Executive Committee of Council and the Board of the Royal Society (Australia) Pty Ltd.

The Academy anticipates the next call for applications to open around mid-2024.

UPDATE 1 February 2024: Read about the outcome of the second round of the fund.

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates the 21 grant recipients from the first round of the Ukraine-Australia Research Fund, announced today.

Just over A$330,000 has been awarded from the fund to assist Ukrainian researchers impacted by the war with Russia. The fund supports two activities, each offering practical support to enable the continuation of research and technology activities by Ukrainian scientists.

Activity 1 – Short-term visits to Australia

This activity supports Ukrainian researchers to participate in short-term visits to Australia to engage in project research at a host institution, or to participate in a conference and site visit program.

Activity 1 has awarded 12 applicants a total of A$210,000, which will support 14 Ukrainian visitors. The Australian hosts, visiting Ukrainians, and their institutions are:

Activity 2 – Facility access

Under this activity, Ukrainian researchers will access leading infrastructure capabilities in Australia, such as supercomputing facilities, microscopy and microanalysis, and telescopes.

Ukrainian researchers will be able to send their samples to facilities for analysis, including those enabled under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), with the results returned to the Ukrainian research institute.

Funding covers the cost of sending samples between Ukraine and the Australian facility, the cost of instrument access, and of testing and analysing the samples. This activity will keep Ukrainian researchers productive and publishing at their own institutes in Ukraine while also engaging in international collaborations.

Activity 2 has seen nine applications to access NCRIS facilities approved. The total amount awarded was just over A$120,000.

The collaborating NCRIS facilities, Ukrainian awardees, and their institutes are:

• ANSTO Centre for Accelerator Science
  • Prof Bogdan Ridush, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University
• AuScope GeoHistory Facility Laser Ablation ICPMS
  • Prof Hennadii Artemenko, MP Semenenko Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Ore Formation
• Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, a Microscopy Australia facility
  • Dr Volodymyr Kulyk, Lviv Polytechnic National University
• Radiogenic Isotopes 
  • Dr Vitaliy Sukach, MP Semenenko Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Ore Formation
• National Computational Infrastructure
  • Dr Misha Khoma, Institute of Electron Physics
  • Dr Pavlo Fernati, SP Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
  • Prof Vasyl Rizak, Uzhhorod National University
• South Australian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility 
  • Dr Sergii Khutornoi, Institute of Marine Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
• Western Australian Argon Isotope Facility
  • Prof Oleksandr Mytrokhyn, Institute of Geology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

All applications were evaluated by an assessment committee comprised of Academy Fellows and relevant subject matter experts. The final decision on approvals and allocations was made by the Ukraine-Australia Research Fund Working Group, chaired by Academy President Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FREng FTSE.

Successful applications from the second round are expected to be announced later this year.

The Academy thanks the not-for-profit Breakthrough Prize Foundation for their funding support of this program, the Australian institutes and researchers hosting Ukrainian visitors, the NCRIS facilities and Directors Group for their ongoing contributions to the program, and the Ukrainian participants.

On 10 September 2003, the Australian Academy of Science made the following policy statement on research and innovation in Australia.

• Download statement (PDF, 360 KB)