National progress in diversity and inclusion in the science sector was one of the many achievements highlighted in the Academy’s recently published annual report for 2019.

Guided by the priorities of Fellows and led by the Academy Council, major achievements included the launch of three major women in STEM initiatives, support for nearly 5000 early- and mid-career researchers, and the publication of a Reconciliation Action Plan.

“The annual report demonstrates the Academy’s national leadership role in diversity and inclusion,” said Academy President Professor John Shine.

“After broad national consultation, and working with other organisations, we published the Women in STEM Decadal Plan and encouraged organisations to publish their progress implementing the plan. In August we initiated an online directory, STEM Women, which has done a lot to make women more visible.

“The Academy Council also took the ‘panel pledge’ to further strengthen the positive influence we can have on diversity.”

Academy Fellows received many Australian and international honours and awards, with Professor Cheryl Praeger being awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science.

Early in 2019 the Academy produced a scientific report on the causes of the mass fish kills in the Darling River.

“The report was widely circulated and re-affirmed our ability to respond quickly with credible, expert information needed to inform decisions,” Professor Shine said.

Support for early- and mid-career researchers included specific professional development events tailored to their needs, networking opportunities, and funding to attend events. A particular highlight was the success of Rhys Pirie, who became the first Australian to win Young Innovator of the Year at the global Falling Walls competition in Berlin.

Global activities

Global activities included the announcement of $1 million by the Science and Industry Endowment Fund to continue funding young scientists to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate and Heidelberg meetings for a further 10 years. Funding for collaborative international research managed by the Academy totalled nearly $1.5 million, and the Academy was able to quantify the many benefits returned to Australia through its membership of global science organisation, the International Science Council.

The Academy reached out to Australians through many public events around the country. We finished the year with 2.1 million followers on Facebook and produced a successful measles vaccination campaign on behalf of the Australian Government.

“Our education programs continued to help teachers and students be inspired by mathematics and science, and our first event connecting Fellows with Year 12 students was an energising experience for all,” Professor Shine said.

The Academy, through its National Committees, published 10-year plans to guide the future of nutrition science and information and communication sciences. It also published a Q&A booklet for all Australians on genetic modification, and Future Earth Australia published a strategy to achieve sustainable cities and regions in Australia by 2030.

Donations, partnerships and grants

The Academy’s work was enhanced through partnerships with the philanthropic sector, governments, industry, and a range of others in the STEM sector.

“Donations, partnerships and grants played a crucial part in the impacts we made during the year. The annual report is an excellent example of just how much our creative and determined organisation can achieve,” he said.

Read the 2019 Annual Report

All Academy Council members have signed the Panel Pledge, making a public commitment to only participate in events where efforts have been taken to ensure women have meaningful representation.

Each Academy Council member holds a significant leadership role and is held in high esteem in their respective fields. Through the Panel Pledge each Council member is now empowered to speak up and create change across the events that they are involved in.

With more than 20 Council members and observers taking the pledge, the impact across the Australian science sector is already being seen. Most recently, a Council member was made aware of an all-male committee at a research institute and highlighted this needed to be addressed.

Signing the Panel Pledge is one of the priorities outlined in the Academy’s Women in STEM Decadal Plan Champion’s response.

In addition, based on feedback from February’s Catalysing Gender Equity 2020 conference, the Academy will create a collection of existing resources and case studies to assist events and conferences in improving their gender balance which will be hosted on STEM Women.

Change is a collaborative effort and Council and the broader Academy encourage all those in STEM to consider how taking the Panel Pledge may have a positive influence on diversity and inclusion in their own networks. To learn more contact diversity@science.org.au.

Hard-won gains for women’s advancement in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workforce are now at risk of a major setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even before the pandemic hit, women were under-represented in STEM. Early evidence from during the shutdown suggests women in the STEM sector have suffered even greater job losses than men.

It also points to women carrying a greater share of responsibilities for caring and distance learning duties during isolation.

Australia’s scientific and technical services industry recorded job losses of 5.6% from mid-March to mid-April 2020, with jobs down 6.3% for women compared with 4.8% for men in this field.

The findings are in a research report requested by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, published today.

The report was produced by the Rapid Research Information Forum, a group of 35 research sector lead organisations. The forum is chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, and its operations are led by the Australian Academy of Science.

