Academy award nomination deadline extended to 25 May

The Australian Academy of Science acknowledges the current pressures on researchers around the country. From increased workloads for those directly related to the development of COVID-19 vaccines or treatments, to interesting online teaching challenges and drastically altered caring responsibilities, much of science sector will have been affected by the pandemic in some way.
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Academy award nomination deadline extended to 25 May

The Australian Academy of Science acknowledges the current pressures on researchers around the country. From increased workloads for those directly related to the development of COVID-19 vaccines or treatments, to interesting online teaching challenges and drastically altered caring responsibilities, much of science sector will have been affected by the pandemic in some way.

While these additional challenges are ongoing, now, as much as ever, it is important for us to recognise and applaud those who have made a difference within their field of research, and to support science through our various research, travel and conference grants. However, we understand that the 1 May award nomination deadline could be too soon for some to find the required time to complete the nomination process.

As such, the Academy honorific awards nomination deadline has been extended to 25 May 2020.

The deadline for research grants, travelling fellowships and conference funding is one week later, on 1 June 2020.

We hope that the extension of the deadline will reduce the time-pressure barrier enough for those currently unsure they have capacity to complete a nomination prior to the previous deadline. Due to the award selection process, it is extremely unlikely that we will be able to extend this deadline further.

We actively call on the entire science community to think about your network and encourage a colleague to nominate someone or even consider them for nomination.

Together, we will continue to support excellence in science and showcase Australia's scientific achievements.

The full list of available awards, grants, fellowships and funding can be found below, and further information on each award can be found at the Academy's Awards page.

View the awards page

Awards open:

Earth Sciences
Physical Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biological Science
Biomedical Science
Population and the Environment and Environmental science
Engineering

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Australia’s leading scientists respond to the release of Government’s modelling data

The Australian Academy of Science is encouraged by indications that National Cabinet will make public future models based on Australian data on a regular basis.
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Tuesday, 7 April

The Australian Academy of Science is encouraged by indications that National Cabinet will make public future models based on Australian data on a regular basis.

To allow the valuable knowledge of the scientific community to be brought to bear in what is complex and unchartered territory, transparency regarding the scientific inputs to National Cabinet decisions, and the deliberations of the Australian Health Principal Protection Committee is vital.

The release of the scientific evidence base will show the role of science in informing key decisions and in turn build trust, confidence and compliance amongst the community.

The Doherty Institute papers that have been released today are being reviewed by discipline experts within the Academy’s Fellowship. The scientific process which we have relied on for hundreds of years has shown us that peer review and interrogation of data, leads to the best possible evidence base to inform decision making.

In analysing the evidence as it is gradually made public, we encourage the media and the community to engage with experts, rather than be led by opinion. In addition to the Academy of Science Fellowship, a national COVID-19 Expert Database was developed as a collaborative effort amongst Australia’s leading academies and is available and searchable at science.org.au/covid19/experts. More than 550 experts have registered for the database since its launch last Friday.

In addition to developing and hosting Australia’s COVID-19 Expert Database, the Australian Academy of Science is supporting the national response to COVID-19 through the production of informative and fact checked video content.

Academy supports IAP communiqué on COVID-19

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The Australian Academy of Science supports the below statement made recently by the InterAcademy Partnership. The Academy joins with over 100 other national science academies to offer these best possible scientific data and recommendations to all governments throughout the world. These proposals are based on a consensus of the best available research data, and will be discussed and modified in each country, including Australia, to take account of local circumstances.

The statement’s three key points are that:

  1. All countries to renew their commitment to collaboration based on whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.
  2. Coordination in the communication of validated information worldwide, by intergovernmental organisations and others, is essential to enable strengthening of public health preparedness, informed by the best scientific evidence.
  3. IAP recommends particular efforts to work with and support countries with weaker public health frameworks and health care systems, perhaps especially in Africa and Southeast Asia where coronavirus infections are expected to increase soon.

It is this Academy’s strong position that responsibility for coordination of an effective international response to COVID-19 must involve scientists and clinicians, who have the skills and experience to provide the best advice on how to minimise the impact of the pandemic. To support scientists, the Academy recently called for data underpinning COVID-19 decisions to be made public.

World academies call for global solidarity on COVID-19 pandemic

March 27, 2020

The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) urges countries to collaborate, use and share science-based information, and help the developing world.

The current COVID-19 outbreak was first reported on 31 December 2019. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic. Today, under the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), 140 medical, scientific and engineering academies from around the world call on the scientific and policymaking communities to come together to help control the spread of infection. IAP’s aim is to encourage better and faster use of research and its outputs for the global public good.

