This is a transcript of an interview on 19 November 2025 between ABC News Radio host Rhiannon Elston and the Academy’s President Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FRS FREng FTSE.

Check against delivery.

Rhiannon Elston: Joining me now is the President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Chennupati Jagadish. Good morning.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC: Good morning, Rhiannon.

Elston: What's your response to this news?

Professor Jagadish: Rhiannon, job cuts are always challenging, they affect people's lives and it's a hard time for CSIRO staff. It’s unfortunate that CSIRO have to do these job cuts. But I understand that CSIRO have gone through a major review and identified their new direction of research to be to be able to meet our national needs.

So, I think these sorts of reviews are healthy. But of course, it impacts people. and that's always a challenge – to be able to manage CSIRO’s future direction while also [having] a direct impact on people's lives as well. It is a challenging time for the sector.

Elston: The CSIRO says the cost of science is going up. Are we seeing funding reduced to the sector?

Professor Jagadish: Rhiannon, that is a major challenge and a concerning issue. What has been happening is the cost of research has been going up, and research investments have gone down during the last 15 years or so. We used to spend about 2.25% of our GDP on R&D; this includes business, government, universities and philanthropy, but now we have gone down to 1.63%.

[Funding] going backwards for the last 15 years or so means the entire research sector is struggling, not only CSIRO. Huge amounts of job cuts are taking place across the entire sector.

The major concern, Rhiannon, is this: the OECD average of R&D investment is 2.7%. We are in the bottom half of the OECD countries in terms of our R&D investment.

So that is a major concern for us at a time when the majority of nations are really seeing science and technology as a strategic investment and then using science and technology as a way to influence global decisions.

So, it is a challenge for us. I think we really need to invest more in R&D and change the direction of this downward slope so that investment is moving in a positive direction. We also need to ensure that research and science is seen as an investment, not as a cost.

Elston: The CSIRO hasn't released yet, which specific areas will see those cuts, but they did say that the things we were doing 50 years ago are probably not as relevant as what we're doing now. Which areas of science might they be referring to?

Professor Jagadish: Of course, I don't know which areas of research they will be focusing on. Naturally, you would think that one will be critical minerals, because of their important role in terms of the energy transition and reaching net zero, as the climate changes. And AI. Fifteen to twenty years back we never talked about AI. But now AI is everywhere and has an important role to play not only in the business sector, but also in the science sector as well.

So, I would think that the CSIRO will be focusing on areas such as critical minerals and AI as emerging areas. It is very important to make sure our national science agency focuses on research for [the] national interest as well.

Elston: CSIRO must be one of the leading employers of scientists in Australia. What does it do to the sector as a whole to lose so many researchers?

Professor Jagadish: The entire sector has been struggling during the last five years Rhiannon. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the university sector and course CSIRO is now cutting, and the ANSTO as I understand is also going through some challenges.

The current government announced 18 months ago the Strategic Examination of R&D [SERD]. It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity to look at where our science is, where there is duplication, where the gaps are and the direction we want to go as a nation.

We are very much looking forward to the SERD report, which is expected at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. As a once-in-a-generation opportunity, we hope that the Government takes this report and the recommendations seriously and then adopts or implements those recommendations. And that they start investing in science and research as a strategic national asset for the future of our country, so that we can have a seat at the negotiating table in geopolitical situations as well.

Elston: Okay, Professor Chennupati Jagadish, thank you so much for your time.

Professor Jagadish: Thanks, Rhiannon.

The Australian Academy of Science and Burnet Institute are leading global efforts at the United Nations, to declare healthy indoor air a human right.

More than 300 leaders will come together to make history at the high-level event taking place on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly on 24 September (AEST).

The UN event is being co-sponsored by France and Montenegro. Brown University’s School of Public Health and the OSLUV Project are joint co-convenors alongside the Academy and Burnet Institute.

The global pledge, already signed by over 150 organisations, is the first international effort to formally recognise clean indoor air as essential to health and well-being.

Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science, Anna-Maria Arabia OAM, said the Academy is proud to be collaborating with global leaders at the UN to galvanise global action to improve indoor air quality.

“The science of indoor air quality is well understood and the solutions to address poor air quality are available. Political leadership is required to prioritise action that will make every workplace safer and healthier, and that will better prepare Australians when bushfires and pandemics impact our country,” Ms Arabia said.

This effort builds on the Academy’s sustained advocacy to reduce the negative impacts of airborne transmission of viruses and pollutants in indoor spaces.

Most recently, the Academy’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s review recommends establishing indoor air quality standards, underpinned by guidelines aligned with World Health Organization recommendations.

Such measures can improve overall health, reduce absenteeism and improve performance in childcare settings, schools, hospitals, aged care settings, and all workplaces.

“If you don’t measure it, you can’t fix it. The collective cost of inaction in loss of health and productivity is in the billions in Australia alone,” said Ms Arabia.

The Australian delegation to the UN event includes Academy Fellow Professor Lidia Morawska FAA, Director, Thrive - Queensland University of Technology, and Professor Bronwyn King AO, Special Advisor – Clean Air at Burnet Institute, who conceived the idea for the UN side event.

Professor Morawska recently questioned why Australian schools have lower standards for air quality monitoring, ventilation and filtration than many greenhouses and pet shelters.

“Indoor air quality is a glaring gap in Australia’s approach to public health. A nationally coordinated process of reform is required to ensure all Australians receive the benefits of cleaner indoor air,” Professor Morawska said.

Professor King said Australians spend 90% of their time indoors, yet schools, hospitals, workplaces and transport are not guaranteed to have clean, healthy air.

“In fact, indoor air is commonly found to be of poor quality, containing many hazards detrimental to health. The good news is that practical solutions already exist. Uplifting indoor air quality offers an extraordinary opportunity to improve health for all,” said Professor King, who is also an Enterprise Honorary Professor at the University of Melbourne.

“This event will mark the first time the global indoor air community has convened at the United Nations, the rightful platform for such a crucial global issue that, if addressed, offers an extraordinary opportunity to improve health for all. Attention to indoor air quality is a gap in our public health frameworks. We need to close that gap.”

The UN event will be livestreamed via UN Web TV from 3:30pm EDT 23 September/ 5:30am AEST 24 September.

See the Academy’s case for clean indoor air

Partnering organisations

The Strategic Examination of Research and Development (SERD) issues papers have failed to address declining investment in fundamental research (sometimes referred to as basic or discovery research), instead implying research is only important if it can be commercialised by industry.

President of the Academy Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC said the decline in fundamental research investment over the last decade cannot be ignored.

“Fundamental research is the wellspring of innovation. There is no ‘D’ without ‘R’,” Professor Jagadish said.

“When nurtured, fundamental research enables innovation, boosts productivity, grows the economy, and allows us to thrive and stay safe in a rapidly changing world.”

The SERD has rightly acknowledged the striking underinvestment in R&D by the business sector, now more than $28 billion less than the OECD average.

However, Government investment in R&D, including in fundamental research, is also declining and must be urgently addressed, particularly as the cost of doing research is rising and funding models are at breaking point.

“Public and private R&D investment serve different but complementary roles and both need attention to create a coherent and thriving ecosystem that supports Australia’s needs,” Professor Jagadish said.

Government provides higher-risk patient capital to support fundamental research that generates new knowledge, is unpredictable, can be difficult to commercialise or – in the case of public good research – should not be commercialised.

While private investment is directed to scale and commercialise viable lower-risk applied research, government funding is vital for research that benefits everyone in society, not just a single company.

It is often noted that the quality and volume of Australia’s fundamental research effort is disproportionate to our population size.

This does not mean Australia’s fundamental research effort is adequately funded, nor can it sustain long-term funding cuts.

The facts are that ARC and NHMRC funding has declined in real terms for more than a decade and a smaller proportion of it is directed to fundamental research.

Government investment in CSIRO has also declined in real terms.

