NUMBER 196 | JUNE 2016

SCIENCE VISION: 15 YEARS FROM NOW CHIEF SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND HIGHLIGHT OUR OPPORTUNITIES

AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING BATTERHAM MEDAL FOR ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

One of Australia’s most innovative young engineers will win the 2016 Batterham Medal. NOMINATIONS CLOSE ON 14 AUGUST. The Batterham Medal is an early career award for a graduate engineer who has achieved substantial peer/industry recognition for his/her work in the past five years. The Academy administers the award on behalf of the Group of Eight Deans of Engineering and Associates and the Medal will be awarded at ATSE’s Oration Dinner on 25 November 2016 in Melbourne. The winner will receive the Batterham Medal and a cash prize of $5000.

THE WINNER WILL BE AN ENGINEERING GRADUATE OF AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY, UNDER 40 AT 1 JANUARY 2016 AND WILL: 1. have demonstrated excellence, innovation and impact in a field of engineering; 2. be clearly acknowledged by peers for a signature contribution to engineering in the five years prior to his/her nomination; and 3. have advanced the standing of the engineering profession.

The Batterham Medal recognises Professor Robin Batterham AO FREng FAA FTSE, an Australian science and technology leader who was Chief Scientist of Australia from 1999 to 2006, President of the Academy from 2007 to 2012 and is Kernot Professor of Engineering at the University of Melbourne.

THE BATTERHAM MEDAL GUIDELINES AND NOMINATION FORM ARE AVAILABLE AT www.atse.org.au/batterham-medal

NOMINATE AN INNOVATIVE YOUNG ENGINEER TODAY.

AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

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15 Mobilising our Mittelstand Embrace change and of growing SMEs seek better outcomes 17 Taking the lead – based on science 3 By Alan Finkel 20 Change key to competitiveness and economic growth 24 Global Connections Fund launched Things are moving 25 Clunies Ross winners fast – and faster from three states 7 26 National leaders address By Geoff Garrett Agribusiness 2030 27 IMNIS expands to South Australia 27 Technology workshop on food safety in Beijing Reflect on trends to 28 Skilled graduates the inform smart choices key outcome 11 29 Research training review By Mary O’Kane seeks better engagement 45 ATSE in Focus

Front cover photo: The Ladybird robot can detect vegetable growth and pest species and remove weeds. Photo: University of Sydney

PUBLISHER Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering Address: Level 1, 1 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne ATSE Focus is produced to stimulate discussion and public policy initiatives on key topics of interest to the Postal Address: Academy and the nation. Many articles are contributed by ATSE Fellows with expertise in these areas. Opinion GPO Box 4055, Melbourne, Victoria 3001 articles will be considered for publication. Items between 800 and 1400 words are preferred. Please address Telephone: 03 9864 0900 comments, suggested topics and article for publication to [email protected]. Facsimile: 03 9864 0930 Email: [email protected] Deadline for the receipt of copy for next edition of Focus is 15 July 2016. CEO: Dr Margaret Hartley FTSE Editor: Bill Mackey

COPYRIGHT This publication contains copyright material. Some of the material is owned by Australian Academy of Print Post Publication No 341403/0025 Technological Sciences and Engineering Ltd ACN 008 520 394 (ATSE) and some material is owned by others. ISSN 1326-8708 All copyright and other intellectual property rights in the materials remain with the owner. No material in this Design and production: publication may be copied (except as legally allowed) or further disseminated without the express and written Coretext 03 9670 1168 www.coretext.com.au permission of the holder of that copyright, with the exception of copying for educational purposes. Copyright © ATSE 2016

www.atse.org.au 1 Clever resourCeful solutions

The minerals we help to mine shape the world We combine the progressive thinking of our Global we live in. R&D and Technical networks to find solutions for the challenges encountered at every stage of the mining An Australian company with a global footprint, value chain. Orica has operations in more than 50 countries and customers in more than 100. On average, we deliver To deliver for our customers, we rely on excellence in 1,500 blasts every day. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

We’re focused on developing long-term We are therefore proud to be the principal Sponsor partnerships with our customers to reduce the total of ATSE’s STELR Project and to have helped more costs of mining, improve productivity and achieve than 400 schools in Australia and beyond become sustainable environmental outcomes. STELR schools.

Blasting Systems l Ground Support l Mining Chemicals orica.com

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BY ALAN FINKEL [email protected]

Embrace change and seek better outcomes SCIENCE VISION We must reverse the decline in science and maths participation and performance. In international testing, our students are slipping and this is unacceptable.

I love problems. They are opportunities to create I solutions. And while we’re at it, we can make sure that the solutions exceed the minimum requirements. Two memorable events occurred in my first three weeks on the job. The first was the restructuring at CSIRO that reduced Australia’s climate research capability. In the spirit of never letting a good Clever crisis go to waste I was able to work with numerous players in the research community to facilitate CSIRO itself finding a better way resourCeful forward. The second was the announcement of the discovery of gravitational waves. Quite solutions remarkably, 100 years after their existence Alan Finkel joins students to celebrate Victoria University Secondary College becoming was predicted by Albert Einstein’s Theory of the 500th STELR school in Australia. General Relativity, and after 45 years of intense The minerals we help to mine shape the world We combine the progressive thinking of our Global effort by the physics community to build ever long arms of the detector. Hats off to the team. developed countries. You could say we were we live in. R&D and Technical networks to find solutions for the more sensitive detectors, a gravitational wave The stunning LIGO success illustrates lucky, but it is more than that. challenges encountered at every stage of the mining event was recorded a mere one hour after what is critically important in a national Among many other factors, we should An Australian company with a global footprint, value chain. the Advanced LIGO detector was switched science, research and innovation system: acknowledge the commitment to research Orica has operations in more than 50 countries and on. To me, the trace that shows the gradually adequate funding; multidisciplinary and innovation in our mining, education, customers in more than 100. On average, we deliver To deliver for our customers, we rely on excellence in increasing frequency and amplitude of the teamwork; collaborations between agriculture and banking sectors. Although we 1,500 blasts every day. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. gravitational waves emanating from the universities, research institutions and don’t hear about these nearly as much in the inward spiralling and eventual collision of two industry; patience, commitment and vision. media as we hear about our poor performance We’re focused on developing long-term We are therefore proud to be the principal Sponsor black holes 1.3 billion light years ago is the blip in digital technologies. And it is true, we could partnerships with our customers to reduce the total of ATSE’s STELR Project and to have helped more of the century. AUSTRALIA NEEDS A PLAN do much better in many areas and, through a costs of mining, improve productivity and achieve than 400 schools in Australia and beyond become Ten years ago most scientists and Australia does not yet have a long-term deliberate approach, we can fill in the gaps in sustainable environmental outcomes. STELR schools. engineers, other than the funders and builders plan for its science, research and innovation our capability. But we will do so more easily by of LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational- system. I anticipate that this will be addressed celebrating and learning from our successes Wave Observatory), thought the task was in the not too distant future. than by focusing on our shortfalls. impossible. But the physicists, engineers In the meantime, as a country we are As Australia’s Chief Scientist, championing and mathematicians in the LIGO team were enjoying many successes, most of which science and innovation across society, one Blasting Systems l Ground Support l Mining Chemicals undaunted. Ultimately, their machine detected are rarely acknowledged. We have achieved of my main messages is about embracing a change in length a mere thousandth of the almost 100 successive quarters of GDP the two arms of an upside-down 'T.' The orica.com width of a proton along the four-kilometre- growth in a row, making us the envy of other horizontal base is our science and research

