This project pilots a benchmarking methodology for assessing emerging areas of science and technology in Australia by assessing Australia's capability in nanotechnology.

It identifies strengths, gaps and strategic opportunities for national advancement.

The study found that Australian nanotechnology researchers are producing high-quality work across all areas of nanotechnology, but there is evidence that Australia is not advancing our capabilities as quickly as the rest of the world. The findings also suggest that Australia may fall further behind in the future unless nanotechnology is maintained as a national research priority and funded accordingly. It is recommended that Australia's nanotechnology research performance be regularly evaluated using the methodology established in this study. 

This project was funded under the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Learned Academies Special Projects grant scheme.

Preliminary findings of the benchmarking project were presented at the Sir Mark Oliphant Conference 'Scaling down to a nano-materials world' in Melbourne on 1–4 December 2003.

Nanotechnology is already having a profound impact upon major industries worldwide, including electronics, computers, communications, defence, energy, biomedical, transport and manufacturing. It has emerged as a critical field with the potential to impact nationally significant issues as diverse as health, water and energy.

Nanoscale science and technology is multidisciplinary, involving physicists, chemists, biologists, materials scientists, chemical, mechanical and electronics engineers and medical scientists.

This report characterises Australia's nanotechnology capacity and capabilities and makes recommendations to support nanotechnology research, addressing barriers to industry partnerships and commercialisation, international collaboration, and infrastructure and operational costs.

Recommendations

1. Produce a National Strategic Plan for Nanotechnology Research in consultation with the research community.
2. Allocate long-term funding to an integrated nanotechnology network that simultaneously represents research and industry needs.
3. Develop a single, centralised, national support mechanism for international collaborations and linkages at all scales.
4. Allocate funding for existing nanotechnology infrastructure and equipment, and in the long-term incorporate operational costs, such as maintenance and the provision of technical staff, into infrastructure funding models.
5. Continue to support basic research in nanotechnology while also encouraging ‘market-driven, problems-based’ research.
6. Establish a nanotechnology entrepreneurial fellowship scheme.
7. Maintain support and funding mechanisms for Australian-based nanotechnology collaborations, with dedicated schemes for postgraduate students and early-career researchers.
8. Continue efforts to integrate with research, industry and business in the development of science-based regulation and direct community engagement on nanotechnology issues.

Australian astronomy is riding a wave of discovery powered by new technology. This technology has increased the sensitivity of existing telescopes and enabled the construction of new telescopes that can see wider and further than ever before. 

This is the mid-term review of New horizons: a decadal plan for Australian astronomy 2006–2015.

It reaffirms the key goals of the decadal plan, and acknowledges both the Government’s significant investment in astronomy facilities over the past five years and its recognition of astronomy as a flagship Super Science area. 

Download the mid-term review plan

Download the mid-term review issues paper

Science by nature is an international enterprise. Contributing to progress in science, developing excellence in Australian science, and maximising the benefits of science requires that Australia participates fully in this enterprise.

This report assembles an inventory of significant global scientific organisations and collaborative opportunities in which Australian scientists and scientific institutions might reasonably be expected to be involved, and maps the extent to which Australia is currently engaged in these programs and the benefits that flow from that engagement.

The report finds that Australia is reasonably well engaged with global scientific activities.

Approximately 100 major global scientific organisations are identified, along with many more significant activities and organisations under these.

Several clear benefits from Australia’s formal engagement with global scientific organisations are identified, including leadership opportunities, scientific conferences, collaborations, and political influence. 

The study also identified several strategically important gaps and recommended that Australia rejoin some organisations.

This precious and beautiful blue planet on which we live is complex beyond measure, so complex that a whole new science – an integrative science of the Earth system (Earth System Science or ESS) – is needed to understand it.

This report, prepared by the National Committee for Earth System Science, lays out a systematic and coherent plan to create an Australian scientific enterprise – combining inputs from the natural and social sciences, economics, and the humanities – which is devoted to understanding the planet’s life support systems.

Its primary aim is to discover the Earth’s biophysical limits and how to live within them.