“Many in the scientific community are expressing great concern that a willingness to coordinate action and share resources that was found in tackling previous pandemics such as HIV, SARS and avian influenza has not emerged to the same extent yet for COVID-19. It is time to change the tide,” says IAP President Volker ter Meulen.

IAP academy members constitute more than 30,000 leading scientists, engineers and health professionals in over 100 countries. The new IAP Communique on COVID-19 emphasises the vital importance of doing more now to act collectively because effort on the global scale is essential to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in all territories. Firstly, countries must collaborate and make sure leaders in public health and governments work together to fight the outbreak, focusing on global-scale planning. Second, governments must use the best scientific evidence to strengthen public health preparedness and mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, for instance on supply chains. Third, IAP recommends rapid and coordinated action to work with and support countries with weaker public health frameworks and health care systems, especially in Africa, which have not yet recorded rampant coronavirus infection.

“IAP is now acting through its global academies network, together with the Global Young Academy and national young academies, to enable scientists in developing countries to draw on international scientific evidence to advise their own policy makers and citizens,” says Masresha Fetene, IAP Policy co-chair.

"China has been at the forefront of the response to COVID-19 and the Chinese Academy of Engineering has played a key role in that response. We stand ready to share our newly-gained knowledge and expertise of this disease with any country that requires it," adds Depei Liu, IAP president and IAP Health co-chair.

“The credibility of academies comes not only from the scientific excellence of their members, but also from the fact that they are free of vested interests. In the last weeks, fake news and misinformation have spread rapidly both online and offline, so it is of utmost importance for policy-makers to listen to a reputable voice, which has past experience of sharing distilled wisdom on complex issues requiring in-depth analysis on scientific basis,” highlights IAP Science co-chair Krishan Lal.

The full statement was signed by the Steering Committee members of the InterAcademy Partnership:

Volker ter Meulen, IAP President

Depei Liu, IAP president and co-chair IAP Health

Margaret Hamburg, co-chair, IAP Health

Krishan Lal, co-chair, IAP Science

Cherry Murray, co-chair, IAP Science

Masresha Fetene, co-chair, IAP Policy

Richard Catlow, co-chair, IAP Policy

Academy supports statement to G20 leaders on COVID-19

The Australian Academy of Science supports the below statement made this week on behalf of the S20, the science academies of the G20.
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Map of COVID-19 cases from the World Health Organization dated 26 March 2020

The Academy supports an international approach to the COVID-19 pandemic based on science. Data visualisation from WHO, 26 March 2020

The Australian Academy of Science supports the below statement made this week on behalf of the S20, the science academies of the G20. 

The statement’s three key points are that:

  • decisions must be based on scientific evidence
  • approaches must be international, not national
  • beyond the current pandemic, there are similar emergent threats to our future wellbeing for which we must prepare.

It is this Academy’s strong position that responsibility for coordination of an effective international response to COVID-19 must involve scientists and clinicians, who have the skills and experience to provide the best advice on how to minimise the impact of the pandemic. To support scientists, the Academy recently called for data underpinning COVID-19 decisions to be made public.

Science 20 Statement to G20 Leaders on the COVID-19 Pandemic

24 March 2020

On behalf of the Science Twenty (S20) G20 Saudi Arabia engagement group representing the G20 Academies of Sciences, we welcome the Saudi G20 Presidency’s call for an extraordinary virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit this week to advance a coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications.

The coronavirus pandemic is still unraveling, but its global impact is already staggering. Any hope of a better outcome for this and other similar threats in the future requires evidence-based policies, global collaboration and coordinated actions, and investments in goal-oriented basic and applied research. The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 compels a framework for action that positions science at the core of decision-making.

We, the Science 20, call on the G20 Leaders to fasten policy development and decision making on scientific evidence. Scientific research continues to improve our understanding of the fundamental nature of communicable diseases, as well as its broader connections to risk factors associated with environment, human-animal interactions and socioeconomic considerations. Scientific knowledge is essential for developing strategies for prevention, control and intervention. Epidemiological modeling that assimilates the best science available can guide robust and effective policies to slow and arrest the spread of COVID-19 and to better communicate risk and uncertainty to the public.