www.atse.org.au 3

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endeavour, from fundamental science, infrastructure is broader than a strict The rapid approach of automation and humanities and social sciences, through interpretation of ‘national’ would suggest, so artificial intelligence will substantially alter to engineering and digital technologies. that we can leverage our skills and finances the job market in coming years. Science and research build the knowledge to be partners in international projects such The solution is to ensure the excellence base that feeds the innovation engine, which as the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile of our education system from primary is the vertical arm of my upside-down T. and, of course, the Square Kilometre Array. school through to on-the-job training. My This combination of science, research and Will we be able to host the next generation predecessor, Professor Ian Chubb AC FTSE, innovation contributes to our national health of gravitational wave detector? That should identified many of the problems and now we and prosperity. certainly be an aspiration. need to act to address them. To ensure our great science can continue The funding sources for research I am encouraging universities to work ever to deliver, we need nationally accessible, infrastructure equipment are crucial and this more closely with industry to anticipate future large-scale research equipment. topic was discussed broadly at the recent job needs. But the reality is that it is impossible The NCRIS and Super Science initiatives of Forum of Australian Chief Scientists (FACS) to keep up, so that instead of aspiring to the previous decade served us very well, but held in Hobart. The forum was my first produce job-ready graduates we must aspire nothing lasts forever, especially in science, opportunity to chair a FACS meeting and I to produce job-capable graduates who have where the new knowledge gained using the enjoyed the open discussion where we shared deep discipline knowledge accompanied by current generation of equipment almost begs our strategic vision. Some of the conversations workplace attributes such as written and oral us to develop the next generation. around the meeting table are reflected in this communication skills, collaborative working, The challenge is to systematically plan article and others articles by my fellow Chief critical thinking and project management. and fund our upcoming needs. To that end, Scientists from the states and territories. At the secondary school level we I am leading the Research Infrastructure must reverse the decline in science and Roadmap process that will deliver LIFTING EXCELLENCE IN STEM maths participation and performance. recommendations for the next decade of One of the issues discussed in detail in Hobart In international testing, our students are major research equipment. was the challenges facing the Australian slipping in absolute results and in comparison Our definition of national research education system. to other countries. This is unacceptable.

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CoreAdvert_36.indd 1 11/05/2016 11:34 AM 4 www.atse.org.au JUNE 2016 | FOCUS

Few people comprehend the enormity of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

School education is a state and territory world, solar electricity only contributes a bit but at the end of the day we must believe in responsibility, so I will be working with the more than two per cent of our annual electrical our own capacity to discover and innovate, state and territory Chief Scientists to identify energy generation. and we must act accordingly. areas of concern, such as too many science There is a long way to go but the The government-funded DARPA program and maths teachers teaching out of field. cumulative investment in technology, in the US and the CERN facility in Europe At the national level, I am joining manufacturing, installation and financing gave us the internet and the World Wide others in calling for universities to require models in the past few decades, supported to Web. Building on this backbone, five digital intermediate or advanced mathematics a large extent through government subsidies, technology companies sprang up through across the board. It staggers me that 13 of the has succeeded in driving down costs. Today, private investment to become five of the top 34 engineering courses offered in Australia the unsubsidised, levelised, wholesale cost of 10 companies in the US – Apple, Amazon, accept fundamental maths as a prerequisite electricity generated from large-scale solar and Google, Microsoft and Facebook. In this party, even though this does not include calculus, wind is cheaper than the traditional benchmark government and industry dance together, but and one of our engineering courses does not – coal-fired electricity. In the US, 25-year power to their own tunes. require any Year 12 mathematics at all. purchase agreements have been written at When it comes to building our science, Australia is fortunate to have many below A$40 per megawatt-hour. research and innovation capabilities there is hundreds of science and technology no simple solution. I’ve been on panels where educational activities that have been STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT I have heard and contributed to long lists of developed to complement regular teaching. This is a stunning achievement, a victory. advice. At the end of the day, in my mind’s eye ATSE’s STELR program is a successful example. However, many will argue that it is a hollow it comes down to two essential attributes for However, too many times we hear that victory because this price breakthrough leaders and individuals. teachers and parents are unaware of what is ignores intermittency. And they are right. The First, embrace change. The world of available. The Office of the Chief Scientist has target must now shift to the development science and technology is moving too fast for published a compendium of STEM activities of storage technologies, such as thermal anything less than a commitment from the and now, in collaboration with industry storage, hydrogen storage, battery storage top to embracing change. and with the unqualified support of the and pumped hydroelectricity. Second, believe that there is always a state Chief Scientists, we are in the process We have to do it at scale; the challenge better outcome. Conceive of a great solution, of converting this into a dynamic online is enormous. If you took all the batteries that then bring together the minds of colleagues database that will be accessible to teachers, were manufactured for telephones, laptops, and end-users to constantly challenge parents and students. cars and industry in 2014 and removed them yourself to find a better solution than the one Despite the problems, our schools and from their products and instead used them for you started with. teachers are much better than the constant a global electricity back-up system they would The engineers, physicists and criticism implies. I spoke recently to the CEO have the capacity to keep the global electricity mathematicians who built the Advanced of a major engineering design company that supply running for a mere nine seconds. LIGO are perfect examples of this. They made recruits dozens of graduates every year. “Are The world needs to accelerate investment in change after change, not because they were they any good?” I tentatively asked? “Alan, research and development to reduce costs and tinkerers but because they were committed they are sensational!” was his reply. increase capacity in all the available electricity optimists looking for better solutions. ¤ storage technologies. Australia is already a AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE major technology developer in thermal storage Dr Alan Finkel AO FTSE is Australia’s eighth Chief Of course, one of the biggest challenges that we and there are ample opportunities for us to Scientist and has an extensive science background as face nationally and globally is climate change. develop our hydrogen and battery storage an entrepreneur, engineer, neuroscientist and educator. The simple truth is that the world needs energy, science and technology capabilities. Prior to becoming Chief Scientist, he was the Chancellor of Monash University and President of the Australian lots and lots of it. Take it away and we are back It is worth stating the obvious – Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE). in the Stone Age. But all that energy use is government is not the solution to all of our He has a PhD in electrical engineering from Monash accompanied by carbon dioxide emissions. problems. It never has been and it never will University and worked as a postdoctoral research fellow Few people comprehend the enormity be. Governments can correct market failures, in neuroscience at the Australian National University. In 1983 he founded Axon Instruments, a California-based, of the challenge to reduce emissions. For they can fund research infrastructure that ASX-listed company that made precision scientific example, even though domestic solar could not otherwise be funded, they can instruments. After Axon was sold in 2004, Dr Finkel penetration in Australia is the highest in the ensure the quality of our education system, co-founded Cosmos Magazine.

