The future of women in science is stronger today after funding was announced for one of Australia’s most prestigious awards – the Nancy Millis Medal.

The University of Melbourne, which is providing ongoing funding for the award, hosted an event to celebrate the profound impact the Nancy Millis Medal has made for women working in science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM). The Medal is awarded to women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the areas of STEM, and is vital in achieving gender diversity in fields traditionally dominated by men.

The most recent recipient of the Award, Dr Elena Belousova from Macquarie University, said she had felt extremely honoured and humbled when receiving this important and prestigious Award.

“As a recipient, I had the opportunity to meet Australia’s foremost scientists, and learn about their outstanding contributions to the national science,” Dr Belousova said. “It was certainly a very inspirational and enlightening event in my research life.”

President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Andrew Holmes, said what began with a small group of Professor Millis’ colleagues coming together to create an award to celebrate her work, has now become one of the organisation’s most popular awards.

“More than 100 remarkable women have already been nominated for the Medal in its short life span,” said Professor Holmes.

“This is the second Medal awarded by the Academy to acknowledge leading women in STEM, and we hope that we can work harder to support many more through our Awards. The Academy is very proud to be a partner with the University of Melbourne in celebrating and nurturing these leaders, and it is extremely grateful for the strong financial support of the award.”

Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Jim McCluskey said the university was proud to honour Professor Millis, who was a national figure, an alumna (studying at University of Melbourne in the 1940s) and a member of the Department of Microbiology between 1952 and 1988.

“Professor Millis was a wonderful scholar and a great character. The obvious traction the Medal, named her in honour, has for women in STEM would have made her both proud and humble.”

Provost Professor Margaret Sheil added, “While an icon for all Australian microbiologists, Professor Millis treated discrimination with disdain, saw integrity as a guiding principle and was quick to promote youthful endeavour. She led with distinction various national committees that dealt with key STEM issues like the emergence of molecular biology and its sensible governance. She would be delighted to think that a medal struck to recognise the accomplishments of female scientists was so actively pursued.”

The Nancy Millis Medal was established in 2014 to honour the contributions made to science by the late Professor Nancy Millis AC MBE FAA FTSE and recognises her importance as a role model for women aspiring to be research leaders.

Professor Holmes said with donations and support from other organisations and the public, the Academy of Science has been able to do so much more to further its work to achieve gender equality in STEM careers.

Australian scientists addressing some of the world’s most significant challenges – such as antibiotic resistance, the reduction of green-house gases in the atmosphere, and a lack of clean drinking water in disaster zones and developing nations – are among the recipients of the Australian Academy of Science’s annual honorific awards.

Their work has led to light triggered nano-medicine, unbreakable encryption techniques, new methods of carbon capture, and global collaboration in advanced brain imaging research.

Each year the Academy presents the Awards to recognise scientific excellence among Australian researchers, from those in the early stages of their career to those who have made life-long achievements in their field.

This year’s announcement includes 17 award winners working in the fields of microbiology, applied mathematics, earth science, materials engineering, astronomy, chemistry, evolutionary biology, fluid dynamics and more.

Professor Barry Ninham from the Australian National University has been awarded the top honour, the Academy’s prestigious Matthew Flinders Medal. He was recognised for his work in the self-assembly of biological molecules and in the theory of molecular forces – which most recently led to a cheaper and more efficient method of water purification that has the potential to increase living standards for millions of people and save thousands of lives.

Those recognised also include Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn, awarded the Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal for his work in establishing the astronomical fields of galactic archaeology and astrophotonics; Dr Joanne Whittaker, recipient of the Dorothy Hill Award for her work in understanding how the seafloor and ocean basins are formed and evolve through the movements of tectonic plates and the earth’s mantle; and Professor Kathryn Holt, named the Gottschalk Medallist for her work on the evolution of pathogens which has led to better understanding of disease transmission, control, and responses to antibiotics and vaccine-induced immunity.

President of the Academy of Science, Professor Andrew Holmes congratulated all the award winners for their inspiring work.

“The discoveries made by our awardees will change people’s lives,” Professor Holmes said.

“These men and women are the best of Australia’s leading and emerging scientists; from researchers building on existing research and enhancing our understanding of specific fields, to those working at the very edge of human understanding and knowledge,” Professor Holmes said.

Read more about the awardees and their research here.

The awards will be formally presented at the Academy’s annual three day celebration of Australian science, Science at the Shine Dome, in Canberra during May 2017.

Ends.

The Argentinian Minister for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, Dr Lino Barañao, paid a visit to the Academy's Shine Dome last week.