Draining the wellspring of innovation has consequences for Australia’s ability to grow industries that diversify our economy.

The Academy strongly recommends a 10-year R&D investment plan enabling the public and private sectors to work together to reverse the funding decline and to create a globally competitive R&D ecosystem in Australia.

“Given the constrained fiscal environment, the Academy has proposed a temporary R&D levy that is budget-positive; incentivises R&D investment especially by low-intensity R&D companies; and creates a new revenue stream that can support fundamental research,” Professor Jagadish said.

R&D levies in the agricultural and grains sector have applied since 1989, are well tolerated, and have enabled significant innovations in these sectors.

The Academy’s independent analysis shows the economic impact of an R&D levy on low-intensity R&D businesses is tolerable and is unlikely to have unintended consequences.

The Academy’s response to the SERD issues paper also includes the following.

• Support for investment in next-generation high-performance computing and data (HPCD) to enhance Australia's digital innovation and AI capabilities. The Academy has advocated for this national capability over several years and we strongly welcome its inclusion in the SERD issues papers. The HPCD proposal must be underpinned by a long-term national strategy and roadmap to build and coordinate Australia’s advanced computing capability.
• Support for the unambiguous recognition that fragmentation in Australia’s R&D system is a barrier to progress.
• Strengthening of the proposed governance model by establishing an R&D Strategy Cabinet subcommittee and Ministerial Council under the National Cabinet. This would be a dedicated forum for cooperation between federal, state and territory governments.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build an R&D system that can deliver economic and social benefits for all Australians,” Professor Jagadish said.

“We must get this right.”

Read the Academy’s responses to the SERD issues papers

The recently launched report Australian Science Australia’s Future: Science 2035 uses a novel method to address a critical gap in science policy: how to measure and predict a country's future scientific capability against its national ambitions.

The methodology was developed by the Australian Academy of Science and combined foresight techniques, qualitative research methods, and data forecasting to create a comprehensive evidence base for Australia’s scientific capability.

Head of Science Policy and Advice at the Australian Academy of Science, Dr Hayley Teasdale, said “Consultations with Learned Academies, Royal Societies and colleagues worldwide revealed this approach had not been taken before.

“This report seeks to raise the bar for the types of evidence that policymakers can seek to inform their decision-making,” Dr Teasdale said.

“We have made the method entirely transparent, and repeatable, in the hope it can be replicated in other sectors,” she said.

The Academy brought together Learned Academy Fellows, National Committees for Science members, and other leading experts across three challenge areas.

It also consulted outside the science sector with those on the demand side of science.

Expert workshops identified eight science capabilities growing most in demand: agricultural science, artificial intelligence, climate science, biotechnology, data science, epidemiology, geoscience, and materials science.

Innovative workforce forecasting

A breakthrough moment came during one of the workshops when Professor Rob Hyndman FAA FASSA suggested forecasting what the scientific workforce would look like in 2035, rather than relying solely on historical data.

Professor Hyndman developed a formula incorporating five key inputs: working population by discipline, graduates by discipline and age, mortality data, retirement intentions, and estimated net migration.

This approach generated 500 simulations of future population scenarios for each scientific discipline in Australia, revealing concerning trends about workforce sustainability.

Comprehensive data integration

The method’s strength lies in its comprehensive data collection and cross-validation approach.

The Academy’s policy team assembled information from education systems spanning primary school through university, workforce employment patterns, research publications and collaborations and funding expenditure across all sectors.

Expert workshops brought together Academy Fellows, National Committee members, and leading external experts to validate findings and identify knowledge gaps that quantitative data alone could not fill.

Academy Fellows also engaged with Indigenous scientists in a series of yarns to gather a range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on the future of science which also helped inform the report.

“We did what the Academy does best: convene expertise and produce evidence to inform decision making,” Dr Teasdale said.

Rating system for policy action

The report includes an accessible and intuitive colour rating system.