www.atse.org.au 5 Enhancing Australia’s prosperity through technology and innovation The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE)

ATSE is made up of some of Australia’s leading thinkers in technology and engineering. One of Australia’s four Learned Academies, it’s an eclectic group, drawn from academia, government, industry and research, with a single objective in mind – to apply technology in smart, strategic ways for our social, environmental and economic benefit.

To achieve that goal, ATSE has formed a variety of expert, independent forums for discussion and action – platforms to move debate and public policy on issues concerning Australia’s future. These focus on energy, water, health, education, built environment and innovation – and the international collaboration necessary to ensure that Australia is abreast of world trends.

It’s an open, transparent approach – one that government, industry and community leaders can trust for technology-led solutions to national and global challenges. Each year, the Australian Government recognises the importance of the work we do by awarding the Academy an establishment grant to help with:

n Fostering research and scholarship in Australia’s technological sciences and engineering;

n Providing and conducting administrative support, workshops, forums and events to enable the Academy and its Fellows to contribute on important national issues;

nManaging the development and execution of our programs; and

nSupporting relationships with international communities.

AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

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BY GEOFF GARRETT [email protected]

Things are moving fast – and faster Enhancing Australia’s SCIENCE VISION Winston Churchill: “The further backward you can look, the further forward you can see”. Steve Jobs: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking prosperity through backwards”. technology and innovation The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) The Human Genome who in 1990 predicted that computers would and former Bell Labs physicist Arno Penzias Project, completed in 2003, beat the best human chess players “by the who, when asked about the future of science ATSE is made up of some of Australia’s leading took 13 years and cost year 2000” (IBM’s Deep Blue defeated World over the next 50 years, said: “It’s all about thinkers in technology and engineering. One of T $2.7 billion. Now? Maybe Champion Garry Kasparov in May 1997) – computers. And biology. Biology with Australia’s four Learned Academies, it’s an eclectic a couple of days and a few reckons, based on current data and current computers. Roast beef from air and water and group, drawn from academia, government, thousand bucks. technological trends, that by 2050 we’ll have oil at will.” industry and research, with a single objective in The world’s current fastest a supercomputer exceeding the processing These days, the one thing we can mind – to apply technology in smart, strategic supercomputer (China’s Tianhe-2) runs power of all human beings on Earth. And be pretty sure of is that much exciting ways for our social, environmental and economic at 33.86 petaflops – that’s 33,860 trillion costing $1000 … science and innovation is happening at the benefit. calculations every second! Some years back, I was privileged to be interfaces. And often ‘strange’ stuff, at that. To achieve that goal, ATSE has formed a variety And Google strategist Ray Kurzweil – part of a gathering with Nobel-Prize-winning If you want to take a bet, take one on of expert, independent forums for discussion and action – platforms to move debate and public policy on issues concerning Australia’s future. ‘Love’, by Ukrainian sculptor Alexander Milov. These focus on energy, water, health, education, built environment and innovation – and the international collaboration necessary to ensure that Australia is abreast of world trends.

It’s an open, transparent approach – one that government, industry and community leaders can trust for technology-led solutions to national and global challenges. Each year, the Australian Government recognises the importance of the work we do by awarding the Academy an establishment grant to help with: n Fostering research and scholarship in Australia’s technological sciences and engineering; n Providing and conducting administrative support, workshops, forums and events to enable the Academy and its Fellows to contribute on important national issues; nManaging the development and execution of our programs; and nSupporting relationships with international communities. PHOTO: DUST TO ASHES / BURNING MAN BURNING / ASHES TO DUST PHOTO: AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING www.atse.org.au 7

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There are strong signs that the future “The 21st century ... will be typified by belongs to the boundary-crosser and skilled collaborator, so we’d better get good at synergy, the cross-fertilisation between this. Harvard’s Rosabeth Moss Kanter has elegantly coined a spacefaring analogy, akin three fields: the quantum revolution, to astronauts, by introducing the concept of ‘collabronauts’, who are “… good at making the computer revolution and the connections, both human and intellectual. They are constantly on the look-out for biomolecular revolution.” – PROFESSOR MICHIO KAKU new ways to benefit from combining forces with partners. They venture into unfamiliar territory, make deals, and return with what will come out of Professor Paul Davies we get delivered the National Innovation and knowledge that transforms their home base. (distinguished astrophysicist from Macquarie Science Agenda (NISA) – and with a billion They bring organisations closer together, University) having headed off to one of the new dollars of new (?) money on the table. (What introduce people and build relationships US Cancer Institutes to work on oncology. Samsung spend on R&D in three weeks, by among groups that can initially seem like Astrophysics? Oncology? the way.) aliens to one another. They manage rumours, As far as science going forward is As my good friend Mark Dodgson (UQ mount peace-keeping missions and solve concerned, as distinguished physicist and Business School Professor of Innovation and problems. They convince their colleagues author Professor Michio Kaku has said: “The Technology Management) observes, much to forget old rules and try something new, 21st century, unlike the previous ones, will of the same policy analysis and prescription something that comes with having partners.” be typified by synergy, the cross-fertilisation behind NISA can be found in Paul Keating’s 1995 Lots of IQ, coupled with bags of EQ between three fields: the quantum Innovation Statement. Talk about déjà vu …. (emotional quotient). All business is people revolution, the computer revolution and the And surely we are also ‘reviewed out’ – business. biomolecular revolution. The cross-pollination maybe more than 100 reports on innovation between these three revolutions will be vastly of all sorts, from government/industry BEWARE ‘LOST IN TRANSLATION’ accelerated and will enrich the development associations/consultancies over the past There is a major gap between what we know of science, giving us unprecedented power decade or so. For example, as Tony Peacock, and what we actually apply. Basically it’s a to manipulate matter, life and intelligence. CEO of the CRC Association (rightly) bemoans, crying shame that there is so much great stuff In fact, it will be difficult to be a research 11 reviews/impact studies in the 25 years around, in journals, on shelves and in heads, scientist in the future without having some CRCs have been running. which is not getting utilised or built upon. working knowledge of all these three areas.” Surely time to take Nike’s advice and ‘Just Sir Muir Gray, former Director of the Exciting times indeed – artificial Do It!’. UK’s NHS National Knowledge Service and intelligence, robotics, the ‘internet of things’, NHS Chief Knowledge Officer, has said: “The big data, next generation genomics, etc. PARTNER OR PERISH? application of what we know already will But let’s step back a bit, taking Winston How long have we been talking about the have a bigger impact on health and disease Churchill’s advice: “The further backward you need for much better collaboration? Yet we than any drug or technology likely to be can look, the further forward you can see”. continue to languish at the very bottom introduced in the next decade.” Correspondingly, Steve Jobs put it wisely: “You of the OECD League Table of collaboration This challenge also applies in the policy can’t connect the dots looking forward; you between our nation’s innovation-active firms space. Former Australian Public Service head, can only connect them looking backwards …”. and our universities and research institutes. Dr Peter Shergold AC, wrote (2011) in the One of my favourite little books is Robert Australian Literary Review of the void between NIKE TIME? Fulghum’s All I really need to know I learned policy practitioners and policy academics In November 2000, just two months before in kindergarten. This includes lessons such as … and quoting (and agreeing with) his I arrived in Australia to head up CSIRO, the ‘play fair’, ‘don't hit people’, ‘put things back successor, Terry Moran AC: “Academic work then Commonwealth Chief Scientist, Professor where you found them’. And germane to our was often ‘lost in translation’ because it was Robin Batterham AO FREng FAA FTSE, and his environmental responsibilities to our planet inaccessible, indigestible and obscure. Too team released the Chance for Change report. It – ‘clean up your own mess’. (And a special often it was unresponsive to the immediate stated at the outset: “Innovation is the driver favourite amongst my academic friends ‘take a needs of governments. By the time research of every modern economy – it is the key to little nap every afternoon’.) was published it was out of date.” Ouch. competitiveness, employment growth and And Fulghum reminds us of back then, We must accelerate the process from social wellbeing. The cycle of innovation must when our teacher might have taken us on discovery – continuing (of course) to stimulate be fed by new ideas and basic knowledge a visit to the fire station or the chocolate the excitement and support for working at which are capable of being transferred and factory, and would say “Hold hands and stick the leading edge – through to delivery, and accepted by end-users.” together. There’s a lot of heavy traffic out the rapid transfer/diffusion of technology Fifteen years on, at the end of last year, there.” Indeed there is ... between research and the market.