Lead author Professor Emma Johnston AO FTSE, Dean of Science at UNSW Sydney, said the peer-reviewed report confirms an urgent need for STEM employers to closely monitor and mitigate the gender impact of the pandemic on jobs and careers—or the hard work over many years to recruit and retain more women in STEM could be undone.

“The challenges are likely to be most acute for women in STEM with children under 12,” Professor Johnston said.

“The combination of juggling working from home while supervising distance learning for children has made women’s well documented ‘double burden’ even greater again.”

Science & Technology Australia (STA) and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) collaboratively led the women in STEM RRIF report.

ATSE Chief Executive Officer, Kylie Walker said diversity in the workforce is integral to higher quality and more resilient STEM research and application.

“The diverse perspectives that women bring to the STEM sector enable and drive better outcomes for scientific and technology-based industries,” Ms Walker said.

Science & Technology Australia CEO Misha Schubert said job insecurity was even more of a risk for women than men in the STEM workforce.

“With casual and short-term contract jobs likely to be the first to go, women are at particular risk—with women in STEM one and a half times more likely to be in insecure jobs,” she said.

The co-authors agreed the report was a reminder to STEM employers about the need for them to be vigilant on gender equity or they risk losing their hard-won gains.

The report synthesises the available evidence base on this matter, has been informed by experts and has been peer reviewed. Details of the report’s contributors can be found in the report’s appendix.

Read this latest report and all others from the RRIF.

The Rapid Research Information Forum (RRIF) was convened and is chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel. It benefits from operational support and leadership from the Australian Academy of Science, and is a collaboration of the participant organisations, listed below.

Forum member organisations

• Australia’s Chief Scientist (Chair) • Australian Academy of Science • Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences • Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering • Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia • Australian Academy of the Humanities • Royal Society Te Apārangi (New Zealand) • Australian Council of Learned Academies • State and Territory Chief Scientists • Chief Science Advisor to the Government of New Zealand • Scientific expert members of the National Science and Technology Council • CSIRO • Universities Australia • Science & Technology Australia

An Australian scientist who identified the cause of mass frog extinctions across the globe is among a group of scientists being acknowledged today for their outstanding contributions to science.

Associate Professor Lee Berger’s research into the frog chytrid fungus, described as the worst disease ever to impact global biodiversity, has changed wildlife conservation practices around the world.

Associate Professor Berger is one of 24 scientists elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

The new Fellows also include Professor Lidia Morawska, whose work on airborne particulate matter has aided air quality research around the world, and Professor Justin Marshall, whose pioneering research into the colour vision of animals has improved the performance of digital cameras.

Other new Fellows’ contributions include being the first to commercialise quantum communication, describing how climate change impacts the frequency of El Niño events and developing new treatments for antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’.

Australian Academy of Science President, Professor John Shine AC, congratulated the new Fellows for making significant and lasting impacts in their scientific disciplines.

“These scientists were elected by their Academy peers following a rigorous evaluation process,” said Professor Shine.

Women make up 42% of this year’s new Fellows.

“The number of women in this year’s elected Fellows reflects the Academy’s work to apply best practice in our nomination and election processes.

“We encourage the STEM sector to continue to nurture diversity in all its forms, so that the STEM workforce reflects the composition of our society,” Professor Shine said.

Over the past five years, 34% of the Fellows elected have been women. Following this year’s election, the Fellowship stands at 559 Fellows, 90 of whom are women.

The new Fellows for 2020 are:

ACT

1. Professor Ping Koy Lam FAA – Quantum physicist, Australian National University

WA

1. Professor Ryan Lister FAA – Epigeneticist, University of Western Australia
2. Professor Harvey Millar FAA – Plant biochemist, University of Western Australia
3. Professor Robyn Anne Owens FAA FTSE – Mathematician (computer vision), University of Western Australia

QLD

1. Professor Adèle Green AC FAA FAHMS – Epidemiologist, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
2. Professor Justin Marshall FAA – Marine biologist, University of Queensland
3. Professor Lidia Morawska FAA – Aerosol physicist, Queensland University of Technology
4. Professor Alan Rowan FAA – Physical organic chemist, University of Queensland

VIC

1. Associate Professor Lee Berger FAA – Biologist, University of Melbourne
2. Professor Linda Blackall FAA – Microbiologist, University of Melbourne
3. Dr Wenju Cai FAA – Climatologist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
4. Professor Peter Currie FAA – Stem cell biologist, Monash University
5. Professor Andrew Cuthbertson AO FAA FTSE FAHMS – Chief Scientific Officer and Director, CSL Limited (Special Election)
6. Professor Aurore Delaigle FAA – Statistician, University of Melbourne
7. Professor Andrew Roberts FAA FAHMS – Clinical haematologist, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