The benefits of integrating Australia’s scientific endeavour with the efforts of the international scientific community are clear to Australian scientists.

International collaboration invariably improves the quality and breadth of research. Increasingly, quality science is undertaken and underpinned by formal and informal international collaboration and networks.

This paper makes the case for a strategic approach to internationalise Australian science.

The paper argues that to make effective use of the less than 3% of knowledge developed by Australia, we need timely and ready access to much of the other 97% created and developed overseas.

The Academy recommends an integrated national strategy that focuses and supports international science efforts across Australian Government departments and agencies to ensure continuity in strategic scientific relationships,  and provide a competitive basis for Australia’s international long-term scientific engagement.

The 2013 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank brought together 60 early-career researchers to explore how Australia can contribute meaningfully to global brain research efforts.

The report identifies Australia's strengths in neuroscience and its healthcare system, and recommends establishing a national initiative with long-term investment, transdisciplinary collaboration, and integration of clinical, technological, and ethical dimensions.

Four groups make recommendations across the following areas:

• Cognition, intelligence and executive function
• Neurogenetics: inherited diseases and developmental biology
• Artificial intelligence, maths and modelling
• Ageing, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and end-of-life issues

This analysis found that the advanced physical and mathematical sciences – physics, chemistry, maths and Earth sciences – directly and indirectly:

• account for 22.5% of Australian economic activity, or around $292 billion per year
• provide 7% of total Australian employment (about 760,000 jobs in 27,000 businesses)
• generate 28% of our exports, or about $74 billion per year.

In addition, the parts of the Australian economy based on advanced physical and mathematical sciences have:

• grown at an average of 3.5% per year in the past decade, compared to an average of 3% per year for the Australian economy overall
• delivered productivity (gross value added per worker) double that of the economy as a whole.

This report was commissioned by the Office of the Chief Scientist and the Australian Academy of Science and prepared by economists from the Centre for International Economics. It is accompanied by a second report that focuses on the biological sciences, as well as a synthesis report that combines insights from all core sciences.

Download the infographic

This document sketches a map for future computing research orientated around the scale challenge. It is structured into three major sections:

1. ‘Grand challenges’ looks at the opportunities that computing at scale will open up, and the current technical roadblocks to getting there, through the prism of several scenarios.
2. ‘Research opportunities’ outlines the areas where research is required to make computing at scale a reality, and the cross-disciplinary engagements required to tackle the grand challenges.
3. ‘Education’ looks at the shifts in education needed to train a new generation of computing professionals proficient at computing at scale, and also at the impact that computing at scale could have on education.

This computer science project was the first in the Academy's initiative to conduct science foresighting studies. These studies consider the scientific potential for specific areas of study over the next few decades. The project culminated with the production of this report in 2013.

Published by the National Committee for Physics, the Physics decadal plan 2012–2021 presents an overview of the Australian physics community’s strategic vision for 2012–2021. 

It focuses on the importance of future growth opportunities of physics education, its role in society, international engagement, and the significance of science and technology for our future.

Physics frontiers: A decade of Australian achievement

The case studies contained in this document provide an overview of the diverse, challenging, and exciting careers that a physics background can lead to. 

They are presented to inspire and encourage young people to consider how physics can pave the way for fulfilling and rewarding careers, contributing to the growth and prosperity of Australia.

Decadal plan review – Summary

In the second half of the decadal period, the committee undertook an internal review of the plan and its progress against the recommendations. It determined that the original objectives of the decadal plan have been partially achieved and continue to be relevant to the community.

The below summary has been prepared by the National Committee for Physics.

The decadal plan identified four critical issues for the future of physics in Australia:

1. Achieving a physics-literate workforce and community
2. Realising human capital in physics
3. Building on physics research and investment
4. Engaging in the international enterprise of physics

Addressing these four critical issues is imperative. Strong support for physics delivers great value for the nation.

The physics decadal plan highlighted the opportunities that physics offers to Australia. The review reiterated the environment necessary to realise these opportunities.