8 www.atse.org.au JUNE 2016 | FOCUS

We must ensure that we just don’t do proverbial light switch – and (much) better We’ve had the hugely successful World great science but that it gets taken up, rapidly translation. Science Festival Brisbane in March – the first and effectively, creating jobs, wealth and We have major Partnership programs, time ever out of New York – with more than improvement in quality of life. linked to our well-defined Science and 120,000 people involved over a four-day Research Priorities, with at least two research smorgasbord of science and technology, ‘TWO TO TANGO’ institutions ‘holding hands’, and with an brilliantly orchestrated by Professor Suzanne We put a lot of heat on our universities and end-user partner(s) with serious skin in Miller and her Queensland Museum team. research institutions to collaborate better. But in the game. And in these, as well as in all our We’ve also had the inspiring April the past financial year $19.7 billion was claimed new Fellowship programs, the researchers Innovation and Investment Summit – with a by business in Australia as R&D, as part of the involved have to spend at least half of their social media reach of more than 18 million R&D Tax Concession system currently under time ‘in the business’ – building relationships, and thousands of people in live-streaming – review. Yet detailed analysis has revealed that solving problems in real time and working and its ‘sister’ Startup Festival, with hundreds only 2.6 per cent of this ($505 million) went to hard to minimise the lost-in-translation stuff. of local entrepreneurs rubbing shoulders with our universities and research institutions. A whole new cadre of industry-savvy national and international gurus. This begs the question – in terms of researchers is what we’re after – and a cadre If pushed to provide a single highlight who’s dancing with whom – who’s doing the that is also much better at communicating what (among many) of my tenure as Queensland other 97 per cent? Especially, as we know, in they are doing, and why, supported by a funded Chief Scientist, it would be time spent with recent times the big corporates have been and focused ‘science engagement’ strategy. six, seven and eight-year-olds. outsourcing their R&D. And far from resistance around this I’m there nominally to inspire them. The Definitional issues, no doubt, play a part. ‘residency’ requirement, anticipated by some, we reverse always happens. They’re creative, But it needs clarification. observed a 34 per cent increase in applications. enthusiastic, questioning ... they can do My former CSIRO Chair, Catherine In driving the translation and anything. Livingstone AC FAA FTSE, notably lamented commercialisation agendas, we have put in But as big people – as Alexander Milov’s “if only Australia knew what Australia knows”. place a suite of exciting programs stimulating sculpture ‘Love’ suggests – a lot of the time we ‘Lights under bushels’ is indeed a challenge. startups and entrepreneurship and small have our backs to each other. We’re competing. One of the delights – and corresponding business – the engines of jobs growth – with a Not communicating. Not collaborating. But our concerns – of my job is that, most days, when strong commitment by government to unleash ‘inner child’ wants to connect – to hold hands, I’m out and about, I find myself thinking: “Wow! procurement as a driver of innovation, with to break out, to question, to create. I didn’t know we were doing that stuff!” much closer relationships and opportunities for Piece of cake, eh? ¤ We need business, government and the small business in Queensland. Dr Geoff Garrett AO FTSE is a Cambridge-educated community to be ‘greedy gobblers’ of research We have a clear understanding that STEM metallurgist who spent 13 years as an academic. He has been Queensland Chief Scientist for the past five years. outcomes and technology solutions. This, education is pivotal to our future – underpinning Prior to this he led, as Chief Executive, two of the world’s in turn, requires the science and research 75 per cent of new jobs, we’re told – and know major national science agencies – CSIRO in Australia community to be (much) better relationship Australia is getting behind the pack, particularly (2001–08) and CSIR in South Africa (1995 to 2000). builders and communicators around where we the leaders of the international pack. A former South African ‘Boss of the Year’ (1998) and ‘Engineer of the Year’ (1999), he received the Centenary spend our time, and (mostly) taxpayers’ dollars. Recent months have shown a serious Medal for service to Australian society through science. momentum shift. The ‘buzz’ is palpable. In June 2008 he was appointed an Officer of the Order ‘THE SMART STATE’ Things are happening. of Australia (AO). So what’s happening in Queensland, now and for the years ahead? I’m an unapologetic fan of former Premier There’s a major gap between what we know Peter Beattie and the whole Smart State initiative – vision, coupled with serious investment, over and what we actually apply ... it’s a crying more than a decade – a great foundation on which we are building, irrespective of which side shame that there is so much great stuff of government you come down on. The recent $180 million Advance around, in journals, on shelves and in heads, Queensland initiative has two key elements: talent – you don’t turn that on and off like the which is not getting utilised or built upon.