Green indicates no capability gap is expected by 2035, orange suggests some existing gaps with likely future shortfalls, and red signifies existing gaps with certain future problems if the causes aren’t addressed.

Then there is the fourth category – the grey question mark. For Dr Teasdale, “this is the most interesting one. It means that we have insufficient data or codes to define this capability, which makes it more difficult to measure.”

Rating scale for the graphic above:

• Green thumb: No trends decreasing. No gap or unlikely to have a gap in capability.
• Amber thumb: Some trends decreasing or no majority of increasing trends. Some gap or likely gap in capability.
• Red thumb: Most trends decreasing. Existing gap or certain gap in capability.
• Question mark: Insufficient data available.

Implications for national policy

The report and the novel methodology developed to produce it represents more than an academic exercise.

By providing systematic evidence about future science capability needs, we offer policymakers a tool to make informed decisions about education and industry investment, immigration policy, and research funding priorities.

Dr Teasdale said this type of analysis can only happen somewhere like the Australian Academy of Science.

“This was made possible by the unique combination of expertise in our fellowship and our secretariat, in research methods, science policy, convening science advice, communicating science, and of course, the deep expertise in science itself.”

As countries worldwide grapple with similar questions about maintaining scientific competitiveness and capability, this transparent and repeatable methodology is a valuable template for developing evidence-based science policy.

The full method can be found in Appendix A (pg. 76) Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035 – full report

Above: Professor Helen Christensen’s international work on mental health is just one of the 26 inspiring stories in the new Fellows videos.

Inspiring stories

Are brilliant scientists born or made? Twenty-six inspiring stories on the research and personal journeys of some of Australia’s most distinguished scientists shed some light on this question.

The Australian Academy of Science will launch video stories of its Fellows elected in 2025 at Science at the Shine Dome this week, bringing to life the people behind the remarkable research undertaken by Australia’s stellar scientists.

The annual event brings together Australia’s science sector to celebrate science and to honour outstanding achievements.

The new Fellows span diverse scientific disciplines – from researchers decoding our earliest solar systems to pioneers shaping the future of robotics – and the videos reveal the stories behind groundbreaking discoveries.

Highlights from the new Fellow videos include:

• Professor Deli Chen's path to soil science began with a childhood observation that would shape his career: walking home from school, he noticed dying fish in rice paddies near his home. This moment of curiosity now drives his critical research into the more efficient use of nitrogen fertiliser and its environmental impact.
• Dr Marlene Kanga’s persistence in elevating engineering’s global profile led to establishing World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, now recognised worldwide every 4 March – showcasing engineering’s vital role in sustainable development.
• Professor Aidan Sims is part of an academic dynasty – taught by his father in first-year university, he now teaches his own son first-year mathematics 29 years later. His philosophy challenges common misconceptions: “There's no such thing as just being good at maths or bad at maths – it takes practice.”

The Academy’s newly elected Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy and will present their research at Science at the Shine Dome on 2 and 3 September 2025 in Canberra. The presentations will be livestreamed from our event webpage.

With the election of our 2025 Fellows, the Academy’s Fellowship now stands at 630 Fellows. Check out the individual videos below, or see this showcase page with all the videos.

Agricultural Sciences

• Professor Deli Chen AO FAA
• Professor Rajeev Varshney FAA FRS

Biology

• Professor David Adams FAA FAHMS
• Professor Gabrielle Belz FAA FAHMS
• Professor Jeff Errington FAA FRS
• Emeritus Professor Mark Howden AC FAA FTSE
• Professor David Huang FAA FAHMS
• Associate Professor Andrew Nash FAA FTSE
• Professor Michael Stumpf FAA
• Professor Nicole Webster FAA
• Professor Tony Weiss AM FAA FTSE FAHMS