NSW

1. Professor Tim Bedding FAA – Astrophysicist, University of Sydney
2. Dr Annabelle Bennett AC FAA – Chancellor, Bond University (Special Election)
3. Dr Cathy Foley FAA FTSE – Chief Scientist, CSIRO (Special Election)
4. Professor Gary Froyland FAA – Mathematician (dynamical systems and optimization), UNSW Sydney
5. Professor Kevin Galvin FAA FTSE – Chemical engineer, University of Newcastle
6. Professor Kate Jolliffe FAA – Organic chemist, University of Sydney
7. Professor Ian Paulsen FAA – Microbiologist, Macquarie University
8. Dr Simon Poole AO FAA FTSE – Director of Business Development, Cylite Pty Ltd (Special Election)
9. Dr Jenny Stauber FAA FTSE – Ecotoxicologist, CSIRO Land and Water

More information

Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science are among the nation’s most distinguished scientists, elected by their peers for ground-breaking research and contributions that have had clear impact.

The Australian Academy of Science was founded on 16 February 1954 by Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London, with the distinguished physicist Sir Mark Oliphant as founding President. The first woman elected to the Academy was Dorothy Hill in 1956.

Information about criteria for ordinary and special election to the Academy can be found at science.org.au/fellowship/election-academy.

Australia’s research workforce will be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects are likely to be felt for an extended period. Universities in particular have been dealt a double blow by the pandemic.

A new research report published today details how a dramatic drop in international student fees and business research spending will impact the sector significantly in the next six months and beyond.

University job losses of up to 21,000 full time equivalent (FTE) positions are projected over the next six months of which an estimated 7,000 could be research-related academic staff.

Research interruptions and travel and visa restrictions suggest that more than 9,000 international research students will not resume their research in 2020, according to the report’s authors.

The report’s authors are concerned that women, early-career researchers and recent graduates will disproportionately experience negative impacts.

The report was produced by the Rapid Research Information Forum, a group of 35 research sector lead organisations. The forum is chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, and its operations are led by the Australian Academy of Science.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) led the workforce report.

ATSE Chief Executive Officer, Kylie Walker said industry sectors may experience a reduced capacity to innovate given that universities perform approximately 43% of all applied research in Australia.

“A decline in innovation may limit economic growth by slowing the development of new technology, skills, and efficiency gains in service and production processes,” Ms Walker said.

The report also found:

• Income to universities, medical research institutes, publicly funded research agencies, CRCs, and the industrial sector is suffering from the loss of foreign students and a sharp decline in business research spending and philanthropy.
• These impacts are greater than during the 2008 global financial crisis and are being observed internationally.
• To try and make ends meet as budgets contract, universities are reducing the number of casual teachers and increasing the teaching loads of permanent staff, further limiting their research capacity.

The rapid research brief responds to a request for advice from the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission on what impact the pandemic is having and likely to have on Australia’s research workforce, and whether we will have the research workforce capability to support our recovery efforts.

The report synthesises the evidence base on this matter, has been informed by relevant experts and has been peer reviewed. Details of the report’s contributors can be found in the report’s appendix.

Read the report.

Background information

The Rapid Research Information Forum was launched on 29 April. The first four published reports respond to questions posed by the Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP; and the fifth to the Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan MP.

The RRIF will answer a range of questions in upcoming reports at the request of Industry, Science and Technology Minister the Hon Karen Andrews MP; and Health Minister the Hon Greg Hunt MP.

The growing list of questions includes:

1. COVID-19 vaccines and treatments being developed globally that are regarded as having most promise (including national and international collaborations and consortia), and what are the mechanisms for action for each of these?
2. What motivates people to download and continue to use the COVIDSafe app?
3. What impact is the COVID-19 epidemic having on women in the STEM workforce?
4. How long does the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain viable on different surfaces, particularly cotton, wool, other common textile blends, cardboard, plastic, stainless steel and copper?