CONTRIBUTIONS Opinion pieces on technology related topics, preferably between ARE WELCOME 600 and 1400 words, will be considered for publication. They must list the full name of the author, if a Fellow of the Academy. Other contributors should provide their full name, title/role and organisation (if relevant) and email address. Please address to [email protected]

www.atse.org.au 9 Our vision is to create sustainability and excellence in Australia’s power engineering.

What is the API The Australian Power Institute (API) is a not for profit national organisation established by the Australian power industry to boost the quality and numbers of power engineering graduates with the skills and motivation for a career in the energy industry which encompasses: - Generation, transmission and distribution utilities - Manufacturers and suppliers to the industry - Consultants to the industry - End users of electricity in their operations. Value Proposition To deliver a sustainable supply of highly skilled power engineering professionals working effectively to meet the challenges of creating Australia’s new energy future, and underpin the technical and commercial success of member companies in the energy sector. The key objectives of API are to achieve the following: - Provide a sustainable supply of quality power engineering graduates to industry - University power engineering teaching and learning provides relevant industry skills - Value added continuing professional development programs - A respected organisation leading the national development of power engineering skills.

Further Information Contact - Mike Griffin (Chief Executive)

6 0419 643 795 [email protected] www.api.edu.au and www.powerengineering.org.au JUNE 2016 | FOCUS

BY MARY O’KANE [email protected]

The University of Sydney’s solar-powered Ladybird robot – in action on a Cowra, NSW, beetroot farm – has an array of sensors for detecting vegetable growth and pest species, and a robotic arm to remove weeds.

Our vision is to create sustainability and Reflect excellence in Australia’s power engineering. on trends What is the API to inform The Australian Power Institute (API) is a not for profit national organisation established by the Australian power industry to boost the quality and smart numbers of power engineering graduates with the skills and motivation for a career in the energy industry which encompasses: choices

- Generation, transmission and distribution utilities UNIVERSITY SYDNEY OF PHOTO: - Manufacturers and suppliers to the industry SCIENCE VISION If Australia makes some very clever choices on the back of looking at trends, it could absolutely reverse its productivity woes and have a very successful march to 2030. - Consultants to the industry - End users of electricity in their operations. Value Proposition To deliver a sustainable supply of highly skilled power engineering professionals working effectively to meet the challenges of creating The past is the good slowing, is second largest in size behind the Similarly, I expect we will see India Australia’s new energy future, and underpin the technical and predictor of the future – US and its total contribution to high-quality go from strength to strength in R&D, with commercial success of member companies in the energy sector. T barring disruptive events. science has surged in recent years – placing particular specialties in the ICT space. So when exploring the second behind the US on the Nature Index. Other Asian nations will increase their The key objectives of API are to achieve the following: opportunities in science The Chinese Government has invested contribution to science and technology – most - Provide a sustainable supply of quality power engineering that might lie ahead for Australia in 2030 and significantly in research to not only grow notably Korea, Japan and Malaysia. But it’s also graduates to industry beyond, it’s worth considering past trends, its knowledge-based economy and spur likely we will see the evolution of Vietnam, - University power engineering teaching and learning provides as well as trends emerging from what’s innovation but also find solutions to complex Cambodia and Indonesia as serious science relevant industry skills happening right now. health and environmental challenges, such players as they attempt to follow China’s lead. - Value added continuing professional development programs A few trends are very clear. Some of as its ageing population, air quality and water It puts into sharp focus Australia’s future - A respected organisation leading the national development them are directly about science; others affect shortages. role in science in the Asia–Pacific. of power engineering skills. science, including geopolitical issues. China’s upsurge in science and innovation We are a small country with considerable has been underpinned by a strong culture that research strengths for our size – although, GEOPOLITICAL TRENDS is about supporting new knowledge – including since our population is small, our overall The biggest geopolitical issue facing Australia high levels of education through to doctorates, research impact is not large. In the future Further Information moving forward is the continued rise of China and large respect for engineering and we will be neighbour to a very big research Contact - Mike Griffin (Chief Executive) – as an economic and a science superpower. technology among its people. It is this culture power in China, and that will present China’s national economy, although that will see China continue to soar in science. challenges, as well as opportunities.

6 0419 643 795 [email protected] www.api.edu.au and www.powerengineering.org.au www.atse.org.au 11 FOCUS | JUNE 2016