Professor John White FAA, hosted the visit to discuss Australia’s research system and the potential to develop cooperative research links between Argentina and Australia.

The Academy works hard to foster international collaboration and cooperation in research through its international representation and various grants and funding programs.

From left to right: 

Under-Secretary for Policy (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation) Dr. Jorge Aguado
Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Argentina, Eduardo Acevedo-Diaz.
Prof John White FAA
Argentinian Minister for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, Dr Lino Barañao 
Director for International Cooperation (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation) Mariano Jordán

Australia’s brightest scientific minds have been recognised in the Academy’s annual honorific awards, acknowledging their contributions to important scientific challenges.

17 awardees have been honoured by the Academy this year, celebrating their achievements in a range of fields including biomedicine, conservation, applied mathematics, climatology, galactic archaeology, fluid dynamics and more.

Professor Barry Ninham of ANU has been awarded the Academy’s prestigious Matthew Flinders Medal for his illustrious career, most recently working to transform methods of water purification in disaster zones and developing countries.

The Academy congratulates the awardees on their achievements.

Learn more about the awardees and their work

Awardees

Career honorifics

2017 David Craig Medal—Professor David St Clair Black, UNSW
2017 Hannan Medal—Dr Frank Robert de Hoog, retired (ACT) CSIRO
2017 Jaeger Medal—Emeritus Professor Ross William Griffiths, ANU
2017 Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture—Professor Barry Ninham, ANU
2017 Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal—Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn, University of Sydney

Mid career honorifics

2017 Gustav Nossal Medal for Global Health—Professor Barend Marais, University of Sydney
2017 Jacques Miller Medal for experimental biomedicine—Professor Jian Li, Monash University
2017 Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science—Associate Professor Kerrie Ann Wilson, UQ

Early career honorifics

2017 Anton Hales Medal—Associate Professor Juan Carlos Afonso, Macquarie University
2017 Dorothy Hill Award—Dr Joanne Whittaker, University of Tasmania
2017 Fenner Medal—Professor Simon Ho, University of Sydney
2017 Gottschalk Medal—Associate Professor Kathryn Elizabeth Holt, University of Melbourne
2017 John Booker Medal—Professor Dayong Jin, UTS
2017 Le Févre Memorial Prize—Dr Deanna D'Alessandro, University of Sydney
2017 Moran Medal—Associate Professor Joshua Ross, University of Adelaide
2017 Pawsey Medal—Associate Professor Igor Aharonovich, UTS
2017 Ruth Stephens Gani Medal—Dr Sarah Medland, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

With the announcment of the Regional Collaborations Programme, scientists working on grand challenges in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region will have access to $3.2 million of new funding.

Applicants must be an Australian research organisation or Australian business, and eligible projects must address a shared regional challenge; demonstrate benefit to Australia; include at least 2 non-Australian partners; have evidence of being able to match funding provided with cash contributions of equal value; and feature workshop and mobility components.

The Regional Collaborations Programme is supported by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and it is one of four initiatives funded by the National Innovation and Science Agenda’s Global Innovation Strategy.

Scientists working on grand challenges in Australia and the Asia–Pacific region will have access to $3.2 million of new funding to promote international research collaborations.

Organisations and businesses conducting research on issues of mutual interest will be eligible to apply, including but not limited to work on aging populations, biosecurity, disaster resilience, food security, and energy.

The Academy of Science will administer the Regional Collaborations Programme, which was announced today by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, before his attendance at the G20 Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting in China this week.

President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Andrew Holmes, said the programme would allow for exciting new developments in vital areas of research.

“Australia shares so many of the challenges and issues facing the Asia–Pacific region,” Professor Holmes said.

“By working collaboratively, research organisations, universities and R&D-intensive businesses can make great strides towards finding innovative solutions to some of the biggest issues facing this part of the world.

“If Australia sets itself apart as a leader in collaborative research, the benefits for our domestic economy, our improved relationship with the Asia-Pacific region, and the resulting contributions to global research will be immense.”

He said the programme had no official funding limit for projects or priority area of research, which allowed applicants to be flexible and visionary in their work.

Eligible projects will address a shared regional challenge; demonstrate benefit to Australia; include at least 2 non-Australian partners; have evidence of being able to match funding provided with cash contributions of equal value; and feature workshop and mobility components.

Applicants must be an Australian research organisation or Australian business.

More information on eligibility and arrangements

The Regional Collaborations Programme is supported by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. It is one of four initiatives funded by the National Innovation and Science Agenda’s Global Innovation Strategy.