The COVID-19 pandemic is also a stark reminder that we are an interconnected world. Our linked existence is the platform for viral spread, yet it is also a major instrument for fighting back. Scientific research is a collaborative enterprise, and it is through cooperation and sharing of accumulated knowledge and best practices that we can impede the unfolding impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and improve future preparedness and response. Sharing real-time information and knowledge will lead to improved strategies and actions for preventing, responding and controlling outbreaks and pandemics. Global cooperation is a must.

Beyond the present crisis, however, lies similar emergent threats to our future health and socioeconomic wellbeing. Whereas our understanding of viral pandemics continues to improve, COVID-19 sadly reminds us that we are far from equipped to prevent and respond to the next outbreaks. We need to build up and fill the gaps in our body of knowledge, and that can best be accomplished through global investment on goal-oriented basic and applied research on viral transmission, prevention and cure. Finally, the knowledge attained through these investments as well as the tools developed to fight back must also be promptly disseminated to benefit medical practitioners and frontline decision-makers.

Science must guide our collective response to COVID-19 and future global health threats. Through your leadership, we as global citizens first and scientists second have the opportunity to alleviate and gradually work together to prevent future outbreaks.

Anas Alfaris, PhD
Chair, S20 Saudi Arabia 2020

Australia’s leading scientists call for data underpinning COVID-19 decisions to be made public

The global COVID-19 pandemic affects all Australians and their loved ones at home and abroad. It is having a profound and enduring impact on our society, our resilience and our health.
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John Shine Portrait 2024

Academy President Professor John Shine

The global COVID-19 pandemic affects all Australians and their loved ones at home and abroad. It is having a profound and enduring impact on our society, our resilience and our health.

As Australians we must do all that we can to aid those at the frontline including health workers and others providing essential services, whose collective efforts are saving lives.

As the reported worldwide infections are escalating, it is vital that all Australians listen to, respect and act on the health advice provided by Australian governments that have received health advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which is comprised of all state and territory Chief Health Officers and chaired by the Australian Chief Medical Officer.

There is no doubt that public health measures to slow transmission of COVID-19 are becoming and will need to become more robust as the days and weeks go on.

Every Australian, young and old, wherever they live, has a vital role in the effort to stop the spread of this virus. The Academy urges all Australians to do their part, follow the instructions of the authorities and take their role seriously.

As an independent and authoritative scientific adviser to the parliament and to the nation, the Academy draws on the scientific expertise of Australia’s leading scientists—the Fellows of the Academy.

The science that underpins efforts to halt this pandemic is necessarily trans-disciplinary and draws on areas of translational research, clinical research and basic or discovery science. They include immunologists, virologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, mathematicians, biostatisticians, data scientists and a range of others.

The Academy’s Fellows are doing all they can to contribute their scientific expertise to help decision makers, directly or indirectly, in the national and global interest. Indeed, their lifetime work is today paramount to the efforts to understand COVID-19, to chart its evolution, and to find anti-viral treatments and ultimately a vaccine that will restore our wellbeing and way of life.

Australia must make full use of leading scientists’ expertise to deepen our understanding of COVID-19 and to sharpen our response. That is why the Australian Government must make public the scientific evidence that is informing its thinking. Importantly, the open publication of data and evidence supporting government decisions will allow all scientific knowledge to be brought to bear to solve this global crisis.

A model for Australia to follow is that adopted in the UK, where the scientific evidence supporting the UK government response to COVID-19 is published by the UK Government Office for Science, led by the Chief Science Adviser.

Adopting such a model will place in the public domain the scientific evidence that is shaping the recommendation of the health and medical professions advising Australian governments. It should include findings and results of published and unpublished data.

In addition, in a fast-moving situation such as this, transparency must be at the core of government responses. It is critical that the public has confidence that governments are basing their decisions on the most up-to-date scientific advice and evidence.

While Australian governments have correctly been listening to and acting on the advice of health and medical professions and rightly taking into account the economic impact of their actions, more could be done by publishing the data and evidence underpinning their response.

The Academy calls on the Australian Government to publish the scientific evidence that is supporting its decisions so the scientific know-how of the nation can be brought to bear.

Only science will solve this.

Professor John Shine AC PresAA
President
Australian Academy of Science

Academy hosts germline editing meeting

A roundtable discussion on germline editing in humans was held at Shine Dome in Canberra, including the Minderoo Foundation and the Australian Academy of Science.
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A roundtable discussion on germline editing in humans was held at Shine Dome in Canberra, including the Minderoo Foundation and the Australian Academy of Science.

The group heard presentations from Australian Academy of Science Fellows on the scientific, medical, legal, social and ethical perspectives of germline editing.