Read all the reports of the forum

Rapid Research Information Forum member organisations

• Australia’s Chief Scientist (Chair)
• Australian Academy of Science
• Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
• Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
• Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
• Australian Academy of the Humanities
• Royal Society Te Apārangi (New Zealand)
• Australian Council of Learned Academies
• State and Territory Chief Scientists
• Chief Science Advisor to the Government of New Zealand
• Scientific expert members of the National Science and Technology Council
• CSIRO
• Universities Australia
• Science & Technology Australia

*EXTENSION OF CLOSING DATE* 
The closing date for Falling Walls Lab Australia has been extended to Monday 20 July 2020.

The Academy invites applications from postdocs and students, entrepreneurs, engineers and innovators to present at the virtual event Falling Walls Lab Australia 2020 in September.

Falling Walls Lab Australia is an inspiring annual forum for the next generation of exceptional innovators. It promotes breakthroughs that impact science and society and connects promising young scientists and entrepreneurs from all fields.

Successful applicants will be selected to participate in Falling Walls Lab Australia, each giving a three-minute presentation on their research, business model or initiative based on the concept ‘Which walls will fall next?’. In accordance with physical distancing measures due to COVID-19, the event will be a virtual Lab this year and will be held on 8 September 2019.

A Lab will also be held in Queensland in August, hosted by Study Queensland, for applicants within that state. The finalists for this Lab will be automatically accepted into the Canberra Lab to compete for a place in the Berlin Finale. The call for applications for the Queensland Lab will open in the coming weeks and information on this will be updated when available.

A jury of distinguished academics and business people will select the winner of Falling Walls Lab Australia and the winner will be automatically admitted to the international Falling Walls Lab Finale held on 8 November 2020.

The format of the finale will depend on physical distancing measures in place at the time, but it is envisaged that the finale will be a virtual Lab.

At last year’s Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin, Australian researcher Rhys Pirie won first place and was named the 2019 Young Innovator of the Year.

Apply now to be part of this exciting opportunity.

Applications close 5 pm (AEST) Monday 20 July.

Academy Fellows Professor Jane Elith and Professor Roger Summons have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in the United States.

Founded in 1863 as a result of an Act of Congress approved by President Abraham Lincoln, the NAS is a society of distinguished scholars that provides independent, objective advice on matters related to science and technology.

Scientists are elected by their peers to membership in the NAS for outstanding contributions to research. NAS membership currently totals approximately 2400 American members and 500 international members. Approximately 190 members and international members have received Nobel prizes.

The Academy congratulates Professor Elith and Professor Summons on their election as international NAS members, considered one of the highest honours a scientist can receive.

Professor Jane Elith

Professor Jane Elith, Professor in Biodiversty Modelling at the University of Melbourne, has rapidly become one of the world’s most influential researchers in applied ecology. She specialises in species distribution models that help to better inform environmental managers and governments on invasive species, land-use and improving biodiversity.

Professor Elith received her PhD in ecology from the University of Melbourne in 2002 and has since been a Research Fellow in the School of Botany. She is currently an Australian Research Council Future Fellow within the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis at the university.

Professor Elith is one of the most highly cited ecologists in Australia and was recognised by Thomas Reuters as a highly cited researcher from 2014–2016, putting her in the top 1% of researchers globally. She has received several awards, including the 2015 Prime Minister’s prize for Life Scientist of the Year and the 2016 Fenner Medal from the Australian Academy of Science, and was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2017. Professor Elith has been a subject editor for numerous scientific journals in the fields of ecology, plant and animal species distribution and ecography and teaches specialist courses in spatial modelling.

Professor Roger Summons

Professor Summons is the Schlumberger Professor of Geobiology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is particularly well known for his work on the application of organic geochemical methods to study microbes to increase the understanding of the early evolution of life on Earth. Professor Summons received his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of New South Wales in 1972 after which he conducted postdoctoral and research fellowships at Stanford University and the Australian National University. Professor Summons held appointments at the Australian National University and Geoscience Australia before joining MIT in 2001. He is Principal Investigator of the MIT NASA Astrobiology Institute, where he leads a team that studies the Foundations of Complex Life, and is also a member of the Sample Analysis on Mars instrument team.

Professor Summons served on three committees of the US National Research Council from 2003 to 2007, including the Committee on Origin and Evolution of Life, the Committee on Limits of Life, and the Committee on Mars Astrobiology. He also served as NASA co-chair of the organic contamination panel for the Mars 2020 Rover. He has been a member of the editorial boards of the scientific journals Astrobiology, Geobiology and Palaeoworld since their establishment. He has received numerous awards, including the Australian Organic Geochemistry Medal (2002), the Alfred E. Treibs Award of the Geochemical Society (2003) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Award (2008), and has been elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1998), the American Geophysical Union (2006), the Royal Society (2008) and the American Academy of Microbiology (2012).

