The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the 2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap and its recommendations.

Professor Les Field, Secretary for Science Policy, said the nine focus areas for infrastructure development identified in the roadmap are the right priorities.

“The Academy now looks forward to the release of the Government’s research infrastructure investment plan,” Professor Field said.

“Infrastructure funding in this plan must be long-term, strategic and insulated from annual budgetary fluctuations, consistent with the long-term nature and nation-building capacity of research infrastructure investment – most big infrastructure has a lifetime over decades, not months or years,” Professor Field said.

Professor Field also noted the need to assess research infrastructure requirements not only for the present but also for the future.

”It is important to build in mechanisms to bring on new infrastructure that would support Australia’s research programs in five to ten years’ time, and these may well be areas which are in their infancy now or indeed areas we don’t know about yet,” Professor Field said.

Science has largely flown under the radar in a restrained Federal Budget, with no big spending measures and no major cuts apart from previously-announced university funding changes.

An astronomy partnership with the European Southern Observatory will recieve support of $26 million, ensuring Australia’s involvement in major astronomy initiatives around the world. Funding for advanced manufacturing will come under the CRC program, and the first real investments will start to flow from the Medical Research Future Fund.

The Academy also welcomes:

• investment in new medical research and treatment facilities, with $68 million invested in South Australia to develop the first Proton Beam facility in the Southern Hemisphere
• increased support for women to enter high-skilled STEM professions through the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute internship program
• the commitment of $49.8m over 11 years to ensure year-round operation of the research facilities on Australia’s sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island which lies between Tasmania and Antarctica
• funding of $14.3m over three years to establish a whole-of-government educational data framework that will allow better understanding of educational pathways and program efficacy in STEM as well as other disciplines
• a small increase in funding for Geoscience Australia, with a particular focus on realising the opportunities presented by satellite and other geographical data.

However the Budget didn’t include any of the recommendations of the Ferris-Finkel-Fraser review of the R&D Tax Incentives, particularly those which may have strengthened the engagement between research organisations and industry.

There will be small decreases in indexation of funding across the forward estimates equating to savings of several million dollars per annum in agencies such as ANSTO, CSIRO and funding programs such as the ARC and NHMRC. 

More investment could have also been made in the vision for future jobs and economic prosperity, driven by a world class STEM capability.

Read the Academy's Budget media release

Science has largely flown under the radar in a restrained Federal Budget, with no big spending measures and no major cuts apart from previously-announced university funding changes, according to the Australian Academy of Science.

Professor Les Field, Secretary for Science Policy, said it is pleasing to see $26 million to support an astronomy partnership with the European Southern Observatory, ensuring Australia’s involvement in major astronomy initiatives around the world.

“It’s also positive that part of the funding for advanced manufacturing will come under the tried and tested CRC program.

“However it is disappointing that the Budget didn’t include any of the recommendations of the Ferris-Finkel- Fraser review of the R&D Tax Incentives, particularly those which may have strengthened the engagement between our research organisations and industry.

“The budget also sees the first real investments starting to flow from the Medical Research Future Fund, including funding for cancer research and clinical trials,” Professor Field said.

The Academy also welcomes:

• investment in new medical research and treatment facilities, with $68 million invested in South Australia to develop the first Proton Beam facility in the Southern Hemisphere
• increased support for women to enter high-skilled STEM professions through the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute internship program
• the commitment of $49.8m over 11 years to ensure year-round operation of the research facilities on Australia’s sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island which lies between Tasmania and Antarctica
• funding of $14.3m over three years to establish a whole-of-government educational data framework that will allow better understanding of educational pathways and program efficacy in STEM as well as other disciplines
• a small increase in funding for Geoscience Australia, with a particular focus on realising the opportunities presented by satellite and other geographical data.

“It is disappointing to see small decreases in indexation of funding across the forward estimates equating to savings of several million dollars per annum in agencies such as ANSTO, CSIRO and funding programs such as the ARC and NHMRC. These will certainly be absorbed, but will add to the challenge of doing important science and innovation in areas of critical national importance,” Professor Field said.

“We would have also liked to have seen the Government investing more strongly in the vision for future jobs and economic prosperity, driven by a world class STEM capability. This is one of the central planks of the National Innovation and Science Agenda.

“The science sector will now look forward to the 2030 Strategy for Science and Innovation, to be finalised by the end of the year, and the Government's response to the Research Infrastructure Roadmap, which will determine priorities for new capital investment,” Professor Field said.

Media contact: Dan Wheelahan. dan.wheelahan@science.org.au ph: 0435 930 465.

Three Academy Fellows have been elected to the Royal Society of London. 

Professor Edward (Eddie) Holmes FAA FRS of the University of Sydney was elected for his research that revealed breakthroughs on important human pathogens including influenza, HIV and dengue. His recent research has provided fundamental insights into the breadth and biodiversity of the viral world.

The publications of Professor Susanne von Caemmerer FAA FRS are among the highest cited works in plant science. She was elected to the Royal Society for her contributions to the understanding of photosynthesis. Her work with the ANU Research School of Biology continues to combine mathematical modeling of biochemical processes and the development of experimental approaches needed to apply these models.