Achieving a physics-literate workforce and community

Other fields outside of science greatly benefit from the skills set of physics graduates, although these benefits may not be as visible to society. 

Now more than ever, community engagement and a robust physics education sector are critical for developing a physics literate workforce that can respond to growing demands in Australian-made technology and evidence-based decision-making.

Realising human capital in physics

Physics discoveries lead to novel technologies that can revolutionise existing industries. Physics is therefore a creative profession critical to the future workforce. 

A significant way to fully realise the human capital in physics is through considering equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms in physics as whole. That implies changes into the culture at workplaces of all sorts, education of the community and changes in the way we today evaluate what a successful career in physics means and how it contributes to the society at large. 

Future human capital in physics will be realised when we can demonstrate and convince society that the studies of physics lead to fulfilling and prosperous careers and demystify the beliefs surrounding today’s physics careers.

Building on physics research and investment

Australia shares in global leadership in numerous research fields in physics. This has led to high international regard for the quality of our education and training, our research and our universities. 

The impact of our physics research internationally should be maintained and enhanced while increased investment is implemented to accelerate translation of research breakthroughs into improvements in society – through increased economic wealth, new jobs and other measures of impact.

This is something that needs to happen because of the key role that physics and physicists have played in innumerable technological advances in the world, and can play in Australia into the future with an appropriate innovation ecosystem.

There is clear evidence of engagement by the physics community in growing the high technology-based economy in Australia. It is important that the culture, investment and rewards are diversified to recognise this critical need for Australia. 

This document calls for policies and processes that will see our society achieve greater benefit from the investments it has made in physics.

Engaging in the international enterprise of physics

Science is global, and physics is no exception. The past decade has seen Australian physicists play prominent roles in large international collaborations working at the forefront of modern science. 

A key example is the discovery of gravitational waves, and confirmation of their origin, by the LIGO collaboration. Further examples of international engagement include Australian involvement in the ITER nuclear fusion project, the discovery of the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider and the development of an Australian-based dark matter detection program. 

Connections have been fostered with organisations in our region, such as the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, and other key international links have been strengthened, such as that with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). 

Australia's establishment of dedicated quantum research centres has propelled advancements in quantum technologies through collaborations between academia, industry and government. This progress has positioned the country as a significant global player in quantum research, fostering practical applications in sectors like telecommunications and computing while prioritising workforce education and policy frameworks for future developments.

Opportunities for the next decade

An important aspect of a valuable physics environment is a quality education system. Support for quality teaching, from school teachers building foundations, through to university educators training future physicists, and including activities that promote appreciation of physics amongst the general public, can elevate the Australian community’s knowledge base. 

The value of having a science-literate population, and of evidence-based decision-making, have been brought into sharp focus by the COVID-19 crisis; these boost our capability to also deal with other serious global issues. A broader understanding in the community of the multitude of physics-related career paths would encourage more students to engage with physics.

An environment that fully realises the human capital in physics addresses issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. Removing disadvantage that has existed for minority groups, and ensuring equitable career pathways for all, will make the most of governments, organisations and individuals investing in physics education.

We must build on investment in physics by organisations. The ubiquitous impact of physics research on other disciplines and technology means that it must be well supported in all technologically advanced societies. To build on research, we can harness the power of cross-disciplinary research and enhance partnerships between industry and academia. It would be advantageous for industry and investment sectors to be more aware of, and receptive to, the opportunities that physics can bring. We need efficient, agile, fair and sustainable research funding, and measures of success (metrics and coding of research) that are appropriate for the 21st century.

Infrastructure investment is required for Australian physics to remain at the cutting edge. Our country must invest in world-scale collaborative endeavours. Australian physics research is recognised internationally for its high quality. The global interconnectedness of physics research means that international collaborations are an integral part of Australian physics. To ensure that this continues in the future, we need to nurture and produce internationally competitive undergraduate and postgraduate students in physics. By engaging in the international enterprise of physics, we build the work force of the future, build our engineering and manufacturing capability, keep Australia at the forefront of technology, and provide role-models for our children in their STEM education.