Australia and New Zealand’s science, research and innovation sectors have united to provide governments with the latest and best evidence as they contain and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Rapid Research Information Forum (RRIF) was convened and is chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel. It benefits from operational support and leadership from the Australian Academy of Science, and is a collaboration of the participant organisations, listed below.

RRIF participants are working together to rapidly answer pressing questions about COVID-19, as they emerge. Questions are put to the RRIF by Ministers and other key decision makers, for example to support the work of the Chief Medical Officer, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), and the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC).

The first three reports, published in response to questions asked by the Health Minister, are available now.

• What is the impact of winter on the spread of COVID-19?
• Is reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 possible?
• What is the feasibility of monitoring wastewater for early detection and monitoring of COVID-19 in the population?

The RRIF will answer a range of questions in upcoming reports at the request of Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews; Health Minister Greg Hunt and Education Minister Dan Tehan and to support the NCCC. The growing list of questions includes:

• Is there evidence for differential learning outcomes for online versus in-class education; what factors moderate the relative effectiveness; and are there distinct implications for students in metropolitan, remote, rural and indigenous communities? 
• What is the predictive value of serological antibody tests, and are point of care tests comparable to laboratory tests?
• What impact is the pandemic having and likely to have on Australia’s research workforce and will we have the research workforce capability to support our recovery efforts?
• What are the vaccines and treatments being developed globally that are regarded as having most promise (including national and international collaborations and consortia), and what are the mechanisms for action for each of these, their stage of development and their strengths and limitations?

Australian Academy of Science President Professor John Shine expressed his delight at the opportunity to submit the knowledge of scientists and other experts to the Australian Government at this critical time.    

“We are in complex and uncharted territory, so it is absolutely appropriate that the independent and multidisciplinary expertise of Australia and New Zealand’s science, research and innovation sectors is being brought to bear.

“The RRIF demonstrates the strength of evidence-informed decision making and the critical value of research and innovation in driving societal and economic progress,” Professor Shine said.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel said the rapid reports follow a unique format, in which they synthesise the up-to-the-minute evidence base for a single issue informed by relevant experts and are peer reviewed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is evolving quickly. The RRIF is enabling timely responses to be provided to policymakers based on the best available multidisciplinary evidence.

“The reports of the RRIF are a major collaborative effort across a number of sectors and complement the existing mechanisms of science advice to Government,” Dr Finkel said.

Key finding on reports published to date include:

What is the impact of winter on the spread of COVID-19?

• Notwithstanding the recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2, research suggests there will be some influence of winter on spread and severity of the virus.
• Lower humidity and air temperature can increase the viability and virulence of the virus and therefore its infectivity.
• Physical distancing supported by effective public policy measures will have a greater impact on managing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 than seasonal climate.
• The concurrence of COVID-19 with other viruses during winter, such as influenza, will likely exacerbate demands on health services, especially for vulnerable people and communities.
• The onset of winter may further exacerbate the psychological effects of COVID-19, especially if quarantining measures are extended.

Is reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 possible?

• Anecdotal reports of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 becoming reinfected may be due to testing problems. While we cannot say for certain that reinfection is not possible, the evidence for reinfection is so far not compelling.
• Overall, based on the changes detected in the blood cells and antibodies seen in most recovered patients, it could be reasonably extrapolated that individuals would be protected from reinfection with the same strain, at least in the short to medium term. However, no direct evidence for immunity in patients exists at present.
• Population-level studies would be needed to determine with greater certainty whether reinfection can occur in people who have developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.
• A decline in immunity or mutations in the virus could result in a future scenario in which reinfection is possible.

What is the feasibility of monitoring wastewater for early detection and monitoring of COVID-19 in the population?

• Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) techniques are used in routine surveillance for human pathogens and have provided valuable public health data. Developing similar WBE techniques for detection of SARS-CoV-2 is an active area of research and rapid improvements can be expected.
• Further understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection biology and standardisation of WBE methods, along with improvements in their sensitivity and specificity, will enhance use of WBE tools to inform public health authorities of the prevalence of COVID-19 and management of its spread.
• Given the resolution of WBE techniques can facilitate the identification of communities in a given geographic location, there are concerns of stigmatisation of communities resulting from WBE. Careful thought must be given to research design and public release of data.