Germline editing involves making changes to the genome of an organism that can then be passed on to offspring.

They heard of the small set of uses where germline editing would have clear therapeutic benefit, as well as numerous examples of where the boundary between genetic treatment and genetic enhancement is becoming increasingly blurred.

With the benefit of this expertise, they then considered the sufficiency of the current policy landscape on germline editing in Australia.

While research involving germline editing is currently banned in Australia, research is continuing overseas which will likely impact Australia. Also, the discussion on germline editing in Australia is likely to be reignited by the policy debate about to commence through the NHMRC on mitochondrial therapy, where the mitochondria of cells are edited to treat diseases.

Different policy options were considered, and they concluded that there is a clear need for leadership in developing science-based frameworks and principle to guide the policy debate on germline editing in Australia and the world.

Australia needs a policy and legal landscape that facilitates science to continue making critical discoveries for human well-being and progress but has the foresight to mitigate both unintended consequences and 'spoiler' events that would render the policy useless.  

It is the role of the AAS to understand the science, understand the potential – whatever the perceived consequences – and enunciate a set a framework and principles that reflect the best knowledge. This will require detailed research and input from across the learned Academies in Australia.

The Australian Academy of Science intends to work with partners in social science and medicine formulate a statement of principles on germline genetic editing.

The meeting was attended by:

Academy Fellows

  • Professor John Shine (Academy President)
  • Professor Ian Chubb
  • Professor Simon Foote
  • Professor Ian Frazer
  • Dr TJ Higgins
  • Professor Anne Kelso
  • Professor Patrick Tam
  • Professor Bob Williamson.

Other delegates

  • Dr Raj Bhula
  • Dr Gaetan Burgio
  • Dr Sara Howden
  • Professor Emma Kowal
  • Associate Professor Tamra Lysaght
  • Associate Professor Megan Munsie
  • Professor Diane Nicol
  • Professor Alice Pébay
  • Professor John Rasko
  • Associate Professor Bernadette RichardsProfessor Julian Savulescu
  • Professor Ingrid Winship

STEM Equity Monitor will help drive universal changes in gender equity

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the Advancing Women in STEM 2020 Action Plan announced today by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon Karen Andrews MP.
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The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the Advancing Women in STEM 2020 Action Plan announced today by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon Karen Andrews MP.

Academy President Professor John Shine said the action plan is a key step to deliver the vision of Australia’s 10-year plan for Women in STEM. The plan was developed by the Academy in partnership with the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering following wide ranging consultation with the STEM sector.

“The Government is clearly committed to delivering on the vision of the 10-year plan. Their action plan is focused on education, careers and visibility and a number of important initiatives on changing practice, data and evaluation,” Professor Shine said.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. The 10-year plan for Women in STEM makes clear that most gender equity programs in STEM in Australia, apart from a handful of programs such as the Science in Australia Gender Equity initiative, lack useful performance data and formal evaluation.

“The STEM Equity Monitor will play a significant role in tracking the impacts of initiatives across the STEM sector and inform the systemic changes required to achieve gender equity,” Professor Shine said.  

The Academy also welcomes:

  • the development of national evaluation guidelines for projects that support girls’ and women’s participation in STEM. Directly responding to the Women in STEM 10-year plan, these guidelines will enable program and initiative owners to undertake self-evaluation that is consistent and comparable across Australia
  • the Australian peer-reviewed trial of anonymised ranking in the assessment of research funding proposals, to be conducted by Women in STEM Ambassador Lisa Harvey-Smith.

“No single sector or organisation can solve the under-representation of women in STEM nor remove the barriers they face,” Professor Shine said.

“Let’s celebrate our successes this International Women’s Day but also acknowledge that we have a long journey ahead when it comes to achieving gender equity and diversity in STEM.

“We will continue to work with the Government and the STEM sector to achieve the vision of the Women in STEM 10-year plan and to keep driving this systemic change.”

Ten young scientists to represent Australia at Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting

[UPDATE: The 70th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, scheduled for June and July 2020, has been postponed to 2021. The decision was made by the committees of the Foundation and the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.]
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Ten young scientists to represent Australia at Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting

These young scientists from Australia will be part of a group of 660 young scientists and 68 Nobel Laureates at the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Germany.

[UPDATE: The 70th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, scheduled for June and July 2020, has been postponed to 2021. The decision was made by the committees of the Foundation and the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.]

Ten outstanding early-career researchers have been selected to attend the highly prestigious annual gathering of Nobel Laureates and emerging scientists from around the world. 