Chemistry

• Professor Guoxiu Wang FAA

Earth Sciences

• Dr Pep Canadell FAA FTSE
• Professor Trevor Ireland FAA

Engineering

• Professor Xiaojing Hao FAA FTSE
• Dr Marlene Kanga AO FAA FTSE

ICT

• Professor Robert Mahony FAA
• Emeritus Professor Rick Middleton FAA

Mathematics

• Professor Jessica Purcell FAA
• Professor Aidan Sims FAA

Medical Sciences

• Professor Helen Christensen AO FAA FAHMS FASSA
• Professor Jürgen Götz FAA FAHMS
• Professor Christina Mitchell AO FAA FAHMS
• Professor Clare Scott AM FAA FAHMS

Physics

• Professor Tamara Davis AM FAA
• Professor Derek Leinweber FAA

Find out more about our 2025 Fellows

Read the profiles of our new Fellows.

Read our media release of the May announcement.

Since our formation in 1954, the Australian Academy of Science has played a defining role in prioritising conservation, thereby influencing the evolution of national parks as we know them today.

As part of our sustained advocacy and in response to the 2018 NSW legislation that gave priority to feral horses over native species and mountain catchments, the Academy hosted a national conference so scientists could present the latest evidence on the threat feral horses posed to natural heritage values.

For many years, the Academy has provided evidence to demonstrate the catastrophic damage caused by feral horses to our fragile ecosystems and has been calling for the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 to be repealed.

The repeal of the Act is a huge win for evidence-informed decision-making. Congratulations to the NSW Parliament and the many advocates who have brought about change.

The Academy acknowledges the advocacy of the late Dr Graeme Worboys from the Australian National University and the late Dr Alec Costin AM FAA, Academy Fellow and ‘the father of Australian high mountain ecology’, who both contributed extensive expertise to decision-makers on this issue.

Our thanks also go to Dr Stuart Barrow, whose policy expertise as a member of staff supported the Academy’s efforts in this area.

Australia’s leading scientists have renewed their call for the Australian Government to establish a national body to manage and investigate research misconduct in Australia.  

President of the Australian Academy of Science Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC said the current mechanism for reporting and managing research misconduct was clearly not working.  

In 2023, the Academy released a position statement on research integrity outlining the enhancements needed to strengthen Australia’s research integrity system.  

“The Academy has been calling on the Australian Government to strengthen the governance of Australian research since 2023,” Professor Jagadish said.  

Responding to an evaluation of the performance of ARIC published in 2023, the Academy said:

The Australian Research Integrity Committee (ARIC) is a joint initiative of the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the NHMRC.  

It is currently responsible for reviews of institutional processes used to manage and investigate potential breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (the Code).  

Professor Jagadish said the Academy would welcome further involvement on the review of research integrity referred to by Minister Ayres, since the current joint Code (Universities Australia, ARC and NHMRC) was last revised in 2018 and is clearly no longer fit for purpose. 

“The Academy will continue to engage with the sector, funding agencies including the ARC and NHMRC, and government on meaningful changes to enhance the governance of research misconduct,” Professor Jagadish said.  

The Australian Academy of Science is leading a delegation of experts to Aotearoa New Zealand for Taikura, the second summit of the Tri-Academy Partnership on Indigenous Engagement from 24 to 26 November 2025.

This year’s gathering builds on the inaugural summit held in Vancouver, Canada, in November 2024, which centred on cultural heritage in an era of reconciliation.

Participants will focus on leading and shaping Indigenous-led international research agendas and transforming academia for Indigenous knowledge holders.

Tri-Academy Partnership

The partnership brings together the Australian Academy of Science, the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi and the Royal Society of Canada to deliver annual summits in each country.

This year, the partnership has been expanded to enable contributions from all areas of research and innovation and includes Indigenous delegates nominated by Australia’s five Learned Academies.

Through these gatherings, Australia’s Learned Academies continue their commitment to advancing reconciliation and celebrating Indigenous knowledge.

Professor Tom Calma AO, leader of the Australian delegation, emphasised the importance of global collaboration.

“We are building and strengthening Indigenous participation and inclusion of Indigenous knowledge year on year and learning from each other. We are looking forward to building on this in New Zealand and then Australia in 2026,” Professor Calma said.