Forum member organisations

• Australia’s Chief Scientist (Chair) • Australian Academy of Science • Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences • Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering • Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia • Australian Academy of the Humanities • Royal Society Te Apārangi (New Zealand) • Australian Council of Learned Academies • State and Territory Chief Scientists • Chief Science Advisor to the Government of New Zealand • Scientific expert members of the National Science and Technology Council • CSIRO • Universities Australia • Science & Technology Australia

For more information visit the Rapid Research Information Forum website.

Professor Jane Langdale, of the Plant Sciences Department at the University of Oxford, and Professor Erwin Neher, of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Germany, have been admitted as Corresponding Members of the Australian Academy of Science for their outstanding contributions to science.

Corresponding Members of the Academy are eminent scientists not resident in Australia. They are elected based on scientific excellence, with consideration given to their connection to Australian science. The Academy will announce the election of 24 distinguished Australian scientists as New Fellows later this month.

Professor Jane Langdale FAA

Professor Jane Langdale’s research has transformed our understanding of how plants initiate leaves, how leaves adapted to major evolutionary transitions and how those changes affect photosynthesis in land plants.

She has explained various plant mechanisms, including organ inception and specification at the tip of shoots, patterning of distinct cell-types and the development of chloroplasts.

Importantly, Professor Langdale has carried out research in a comparative framework, advancing our understanding of leaf development not just in model flowering plant species but in species from all of the major land plant lineages.

What are you most proud of in your research?

“The people I have worked with over the years. Any recognition of my research is recognition of the wonderful people who have contributed to the discoveries that we have made—from the technicians who wash the lab glassware to the postdocs who challenge my ideas and prove me wrong.”

What does your election to the Academy mean to you?

“I have family, friends and many colleagues in Australia, and to be recognised by the national Academy is an incredible honour. I hope that I am able to contribute to the Academy’s mission in a meaningful way.

"Science should never be a single nation endeavour. Interactions and collaboration between people from different cultures, with a broad range of views and experiences, are essential for the synergy that fuels truly original and creative scientific advances.”

Professor Erwin Neher FAA

Professor Erwin Neher is a world-renowned biophysicist specialising in the field of cell physiology. He is internationally known for his ground-breaking development of the patch clamp technique and further discoveries concerning the function of single ion channels in living cells, which allow cells to communicate with their surroundings.

Using this technique, Professor Neher was able to take ion channels from a physiological concept to the reality of biological macromolecules, revolutionising modern biology, facilitating research, and contributing to the understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying several diseases including diabetes and cystic fibrosis.

For his outstanding contributions, in 1991 he was awarded, along with Bert Sakmann, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

What are you most proud of in your research?

“Following the development of the patch clamp, researchers worldwide adopted this technique for the study of diseases and drug action. Although I never did clinical work myself, this indirectly led to novel medications and improved therapies, which I am proud of.”

What does your election to the Academy mean to you?

“I first visited Australia in 1985 and since then kept contact with many of my colleagues. I consider election to the Academy as a major recognition of my work and as a unique chance to maintain contacts.

“The laws of nature do not distinguish between countries and continents. The goal of science is to decipher these laws and scientists share their insights in this respect in a remarkable way. Most of us see our task as a joint effort, which is substantially enhanced by international cooperation.”

Professor Langdale and Professor Neher join just 33 Corresponding Members of the Academy, including Nobel Laureates Professor Elizabeth Blackburn and Professor Rolf Zinkernagel and Fields Medal recipient Professor Akshay Venkatesh.

Three Academy Fellows, including Academy President John Shine, have been newly elected to the Royal Society, the world’s oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.

They are among 62 individuals worldwide who have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to scientific understanding.

Past Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society have included Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Dorothy Hodgkin and Stephen Hawking.

Dr Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, said at this time of global crisis, the importance of scientific thinking, and the medicines, technologies and insights it delivers, has never been clearer.

“Our Fellows and Foreign Members are central to the mission of the Royal Society, to use science for the benefit of humanity,” said Dr Ramakrishnan.

The Fellowship of the Royal Society are the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from or living and working in the UK and the Commonwealth. Each year up to 52 Fellows and up to 10 Foreign Members are elected from a group of about 700 candidates.

Professor John Shine

What does it mean to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society?