Professor Gerard Milburn FAA FRS is an internationally respected pioneer in the field of quantum physics. In 1988 he published one of the very first papers on quantum computing and continues to lead the way in quantum technologies, as founding Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems.

They join eminent Fellows, including Professor Elizabeth Blackburn AC FAA FRS Nobel Laureate (Corresponding Member), Professor Brian Schmidt AC FAA FRS Nobel Laureate, Professor Andrew Holmes AC PresAA FRS FTSE and Professor Ian Frazer AC FAA FRS FTSE.

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.

Story via the Royal Society, the Australian National University, EQuS  and the University of Sydney.

With new gene-editing technologies that override natural selection set to come into use in the next 3-5 years, now is the time for Australia to have a national discussion about the implications of the new technology, according to a new report released today by the Australian Academy of Science.

The technology could wipe out malaria-carrying mosquitos, cane toads or other pests and plant diseases within years, but like any new technology, has potential risks.

‘Gene-Drive’ technology allows scientists to manipulate the DNA of small plants or animals in a way that forces or ‘drives’ inheritance of particular genetic traits and characteristics to successive generations.

According to the report’s lead author and Academy Fellow Professor Ary Hoffman of Melbourne’s Bio21 Institute, these traits could include resistance to particular plant diseases or parasites, or they could target fertility.

“The idea of forcing genetic traits into populations has been around for a long time, but it is only in the last two or three years that advances in gene editing technology have made gene drives possible,” Professor Hoffman said.

“The technology, which will only work on small organisms with rapid cycles of sexual reproduction, has enormous potential to control disease, increase agricultural productivity and to improve quality of life, particularly for those living in developing countries,’’ Professor Hoffman said.

“However, as with any new technology, there are also uncertainties and risks. Before gene drives are used in Australia, and before they start being used at scale elsewhere in the world, it’s going to be critical to consider the applications that are of most benefit, and the risks associated with those applications,” Professor Hoffman said.

“The research and regulatory environment will define what is possible, and it is important that we anticipate and adjust to the impacts of the technology.”

Academy of Science President, Professor Andrew Holmes, said that once gene drives are released into wild populations in other countries, they will inevitably reach Australia, so it is important for Australian governments and communities to have the discussions now.

“The Academy has produced this report to initiate a discussion of the ethical, regulatory and scientific issues that will need be considered by the community and addressed by government and regulators, before this technology comes into use over the next 3-5 years,” Professor Holmes said.

“Australia’s unique environment raises a number of issues specific to our country. For example, if a gene drive released in New Zealand to control feral possums were to reach Australia, it could have devastating consequences for our native species. Likewise, we’d need to be very careful about the potential for unintended environmental and agricultural consequences of altered crop characteristics, or ecological niches that might be filled by new pests or diseases,” Professor Holmes said.

The Academy’s report, which includes six recommendations, was developed by an expert working group chaired by Professor Hoffman and involved broad consultation with ethicists, scientists, state and federal biosecurity and agricultural authorities, and the Australian Gene Technology Regulator.

Read the report

Media note: The Australian Science Media Centre will hold a media briefing with a panel of experts regarding ‘Gene-Drive’ technology and the Academy’s report at 10am AEST, Monday 1 May 2017. The expert panel includes: Professor Ary Hoffman, Bio21 Institute, Professor Rachel Ankeny, University of Adelaide and Professor Ian Small, University of Western Australia.

Media contact: Dan Wheelahan. dan.wheelahan@science.org.au ph: 0435 930 465

The Academy has just admitted two internationally renowned scientists as Corresponding Members, Dr Raghunath Mashelkar (India) and Professor Rudiger Wehner (Switzerland).

Dr Mashelkar and Professor Wehner are recognised for their outstanding scientific contributions to their fields.

Dr Mashelkar is a highly successful polymer chemist and an influencial leader in shaping innovation within India's science and technology policies. 

Dr Mashelkar has driven international collaboration between India and Australia through his work in education, research and innovation partnerships with Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, RMIT University and the Australia–India Institute.

Professor Wehner, from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, has been recognised for his world-leading research on animal navigation (neuroethology).

Spending over 40 years studying the Saharan desert ant Cataglyphis, Professor Wehner was the first scientist to show how ants, despite their tiny brains, are capable of performing extraordinary feats of navigation through desert landscapes.

The research has increased scientists’ understanding of the evolution of nervous systems and their role in controlling animal behaviour. 

From the Saraha desert to the Australian outback, Professor Wehner’s lifelong interest in insect navigation has also seen him team up with Macquarie University’s Dr Ken Cheng to study the navigation patterns of the red honey ant, Melophorus bagoti.

Dr Mashelkar and Professor Wehner join the Academy’s 29 other Corresponding Members, comprising leading international researchers and science advocates with strong links to Australia.  

The Academy will announce the election of 21 distinguished Australian scientists as new Fellows at the start of Science at the Shine Dome on 22 May 2017.

Find out more on how you can join us for the Academy's biggest celebration of science

Dr Raghunath Mashelkar (India) and Professor Rüdiger Wehner (Switzerland) have been admitted to the Australian Academy of Science for outstanding scientific contributions to their fields.