Climate change is another geopolitical Another example of a derived science There are some good examples. issue which will pose scientific challenges and trend comes in the personalised medicine Already we have seen some industries opportunities for Australia moving forward. domain – where we draw heavily on make some very bold choices using some Ongoing concerns in this space will place developments in biology over the past of these trends. Possibly some of the best renewed emphasis on new energy issues. half century or so and, in particular, on the known examples of this are in the areas of big And there are straight geo trends that rapid developments in genomics that are robotics. we should contemplate too. It is almost happening at present. These link, of course, to The mining and freight and logistics inevitable there will be catastrophic natural developments in big data and data analytics. industries have been transformed through events in our region between now and advanced field robotics technologies 2030 – particularly around the Pacific Rim, RESEARCH PROCESS TRENDS developed in NSW. Rio Tinto’s fully-automated where we will probably see some very There are also research process trends – two ‘mine of the future’ in Western Australia’s large earthquakes. How that will affect in particular: Pilbara region, and Patrick’s robotic-reliant science is unknown but it does show we ¢the move to big transnational research Port of Brisbane both use technologies need to continue scientific studies around – researchers working together in virtual developed by researchers at the Australian earthquakes and tsunamis. space, simultaneously doing work that is Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) at the intensely local and intensely global. This, of University of Sydney, formerly headed by SCIENCE TRENDS course, is enabled by very big, very fast data Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte FRS FAA FTSE. There are four really big characteristics pipes and this will continue and we’ll have The ACFR team, now led by Professor that stand out right now – data, sensors, very good interfaces for people to work Salah Sukkarieh FTSE, is having a major impact intelligence and new materials. together and act and interact at a distance. in agriculture. They’re working closely with DATA is available in huge volumes For example, we could see a surgeon sitting several of the rural research corporations to 1 from many and varied sources. And in Nigeria and the patient in Iceland; do a lot of automation in agriculture – using we’re getting better at capturing, analysing, ¢the strong culture of ‘open’ – which will big robotics to gather information to make curating and sharing data – even when it be very well established by 2030 but is farmers more effective, but moving in the comes to big, big data. already gaining impetus future towards automated harvesting. Already SENSORS are becoming cheaper, being In particular, the move to open data they can do things like rounding up sheep. 2 deployed in cleverer ways, and are has been widely embraced – including by We also see the work going on at the generating massive amounts of data which governments internationally. A prime example CRC for Spatial Information on precision can be processed, analysed and interpreted is the open.gov initiative of US President farming – using satellite data to do things like in real time. Barack Obama, which has been replicated in measuring soil moisture to direct tractors for INTELLIGENCE. We’re seeing the many countries around the world. tilling soils. 3 development of increasingly intelligent We’re also seeing more and more open systems and devices. This includes machines science initiatives – such as that being led NEW SENSORS which, when fed data from big data analytics by Associate Professor Matthew Todd at the All the time we are seeing new sensors being or directly from sensors, use machine- University of Sydney, who has a keen interest developed using new materials and materials learning techniques to become even more in open science and how it may be used to properties – to make a lot of the intelligence intelligent – and so the intelligence in turn accelerate research, with particular emphasis embedded in the new materials. UNSW’s will build. on open source discovery of new medicines. Professor Justin Gooding and the University NEW MATERIALS. There continues to He founded and currently leads the Open of Wollongong’s Professor Gordon Wallace 4 be major advances in new materials Source Malaria (OSM) and Open Source FAA FTSE are leaders in this field. through a lot of fascinating research in TB (OSTB) consortia, and is a founder of a In genomics, Professor John Mattick at nanofabrication, biomaterials, quantum broader Open Source Pharma movement. the Garvan Institute is working collaboratively computing and photonics – and all of these And there’s open innovation too – think of with Professor Durrant-Whyte on big data coming together. And when you throw data, the University of NSW’s Easy Access IP Scheme, issues, which will lead to personalised sensors and intelligence into the mix you get which has been picked up by other universities medicine. A lot of that great work is already a potent brew! and supported by the NSW Government. embedded in the NSW health system. These will be very significant trends to We’re seeing a lot of work in the new DERIVED SCIENCE TRENDS watch. They are by no means all the relevant energy space – including the world-leading From that we have what might be termed trends – but they are some important lines research being undertaken by the ‘father of ‘derived science trends’. One example is the pointing to the future. photovoltaics’, Professor Martin Green AM increasing deployment of big and small So what does this mean for Australia? FRS FAA FTSE, from the Australian Centre for robots. Robots operate because they have Predicting the future is a very dangerous Advanced Photovoltaics at UNSW. Professor sensors on them that take in data. They are game and it’s one that very few people are Green’s team has repeatedly set new world intelligent, autonomous machines, which are good at. But for Australia, in many cases, records in solar cell energy efficiency – often built of innovative new materials; and these trends really give us the chance to make recently achieving an electricity conversion they have wide range of applications. some choices – often very bold choices. rate of more than 40 per cent. It comes as

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take-up of these technologies around the world grows. There are four really big characteristics Once of the challenges in moving to cleaner energies is understanding storage. that stand out right now – data, sensors, Professor Thomas Maschmeyer FAA FTSE at the University of Sydney, a great creator of intelligence and new materials. successful new companies, is addressing this issue creatively. There’s also excellent work at UNSW, and the University of Newcastle Similarly, the area of genomics will really But when it comes to geopolitical trends through the Newcastle Institute for Energy get going if the big actors in healthcare and what that means in terms of choices and Resources, and at CSIRO. take it up. That includes governments at all – particularly in relation to the rise of China – In the data realm, the NSW Government levels. While the notion of genomics is being Australia must be very realistic about how we has established the Data Analytics Centre explored, it won’t be until all of Australia’s can use partnerships with the rising science to facilitate data sharing between agencies health systems move to a dedication to super power. What should we do at home? (and between agencies and the private and personalised medicine that we will be able to What should we do in partnership with community sectors) to inform more efficient, use big data to inform increasingly tailored China? We need to remember that China will strategic, whole-of-government, evidence- treatments and medicines for individuals. have a lot of investment in Australia. based decision-making. We also see coming We see through the Ministry of Health in There are many questions of this kind out of the Independent Review of Coal Seam NSW a strong dedication to taking up new that can be posed. How might industries Gas Activities in NSW, the NSW Government’s technologies, including through the Medical look clearly at where the trends are and new adoption of a recommendation to have Devices Fund established by NSW Health opportunities they present? In doing so, a whole-of-government environmental Minister Jillian Skinner. The Fund invests in they can help themselves be very productive data portal. This will increase productivity productive new technologies only if they if they remember the strengths of our by enabling more effective and efficient have clinical relevance. universities and other research organisations management of government-held data, and Australia also has big opportunities if as super problem solvers. help build trust by making that data publicly it makes choices around the environment. Universities, because of their research available and transparent. Because we are a relatively big country and expertise, are good at posing and refining In the move to 2030, we will see sparsely populated, we have always had to problems and working together to ask and industries such as mining, which have develop techniques to get loads of data so articulate what the issue is. And universities traditionally been great leaders in the uptake that we can operate effectively across the are great connectors with a strong of new technologies, push even harder than continent. international reach. Ask an academic to solve at present to find the next big minerals A good example of this is the a hard problem and if they don't know how, undercover: trying to find the next Olympic development of AMDAR (Aircraft they know who will. Dam, the next Broken Hill, and the next Meteorological Data Relay – automated If Australia makes some very clever Mount Isa. And we’ll see them using those meteorological reports from aircraft) in the choices on the back of looking at trends, it new technologies associated with big data Bureau of Meteorology – even if it wasn’t could absolutely reverse its productivity woes analytics, sensors and intelligence to find that. brought fully into commercial operation here, and have a very successful march to 2030. ¤ I predict that by 2030 two or three of those the idea originated here. Emeritus Professor Mary O’Kane AC FTSE is the NSW big undercovers will be uncovered. Another Likewise, with many, many sensors we Chief Scientist and Engineer, a company director, and plus is the fact that, using big robotics, we will could develop lots of technologies about Executive Chairman of O’Kane Associates, a Sydney- have increasingly safer underground mining sensing in the environment, and this is based consulting practice specialising in government techniques, as well as open cut. of particular help to companies that wish reviews and research and innovation matters. She is also Chair of the boards of the Cooperative Research There are choices that other industries to operate in the environment – perhaps Centre for Spatial Information, the Space Environment could make too. One of the other geopolitical negatively impacting it: for example mining Management CRC and the Institute of Marine and challenges facing the developed world is a very and gas operations. But if they can do that Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania. much greater ageing population. But it also and give environmental assurance using She is also a director of the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute, Capital Markets CRC and Business opens up a wonderful opportunity in things sensor and big data technologies that Events Sydney. Professor O’Kane was formerly Vice- like robotics-assisted aged care – something will increasingly deal with agitation in the Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and Chair of Japan has already made great strides in. community. the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy.