“It’s obviously an honour to join such an illustrious group of scientists. Recognition by your peers is always special. Science is critical to finding real and lasting solutions to all challenges to humanity—whether it be acute, like infectious disease pandemics, or more longer term like climate change and environmental pollution.”

Are there any Fellows of the Royal Society who have been a particular source of inspiration for you?

“All of them and what they stand for—the pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of humanity, as with the Australian Academy—but in particular Australians such as Suzanne Cory, Jerry Adams, Gus Nossal and Jim Peacock who are world leaders in fields close to my direct interests.”

Professor Shine is a leading figure in the molecular biology of gene structure and expression and its application to medicine. He has made major contributions to the development of recombinant DNA technology, both in Australia and internationally. He was the first to clone a human hormone gene and was a central figure in cloning the first mammalian genes, insulin and growth hormone. He was the first to demonstrate that human genes cloned in bacteria could be expressed in a biologically active form and, more recently, has made major contributions to evolving concepts of the structure and function of receptor families.

Professor Jane Visvader

What does it mean to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society?

“Discoveries made by Fellows of the Royal Society have played such a transformative role in society. It is truly humbling to be joining such an esteemed list of scientists, dating back to the 1600’s. It is wonderful to be recognised by scientific peers for contributions in my own research area, which is aimed at delivering better outcomes for women with breast cancer. I hope that my election will provide some inspiration to early-career scientists, especially women. Election does come with a responsibility to help promote science and convey the importance of science to shaping a better society.”

Why does science matter, particularly at a time when we are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis?

“More than ever, this pandemic underscores how dependent our society is on basic and applied science. The biological sciences have always been pivotal to understanding the basis for disease and pinpointing effective therapies. The COVID-19 crisis reminds us how important the scientific method is for understanding the basis of diseases, climate change and the long list of issues that have global relevance.”

Are there any Fellows of the Royal Society who have been a particular source of inspiration for you?

“I’m a strong believer that scientific rewards come from hard work, perseverance and a passion for discovery. Mentors also play an important role. I have been fortunate to have had many wonderful mentors over the years, most recently Jerry Adams and Suzanne Cory, both Fellows of the Royal Society, who have helped shape my career. In turn, one of the things I’m most proud of is that I have had the opportunity to supervise many talented scientists who have gone on to become successful independent researchers. The majority of these have been women.”

Professor Visvader is a leading Australian molecular and cellular biologist who has greatly clarified breast development and the role of stem cell biology in breast cancer. In a remarkable discovery, her team identified and isolated the stem cell that generates the entire breast. Her work also defined the cellular hierarchy within the breast, identified master regulators that orchestrate its differentiation program, and discovered that certain types of breast cancer originate from specific progenitor cells. The results of her research have profound implications for understanding the cellular origins of both normal and cancerous epithelial tissues.

Professor John Endler

What does it mean to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society?

“To me it is a very high honour indeed! I never expected to be elected, my only life goal has always been to be a happy zoologist! Just amazing! This is also very good news for my scientific fields: the interface among behavioural ecology, evolutionary ecology, sensory ecology, ecology and evolution.”

What inspired you to pursue this path?

“Pure curiosity! Also curiosity about the why, rather than just the usual who (taxonomy), what, where, and how. [Science] is the only way to obtain objective reality; science is explicitly designed to remove bias and get at the facts and actual reality. Everything else is pure self-serving opinion. And a lot of opinion is harmful and at best unproductive.”

Are there any Fellows of the Royal Society who have been a particular source of inspiration for you?

“Yes, Nick Davies. He is unique in making major use of first-class natural history to generate testable hypotheses and test them. In the current rush to get grants and publish, most other people have forgotten that the ultimate source of new hypotheses and new insights comes from natural history. Without that fields get bogged down and answering—or not answering—the same old questions in the same old, often unproductive, ways. Novelty and good hypotheses depend upon natural history which means keen and careful observation of natural phenomena. This applies to any field, not just mine.”

Professor Endler is widely held as one of the world’s leading evolutionary biologists. He was instrumental in showing how geographically varying elements can cause divergent evolution and speciation, despite significant gene flow. His experimental evolution studies of sexual seduction and natural selection on colour patterns of guppies were groundbreaking, and his demonstration of the modes and strength of selection in the wild has spawned a generation of research into selection in natural populations. His work on colour vision has revolutionised our understanding of how animals perceive the world, and he has pioneered the new science of sensory ecology.