The delegates will represent Australia at the 70th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany. They are part of a group of 660 young scientists from 101 countries who will meet with 68 Nobel Laureates from the fields of chemistry, physics, and medicine and physiology, including Academy Fellows Professor Brian Schmidt and Professor Elizabeth Blackburn. 

The meeting will provide an opportunity for the young scientists to share their research, experiences and ideas with and gain inspiration from fellow emerging scientists and Nobel Laureates. 

The Australian delegation will be led by renowned Australian mathematician and Academy Fellow, Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger.

The Australian PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers attending are: 

  • Dr Ifrah Abdullahi—Postdoctoral Fellow, La Trobe University, who investigates neurodevelopmental disorders in migrant and refugee communities
  • Ms Nicole Foster—PhD candidate, University of Adelaide, who develops tools for the management and restoration of coastal plant communities facing climate change
  • Dr Emily Kerr—Postdoctoral Fellow, Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials, who works on platforms for the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease 
  • Dr David Klyne— Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Queensland, whose research in neuro-immunology focuses on understanding acute to chronic pain 
  • Ms W. Y. Sarah Lau—PhD candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems, who studies quantum technologies for secure communication channels
  • Mr Lukas Michalek—PhD candidate, Queensland University of Technology, whose research focuses on the surface characterisation of soft matter
  • Dr Yauhen (Eugene) Sachkou—Postdoctoral Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems, who researches superconducting circuits, quantum fluids and optomechanics
  • Ms Kate Secombe—PhD candidate, University of Adelaide, who specialises in gastrointestinal physiology and oncology 
  • Mr Adam Sutton—PhD candidate, University of South Australia, who specialises in green analytical chemistry applicable to fields such as nanotechnology 
  • Dr Wenyue Zou— Postdoctoral Fellow, RMIT University, who focuses on applied chemistry research with applications such as sensor technologies

These researchers were nominated by the Academy and selected by the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. They will receive a grant to enable their attendance at the event, which runs from 28 June to 3 July, through the generous support of the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF).  

The delegates will also have the opportunity to join a SIEF Research Innovation tour visiting laboratories and businesses in Germany.  

Gender equity conference demonstrates progress and inspires change

The Catalysing Gender Equity 2020 Conference, held on 20 and 21 February in Adelaide, clearly demonstrated the success, impact and growth potential for inclusion and diversity in STEM. The two-day conference was hosted by the Academy in collaboration with Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE).
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Gender equity conference demonstrates progress and inspires change
A conference highlight was a panel discussion featuring inspirational stories from (L to R) Dr Catriona Wallace, Professor Jenny Graves, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Professor Caroline McMillen and Anna-Maria Arabia.

The Catalysing Gender Equity 2020 Conference, held on 20 and 21 February in Adelaide, clearly demonstrated the success, impact and growth potential for inclusion and diversity in STEM. The two-day conference was hosted by the Academy in collaboration with Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE).

The conference was guided by the Women in STEM Decadal Plan that was launched in April last year, and brought together representatives from across research, industry, education and government to celebrate success and highlight key action areas to achieve change.

Focus on challenging issues

Delegates participated in a variety of sessions, each focusing on progressing and implementing strategic recommendations and opportunities in the decadal plan. The 12 workshops focused on challenging and persistent issues such as merit, measuring success, impact of equity actions, engaging men and approaches to intersectionality.

Twelve inspiring and exceptional changemakers from the STEM Women online community were enabled to attend and speak at the conference, thanks to a generous donation from Academy Fellow Professor Michelle Coote. 

Gender equity conference demonstrates progress and inspires change

Inspiring plenary speakers included the Australian Government Women in STEM Ambassador, Professor Lisa-Harvey Smith, who spoke about the need to turn actions into equity, accountability and the critical work she is undertaking to bring about change as Ambassador. Delegates also heard from the inspiring and insightful Dr Catriona Wallace, Founder and Executive Director of Flamingo AI, on the urgent need for a gender lens in the augmented age.

Another highlight was the panel discussion featuring inspirational stories from eminent women in STEM, including Academy Fellows Professor Jenny Graves of La Trobe University and Professor Veena Sahajwalla of UNSW Sydney, Academy Chief Executive Anna-Maria Arabia, Chief Scientist for South Australia Professor Caroline McMillen, and Dr Wallace.