LETTERS TO THE ATSE Focus welcomes letters from readers in response to EDITOR published article or on technology related topics. Please keep letters brief. Longer letters may be run as contributed articles. Please address to [email protected]

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JUNE 2016 | FOCUS

BY LEANNA READ [email protected]

Mobilising our Mittelstand of growing SMEs SCIENCE VISION My vision for 2030 is to transform our economic mix to one dominated by export of high value-add goods and services.

Happily, we are hearing a lot these days about the H importance of innovation, science and technology to drive Australia’s economic recovery. In contrast with just a few years ago, there is recognition by both government and industry of the need to transform our economy. This is because our traditional industry base is eroding. Automotive manufacturing is winding down, falling commodity prices are impacting employment in the mining sector and primary agricultural production is under threat from climate change. Innovation through the application of science and technology is key to this transformation – working smarter so we can stay ahead of the game. This is particularly critical for South Australia with its small population and

historical reliance on primary production. FARMS SUNDROP PHOTO: Resources and agriculture together account Sundrop Farms, near Port Augusta – one of SA’s Mittelstand – where fresh fruit and vegetables are grown – for nearly half of the state’s exports. Basically, without ‘arable’ land, fresh water or grid energy. we dig it up or grow it and ship it out! Yet through innovation, we have NISA POSITIVE Tonsley Innovation Precinct for advanced enormous opportunity and capacity to value- The suite of initiatives announced in the manufacturing; an expanded bioscience add to these natural resources. National innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) precinct at near-city Thebarton; and My vision for 2030 is to transform our is very positive. The breadth of measures around BioMedCity, in Adelaide’s western CBD, which economic mix to one dominated by the research commercialisation, including support includes the South Australian Health and export of high-value-add goods and services. to translate research outcomes and encourage Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the South Australia’s new industries will not research–industry collaboration, as well as new hospital, as well as the universities. look like the ones they are replacing. In 2030, increased funding to early-stage companies, will In particular, I welcome NISA’s reforms to the majority will still be small to medium bring welcome cultural change. promote investment in innovative, high- enterprises (SMEs), but they will need to be These complement nicely a range of growth start-ups by providing concessional highly innovative and nimble to prosper in an initiatives that the SA Government has tax treatment for investors. When Israel increasingly competitive world. introduced, such as loan guarantees for introduced similar measures in 2011, it drove This is termed the ‘Mittelstand’ sector in growth companies, and the establishment an exponential growth in the number of early Germany. of new industry precincts, including: a Food stage (angel) investors. So how will SA achieve this? Park in Adelaide’s northern suburbs – the What will the economy of South Australia

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businesses across Australia – without ‘arable’ SA’s new industries will not look like the land, fresh water, or grid energy. It is important that we develop a clear ones they are replacing. In 2030, the and comprehensive picture of our innovative companies. Only then can we take the majority will still be SMEs, but they will necessary steps to ensure they flourish and drive the state’s prosperity. We also need to need to be highly innovative and nimble. create the right climate to establish many more innovative start-ups – this will require cultural change to promote a more entrepreneurial look like in 2030 if it takes advantage of these FAMILY COMPANIES mindset than has traditionally been the case. initiatives? Germany’s Mittelstand SMEs are not To answer the question of who are Ideally, we will have at least several large, household names and most are family-owned our innovative companies I have taken a global companies headquartered here – companies. Their success has been achieved lesson from the OECD, which conducts a such as innovative pharma/biotechs like CSL through identifying and perfecting a niche Community Innovation Survey every four (Australia’s largest exporter of manufactured technology with a big global market, with years. This survey provides great insight into goods) and a Lockheed Martin equivalent for a strong focus on manufacturing products the achievements and challenges facing defence manufacturing. such as laser cutting machines, industrial innovative European companies. SA’s central role in the submarine and automation and measuring equipment. Under the auspices of the SA Economic frigate manufacturing programs is a very Examples include Micon (drilling equipment Development Board, the South Australian positive development in this regard. that helped save trapped Chilean miners) and company innovation survey has been rolled But it will be some time before SA can Poly-Clip System (the ubiquitous clip at the out for the first time this year, with more than expect to grow these large corporations from end of sausage or meat packaging). 1500 SA companies approached. Respondents the ground up. SA is an SME state – of the The lesson here is that an SME-intense have spanned the manufacturing, food and 143,000 registered businesses, 65 per cent are state such as South Australia can achieve wine, information technology, electronics and sole traders and less than one per cent have a strong globally competitive position if medical technology sectors. Most are SMEs more than 20 employees. we shamelessly focus industry policy on with five to 20 employees and annual revenues In the shorter term, we can draw on some supporting the local Mittelstand enterprises. of $1 to $5 million. useful lessons from the German Mittelstand This will require a degree of picking winners, The interim findings are encouraging, SME sector. and considerable cultural change. with 80 per cent of respondents indicating There are many differences between The SA Government has already moved they have developed or plan to develop new Australia and Germany – population and in this direction with the formulation of ‘10 products or services, with a strong export proximity to large markets, in particular. But Economic Priorities’, which identify the sectors focus. Their biggest challenge relates to the we share the common feature that SMEs that can best contribute to the strategic aim high cost of innovation – they either lack the comprise over 99 per cent of all companies. of positioning SA as “the place where people internal funds or have inadequate external A key distinction between the two and business thrive”. financing to fund high-risk projects. economies is that Australian exports are If SA to achieve this vision of growth With this survey we will establish, for dominated by large enterprises, with only five through innovative SMEs, the question is, the first time a comprehensive picture of the per cent of the export value attributable to who are our Mittelstand? Many of our small state’s innovative companies – their offerings, SMEs. In Germany, SMEs generate more than companies – perhaps 90 per cent – have little size, customers, suppliers and technology, as 30 per cent of total export value. ambition to grow. well as opportunities and barriers to growth. A second distinction is that Germany But there are hidden gems. SA has a large This is of course only the start – the real concentrates on elaborately manufactured proportion of Australia’s electronics industry. challenge is transforming our economy goods, in contrast to Australia’s dependence Another gem is Sundrop Farms. so that these ‘gems’ become the South on primary production for its exports. For Located near Port Augusta in the Australian Mittelstand. this reason, Germany is rated the third Spencer Gulf, Sundrop Farms is reinventing But – as in the old adage – if you can’t most complex economy according to the agriculture by growing high-value crops measure it, you can’t manage it! ¤ Economic Complexity Index developed by hydroponically using desalinated seawater. Dr Leanna Read FTSE is the Chief Scientist for South the Observatory of Economic Complexity. Its greenhouses can be located on degraded Australia and chairs the SA Science Council. She also chairs the CRC for Cell Therapy Manufacturing and is Australia ranks 56th. land and in arid climates, which typically a member of the SA Economic Development Board, The significance of this difference is that would not be considered suitable for the Council for the University of South Australia and the Economic Complexity Index is estimated agriculture, let alone horticulture. This the Federal Biomedical Translation Fund Committee. to predict more than 70 per cent of a horticultural system uses desalinated She is a long-standing member of BioAngels, an ‘angel investor’ network. Prior roles have included CEO of the country’s future wealth. Consistent with this, seawater, powered by concentrated solar- CRC for Tissue Growth and Repair and the founding Germany is the third largest export economy thermal technology (not solar PV panels), to managing director of biotechnology company, TGR in the world, where Australia ranks 21st. grow fresh fruit and vegetables for sale to BioSciences Pty Ltd. She is a former Director of ATSE.