Knowledge-sharing platform

The summits provide a platform where Indigenous scholars from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Canada connect and share knowledge with non-Indigenous allies and stakeholders.

The three-day event will showcase panel discussions and keynote addresses from leading knowledge holders from the three nations.

Australian delegation

The Australian delegation to Aotearoa New Zealand includes:

Australian Academy of Science

• Professor Tom Calma AO FAA FASSA FAHA, Senior Australian of the Year 2023, Fellow of the Senate, The University of Sydney
• Dr Katrina Wruck, 2025 Young Australian of the Year, Queensland University of Technology
• Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FRS FREng FTSE, President of the Academy
• Anna-Maria Arabia OAM, Chief Executive of the Academy

Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

• Professor James Ward FAHMS, Director, UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland
• Professor Dawn Bessarab FAHMS, Director, Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, University of Western Australia

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

• Professor Jason Sharples FTSE, Director, UNSW Bushfire Research Group
• Professor Chris Matthews FTSE, CEO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance, University of Technology Sydney

Academy of Social Sciences in Australia

• Distinguished Emerita Professor Maggie Walter FASSA, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania and former Yoorrook Justice Commissioner
• Professor Yin Paradies FASSA FAHA, Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in Race Relations, Deakin University 

Australian Academy of the Humanities

• Associate Professor Shino Konishi FAHA, AAH Head of Section for Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia
• Professor Clint Bracknell FAHA, University of Western Australia

The Australian Academy of Science will host the third summit in Australia in November 2026.

Academy Fellow Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska FAA FTSE has been awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for redefining air pollution science and vastly improving how the world mitigates pollution risk. 

Elected to the Academy in 2020, Professor Morawska is one of the world’s foremost authorities on airborne particles, in the context of atmospheric pollution, and its impact on human health and the environment.

President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC, said this award is a fitting recognition of Professor Morawska’s many years of work to advance clean indoor air.

“Lidia’s research extends beyond an academic pursuit; her tireless advocacy has elevated air quality from a niche concern to a global public health priority,” Professor Jagadish said.

Professor Morawska was named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in 2021 for convincing the World Health Organization to acknowledge COVID-19 could be spread through the air, particularly indoors.

In 2024, Professor Morawska led a multidisciplinary team of experts from around the world to develop a blueprint that can be used as a mandate for indoor air quality.

In a video produced by the Academy about this blueprint, Professor Morawska noted that every drop of water we drink from the tap and the food that we eat are both highly regulated.

“Indoor air, which we take into our lungs 12 times a minute, is not regulated at all.”

Poor indoor air quality poses significant health risks to Australians, who spend around 90% of their time indoors, with exposure to pollutants linked to respiratory illness, allergies, and chronic health conditions.

To galvanise global action on clean indoor air, Professor Morawska took part in organising a high-level, Academy-led event which took place on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in September 2025 at the UN headquarters.

At this event, more than 150 organisations signed a global pledge to formally recognise clean indoor air as essential to health and wellbeing.

“Lidia has been essential to the international effort calling for recognition of clean indoor air as a fundamental human right,” Professor Jagadish said.

2025 also marks the inaugural Prime Minister’s Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems, awarded to Malgana man, Professor Michael Wear, founder of Tidal Moon, Australia’s first Indigenous-owned and led sea cucumber fishery and marine restoration enterprise.

Drawing on his deep knowledge of Saltwater Country, culture and science, Professor Wear has developed a viable commercial fishery model for harvesting sea cucumbers, while also collecting critical conservation data through culturally directed methods.

“I warmly congratulate Professor Wear. We are strongest when we work together, bringing to bear all sources of knowledge to improve our lives and environment," Professor Jagadish said.

The Academy congratulates all the recipients of this year’s prizes, which represent Australia's highest recognition of scientific excellence.

Read the Prime Minister's media release

Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation: Dr Vikram Sharma, recognised for translating Australian research in quantum science into world-leading cybersecurity solutions. In 2008, Dr Sharma founded QuintessenceLabs in Canberra, a leader in Australia’s growing national quantum industry.

Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year: Professor Yao Zheng, recognised for groundbreaking work to produce clean hydrogen directly from seawater, helping to accelerate Australia’s green hydrogen industry in the transition to net zero. In 2024, Professor Zheng won the Academy’s Le Fèvre Medal.

Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year: Dr David Khoury, recognised for using applied mathematics to translate scientific research into actionable evidence. These outcomes have guided drug development for malaria and vaccine policies for COVID-19 and mpox.

Prize for New Innovators: Dr Nikhilesh Bappoo, recognised for developing novel and accessible medical technologies, including ultrasound-based technology to aid cannulation and solutions to help prevent heart disease. He is driven by his vision of a world where no life is lost because healthcare was too complex, too late or out of reach.

Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools: Mrs Paula Taylor, recognised for transforming STEM education in ACT primary schools. Mrs Taylor brings to the classroom innovative, real-life learning experiences that engage students of all abilities and inspire a lifelong passion for science. She has worked with more than 10,000 students and 480 classroom teachers in her role at the ACT Education Directorate’s Academy of Future Skills.

Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools: Mr Matt Dodds, recognised for his creative teaching methods to equip students from rural areas and diverse backgrounds with the STEM knowledge and skills they need to thrive in their futures. Mr Dodds has dramatically increased the number of female students studying physics at Glen Innes High School in NSW and inspired many students into further STEM study and careers.

In a testament to Australian scientific excellence, Professor Richard Robson FAA FRS has been announced as one of three scientists to win the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The Academy Fellow shares this prize with his colleagues Professor Susumu Kitagawa FRS from Kyoto University and Professor Omar M. Yaghi from the University of California, Berkeley.

They were awarded the Nobel Prize for their development of a new form of molecular architecture: metal–organic frameworks, or ‘MOFs' for short.

MOFs (metal–organic frameworks) are special materials made by connecting metal atoms with long, carbon-based molecules. This creates a crystal with large cavities inside. Chemists can change the building blocks to make MOFs that can trap and hold certain substances, like gases or water. MOFs can also help drive chemical reactions or even conduct electricity.

Following the Nobel Laureates’ groundbreaking discoveries, chemists have built tens of thousands of different MOFs. Some of these may contribute to solving some of humankind’s greatest challenges, with applications that include separating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, breaking down traces of pharmaceuticals in the environment, capturing carbon dioxide or harvesting water from desert air.

Professor Robson, from the University of Melbourne, says his discovery began while teaching molecular structure and constructing models of basic inorganic structures.

“As I was constructing these models, plugging metal rods of clearly defined dimensions into wooden balls with accurately drilled holes, the thought arose: what if we used molecules in place of the balls and chemical bonds in place of the rods?” he said.

“Professor Robson joins an esteemed cohort of Academy Fellows such as Professor Brian Schmidt AC, Professor Peter Doherty AC, and Professor Barry Marshall AC who are world-leading scientists in their fields,” said Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC, President of the Australian Academy of Science.

“The work of Professor Robson and his colleagues was 46 years in the making. Yet their fundamental research has enormous applications, from harvesting water from the air to drug delivery and even carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.”

Professor Robson’s scientific career has been supported by funding from the Australian Research Council, particularly the Australian Research Grants Committee that supported his work since 1987, preceding the publication of his seminal articles.

It is believed that this is the first Australian Nobel Prize winner whose research was funded by the ARC. Other than Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AC, all other winners conducted their seminal work abroad or were funded by other sources. This Prize reflects the maturity of the Australian post-war research effort.

“These inventions demonstrate the importance of the Australian Research Council and its role in providing patient investment in fundamental research,” Professor Jagadish said.

"Groundbreaking discoveries often take place when researchers are given the time to do what they do best.

“Our warmest congratulations go to Professor Robson and his colleagues for this significant achievement and global recognition,” Professor Jagadish said.

Professor Robson was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2000 and the Royal Society of London in 2022.