Contact: Dion Pretorius |  (02) 6201 9452  |  0418281777  |  dion.pretorius@science.org.au

The Academy wishes to congratulate Robyn Williams FAA, who has been presented with the Lifetime of Conservation Award by the Australian Geographic Society.

The Australian Geographic Society said he was being recognised for promoting science and conservation during more than 30 years in broadcast radio. Hosting the ABC’s Science Show, Robyn estimates that during his career he has made 2040 broadcasts, covering 14,280 stories and 7140 interviews with experts.

Robyn has also conducted interviews on ABC programs such as Quantum and Catalyst, narrated the Nature of Australia series and appeared in World Safari with David Attenborough.

The Academy spoke with Robyn about the award and how he has approached the idea of conservation in his work and personal life.

For more information on the Australian Geographic Society’s 2017 Awards, head to their website.

The Australian Academy of Science wishes to congratulate all of the deserving recipients of the 2016 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.

Academy Fellow, Professor Richard Shine, was awarded the top honour—the 2016 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science—for his work on reptiles. His research explores reptilian behaviours and their applicability to wider understandings of vertebrate evolution; the roles and importance of reptiles in ecosystems; and discoveries in cane toad biology that have led to new understandings of invasive behaviours and controlling their population.

The 2014 recipient of the Academy’s Le Fèvre Memorial Prize, Professor Richard Payne, was also among those awarded. He received the 2016 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year.

The 2016 Awardees are:

The Prime Minister’s Prize for Science

• Professor Richard Shine AM FAA, University of Sydney

The Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation

• Professor Michael Aitken AM, Capital Markets CRC

The Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year

• Associate Professor Kerrie Wilson, University of Queensland

The Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year

• Professor Richard Payne, University of Sydney

The Prime Minister's Prize for New Innovators

• Dr Colin Hall, University of South Australia

The Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools

• Mr Gary Tilley, Seaforth Public School, NSW

The Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools

• Miss Suzy Urbaniak, Kent Street Senior High School, WA

Schools Principals (receiving Certificates of Recognition)

• Mr Bernard Cheng, Seaforth Public School NSW
• Ms Kath Ward, Kent Street Senior School WA

Highly Commended – Primary (receiving Highly Commended Certificates)

• Mrs Danielle Spencer, Mitchelton State School, QLD
• Mrs Tameika Munday, Burnie Primary School, TAS

Highly Commended – Secondary (receiving Highly Commended Certificates)

• Mr Brett Mckay, Kirrawee High School, NSW
• Ms Nirupma Kumar, Holroyd High School, NSW
• Mrs Cherine Spirou, Fairvale High School, NSW

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates all those awarded honours this year, as their work is a reflection of the inspiring achievements being accomplished by STEM professionals across Australia. For more information on the awards and recipients, visit the Prime Minister’s Prizes website.

The Executive Committee for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Alumni Association in Australia has been elected.

Following the Association’s first meeting at the Shine Dome in Canberra, the following members have been elected:

• President, A/Professor Graziella Caprarelli, University of South Australia
• Vice-President, A/Professor Graeme Allinson, RMIT University
• Treasurer, Dr Chunlu Liu, Deakin University
• Secretary, Dr Ruth Eriksen, University of Tasmania
• Ordinary Members:
  • Dr Shokoofeh Shamsi, Charles Sturt University (NSW/ACT)
  • Dr Patricia Vickers-Rich, Monash University (VIC/TAS)
  • Professor Peter Koopman, University of Queensland (QLD/NT)
  • Dr Mandy Walker, CSIRO (SA/WA)

The Chair of the Association’s organising committee, Professor Peter Koopman FAA, said the geographical, gender and discipline diversity amongst the Executive Committee was reflective of the wide variety of alumni who have been part of JSPS programs over the years.

Click here to register to become a member of the JSPS Alumni Association in Australia. 

Members of the scientific community gathered at the Shine Dome in Canberra to celebrate the work of Professor Peter Doherty, marking the 20th anniversary of his Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Professor Doherty has been a leading researcher in the field of immunology for much of his career and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1996 for his “discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immune defence”.

At the event today he was joined by some of Australia’s leading scientists, receiving congratulatory messages from Australian Nobel laureates Professor Brian Schmidt and Professor Barry Marshall.

An advocate for immunisation and Patron of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Professor Doherty also helped to launch the Academy of Science’s booklet The Science of Immunisation: Questions and Answers.

He said he was proud to be a Fellow of the Academy and hoped that Australian science would more prominently feature in discussion within the public domain.