Gender equity conference demonstrates progress and inspires change

Male Champions of Change founder Elizabeth Broderick facilitated a panel discussion featuring six leaders from the Male Champions of Change in STEM: Dr Adi Paterson of ANSTO, Dr Larry Marshall of CSIRO, Academy Fellows Professor Brian Schmidt of the Australian National University and Professor Tanya Monro of Defence Science and Technology, Dr James Johnson of Geoscience Australia, and Dr Bronwyn Evans of Engineers Australia. The STEM leaders discussed how leadership and accountability is key to putting equity theory into practice.

Bronze Awards for SAGE members

The conference coincided with the 2020 SAGE Awards dinner that celebrated the 11 recent recipients of the Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Awards. These awards recognise an institution’s commitment to advancing the careers of women, trans and gender diverse individuals in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. Forty-five Australian higher education and research institutions have completed the SAGE pathway to accreditation so far, with 39 of these organisations being awarded the Athena Swan Institutional Bronze Award.

Catalysing Gender Equity 2020 was made possible by the generous support of the conference partners: UniBank, the Australian Government Department of Defence, Edith Cowan University, Flamingo AI and Queensland University of Technology.

In summing up, Academy Chief Executive Anna-Maria Arabia said that “Inclusion is a shared responsibility—not just the organisations and leaders and programs, but individual responsibility”. The Academy looks forward to working with all organisations to progress the outcomes from the event and fulfill the vision of the Women in STEM Decadal Plan.

Academy awards reflect the excellence and diversity in Australian science

Outstanding contributions to science have been recognised by the Australian Academy of Science today with 18 current and future superstars receiving prestigious 2020 honorific awards.
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Academy awards reflect the excellence and diversity in Australian science

The Australian Academy of Science's 2020 honorific awardees

Outstanding contributions to science have been recognised by the Australian Academy of Science today with 18 current and future superstars receiving prestigious 2020 honorific awards.

The scientists’ discoveries cross the breadth of research including new screening approaches to catch the early signs of dementia; the differences between land-based and seafloor volcanic eruptions; and engineering solutions for the complex challenges associated with offshore oil, gas and renewable energy infrastructure.

Ten of the awards go to women while men receive eight of the awards.

Professor Allen Nutman from the University of Wollongong has been awarded one of the Academy’s top career honours, the Mawson Medal and Lecture.

He’s considered one of the leaders in understanding the evolution of early Earth and his techniques have radically reshaped our understanding of Greenland’s geology. He also spends time educating the next generation of scientists and said their work has never been more important.

“Unfortunately, we live increasingly in something called the post-truth world where a lie is given as equal weight as truth, so science matters,” said Professor Nutman.

Understanding dark matter is the ultimate challenge for many astrophysicists including Professor Nicole Bell from the University of Melbourne. The mid-career researcher and theoretical physicist is one of two recipients of the Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science.

Her research focuses on formulating a mathematical description of dark matter.

“We have incredibly precise theories that describe five per cent of the universe but the rest of it is unknown,” said Professor Bell.

“In some sense the search for dark matter is a needle in a haystack challenge, but we’ve got more experimental tools than ever before to find that needle.”

Early-career researcher Associate Professor Marina Pajic from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney is the recipient of the Ruth Stephens Gani Medal.

For the past decade she’s been trying to understand the genetic complexities of pancreatic cancer. Her work centres on identifying the genomic mechanism behind treatment failure and developing new personalised treatments for the disease.

Her team has shown some tumours are characterised by specific genetic signatures that may respond to agents already being used to fight some other cancers.

President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor John Shine, congratulated all the award winners for their inspiring research.

“Recognising outstanding scientific contributions is important, as award recipients are the STEM role models for the next generation,” Professor Shine said.

“These awards shine a spotlight on the leading and diverse applied and basic research happening throughout the country.

“The Academy continues to seek to increase the diversity of nominees for all our grants and awards and this is reflected in this year’s honorific awardees.”

The Academy’s 2020 honorific awards go to:

Career honorifics (for lifelong achievement)

Mid-career honorifics (8–15 years post-PhD)

Early-career honorifics (up to 10 years post-PhD)

The majority of the honorific awards will be presented at the Academy’s annual celebration of science, Science at the Shine Dome on Thursday, 28 May 2020. 

Read more about each of the Academy’s 2020 honorific awardees

Know an amazing Australian scientist? Nominate them for an award

Nominations are now open for the Academy’s 2021 honorific awards, research conferences, research awards and travelling fellowships.

Two brand new career awards are open in the Academy’s 2021 award round. These awards, the Ruby Payne-Scott Medal and Lecture and the Suzanne Cory Medal, honour two of Australia’s pioneering women scientists.

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