Dr Mashelkar, currently President of the Global Research Alliance (GRA) is a highly successful polymer chemist. He has played a critical role in shaping the direction of India’s science and technology policies.

Dr Mashelkar’s leadership of India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research over 11 years saw it increase its research income from international corporations to more than US$1billion. The transformation has been hailed as of the ten most significant achievements of Indian science and technology.

Dr Mashelkar has also promoted worldwide the idea of ‘Ghandian engineering’, an Indian approach to inclusive innovation based on `doing more for less, for more people’.

Dr Mashelkar’s connections with Australian science have seen him create India-Australia education, research and innovation partnerships through Monash University, Swinburne, RMIT and the Australia-India Institute.

Professor Wehner, from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, has been recognised for his world-leading research on animal navigation (neuroethology).

Professor Wehner has spent over 40 years studying how insects, despite their tiny brains, are capable of sophisticated visually guided behaviours. His research has focused on the inbuilt navigation systems of various species of the Saharan desert ant (Cataglyphis).

Professor Wehner was the first to show how the ant uses patterns of polarised light as a celestial compass, allowing it to pull off extraordinary feats of navigation through arid, featureless desert landscapes.

He also demonstrated that the ants' nervous system, or neural pathways, work in a similar way to those in other ‘higher animals’ such as mammals and primates.

The research has been used as a model for other studies of insect navigation and increased scientists’ understanding of the evolution of nervous systems and their role in controlling behaviour.

Professor Wehner’s lifelong interest in insect navigation has also seen him team up with Macquarie University’s Dr Ken Cheng, to study the navigation patterns of the red honey ant (melophorus bagoti), which lives in the deserts of central Australia.

Australian Academy of Science President, Professor Andrew Holmes, congratulated the new Corresponding Members.

“Professors Wehner and Dr Mashelkar join the Academy as Corresponding Members, a special category within the Fellowship, comprising eminent international scientists with strong ties to Australia who have made outstanding contributions to science,” said Professor Holmes.  

The Australian Academy of Science will announce the election of 21 distinguished Australian scientists as New Fellows, to mark the start of Science at the Shine Dome, on 22 May 2017.

Media contact: Dan Wheelahan. dan.wheelahan@science.org.au ph: 0435 930 465

A symposium of energy experts has called for a national discussion on nuclear options, including mining, power generation and waste storage, to help address Australia's energy security and climate change challenges.

The symposium, hosted by The Australian National University (ANU) Energy Change Institute, was supported by the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and Engineers Australia.

A communique from the symposium, released today, urges governments to remove laws that may be prohibitive to free and open discussions about the nuclear fuel cycle. The communique is based on a review of the report from the South Australian Government's Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission.

Read the full communique, including the findings from the symposium

How will we provide enough food, water and energy for the 9.7 billion people living on Earth in 2050? This will be one of the questions to challenge school students in National Science Week this August, thanks to a new sustainability science resource by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA).

Filled with fun and engaging experiments, ASTA’s ‘book of ideas’ is based on the global initiative Future Earth. The resource highlights positive actions that can lead to a more sustainable future.

The educational resource follows the Academy’s launch of the Australian chapter of Future Earth.

The global Future Earth program is the largest ever international research and development collaboration focused on long-term sustainability solutions for the planet and human society.

ASTA based this year’s theme for schools on this global initiative to engage teachers and their students in sustainability science in Australia and the surrounding region.

Teachers of students in years Foundation to 10 can use the new materials to stimulate, support and inspire their National Science Week activities.

Download the new resource on ASTA’s website

More about Future Earth Australia

Australian Academy of Science President, Professor Andrew Holmes, and his colleagues from the S20 Science Forum have presented a position statement on global health to the German Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel ahead of the G20 Summit in July.

“The Ebola and Zika epidemics have shown how disease in one country can have global impact. Infectious diseases are causing at least 15 per cent of cancer cases. And 15 per cent of tuberculosis cases may be linked to type II diabetes,” said Professor Holmes.

These issues illustrate why health will be an important focus at the G20 Summit, along with economic growth and financial market regulation.

The science academies of the G20 states have drawn up recommendations on improving global health and are playing an active role in the G20.

In their joint statement, the academies offer strategies and tools to tackle communicable and non-communicable diseases and to strengthen public health systems. The joint document provides a basis for the G20 Summit consultations.

Professor Holmes is in Germany for the Science 20 Dialogue Forum where the statement was presented overnight.

“Global health—specifically the management of both infectious and non-infectious diseases—still causes issues world-wide for individuals, health systems and economies alike,” said Andrew.

“We are calling for strong short- and long-term evidence-based strategies to address these issues.”

In the statement the G20 science academies call for:

• the strengthening of healthcare and public health systems
• applying existing and emerging knowledge
• addressing the broader social and environmental determinants of health
• reducing serious risk factors for disease through education and promotion of healthy lifestyles
• ensuring access to health resources globally
• enhancing and extending robust strategies for surveillance and information-sharing. 

Furthering research is a prerequisite for providing knowledge and new tools to meet these challenges.

Media contact: Toni Stevens | M: 0401 763 130