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BY PETER KLINKEN [email protected]

The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Perth.

Taking the lead – based on science SCIENCE VISION Science will provide amazing new opportunities, with the potential to create new industries. We must be wise and agile enough to grasp them.

Western Australia has become biggest export industries. WA’s agricultural and Numerous researchers, including Nobel a world leader in mining, fisheries sectors are highly innovative by world Laureates Professor Barry Marshall AC FRS FAA W petroleum and agricultural standards, especially in dryland farming and and Dr Robin Warren AC, have made seminal industries, all strongly based sustainable seafood production. contributions to global health and medicine. on science. For example, WA’s The agricultural sector is harnessing big This proud history has been underpinned geological survey has been operating for more data technology to manage smarter farming by extensive collaboration between than a century and has been instrumental in techniques across a range of industries. One government, universities, medical research developing the resource sector. example is a free app for growers, developed institutes and the private sector. Significant investment by the sector has by the WA Government , to improve water use One strength is long-term population produced amazing capabilities in many areas, efficiency and simplify crop irrigation using real- health studies: the Busselton Health Study such as remote mining methods, and offshore time data from the state’s 136 weather stations. and the Raine Study are both globally oil and gas technologies. In addition, the The app is increasing productivity for 2500 recognised for their longitudinal population application of science in processing methods agricultural irrigators, across 61,650 hectares of health analyses. Another strength has been has allowed the state to mine large, low- food, vegetables, orchards, pasture and turf. data linkage of health records. grade mineral deposits and become a world WA also has a strong base of medical WA has done extremely well in these leader, not just in mineral exports, but in research and translation, with world-class sectors, but there are other areas where I technology as well. clusters of health-care delivery and research believe there are massive opportunities for Agriculture is also an area in which WA facilities. The state has invested $7 billion Western Australia. excels. The agrifood business is one of the state’s in health infrastructure over recent years. One of the biggest opportunities is the

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SUSTAINING GREENER SOLUTIONS THROUGH RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP Square Kilometre Array. The world’s biggest radio astronomy project, shared with South Africa and driven by a massive international consortium, is being built in remote WA. A decade ago, WA had virtually no radio astronomy. Now, thanks to the initiative of CSIRO, the Commonwealth and State governments, the University of Western Australia and Curtin University, Perth has become an internationally recognised centre for radio astronomy. Through excellent recruiting of international research leaders, WA now has more than 130 radio astronomy researchers. This shows what is possible if you have a common vision, investment and long-term planning. As a result of the efforts and vision of local researchers, Edith Cowan University is leading efforts to combat cyber crime through the Australian Cyber Security Research Institute. The Institute is developing innovative software, processes and algorithms to generate new cyber security technologies that will provide long-term benefits to governments and industry. When I took on the role of Chief Scientist I knew that WA was a terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. However, until recently, I was unaware that WA is one of the hottest spots worldwide for aquatic biodiversity, and that much of this aquatic biodiversity occurs only 20 kilometres west of Rottnest Island, B:310 mm S:260 mm whichT:297 mm is just off Perth. Given the uniqueness of this vast resource, I believe that we should be looking to extract value from biodiversity. Identifying novel compounds in this unique biota may uncover new antibiotics, anti-cancer agents and other medicinal compounds. This would enable WA to develop new industries, including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. I would love to see WA develop a new life sciences industry where we could build on strengths that link agriculture, medical research, biodiversity and marine sciences. Another area that I have been really impressed with is the renewable energy sector, particularly companies that are using Indian Ocean wave power to generate energy. As a keen surfer, wave power is especially meaningful to me. One of these companies is Carnegie Wave Energy, whose technology is converting wave energy into electricity while also producing desalinated water. Other companies include Bombora Wave Power and Protean Wave Energy, which utilise different forms of Our commitment to making a difference now and for the future wave technology. Innovations such as these capitalise on drives us to do what is right for our customers, the environment and the natural advantages that WA possesses, and present the growing world. We embrace our environmental responsibilities wonderful opportunities for the state. and are dedicated to transforming the agricultural industry while Currently, there is considerable excitement around supporting a more sustainable world. analysing big data, which will propel WA towards a new era of computing and analytics. New infrastructure at the dowagro.com Pawsey Supercomputing facility, the major data processor for the Square Kilometre Array, will be able to perform billions of calculations simultaneously, opening up enormous opportunities for researchers and industry to manage and process vast amounts of data. These data science capabilities will have applications in ®Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow many other areas, such as locating new mineral deposits,

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modelling coral reef systems and analysing the effects of genes on health. WA is one of the hottest spots worldwide While the Pawsey Centre may be the largest research supercomputer in the for aquatic biodiversity ... Identifying country, an even larger supercomputer, owned by Perth company Down Under novel compounds in this unique biota GeoSolutions, provides massive capability for geoseismic data analyses. may uncover new antibiotics, anti-cancer Cisco recently opened its 8th global Innovation Centre in Perth, in partnership agents and other medicinal compounds. with Woodside and Curtin University. These and numerous other projects being undertaken by government, academia and understands the powerful role that it plays in great opportunity. This clear direction for industry are leveraging cloud technologies, society. science is essential for the most efficient data analytics, cyber security and ‘internet WA has benefited enormously from the use available resources and for alignment of of things’ network platforms, focused on wealth generated by the resources sector, all research efforts across the state. resources, geosciences and radio astronomy. based on remarkable innovative approaches. I believe we have a wonderful opportunity Paramount to our success in future years I would now love to see Perth transform itself to do something very special in WA right now. will be a clear vision for science, investment into a centre of innovation and creativity. Our state is strategically placed geographically and planning. It is crucial that we articulate Such a transformation requires the joint and is situated in the same time zone as 60 these strategies well to foster innovation. effort of universities, government, industry per cent of the world’s population, which is Research is critical for solving the and the community to create an exciting responsible for 40 per cent of world GDP. challenges we face. New solutions don’t environment for science and innovation to This is our time, and we must be the fall magically from the sky. Science should, flourish, and to be complemented by a rich masters of our own destiny. Science will therefore, be seen as an investment rather than arts and culture scene, vibrant music, and provide amazing new opportunities, with the a burden. Too often I have heard the statement fantastic food and wine. potential to create new industries. We must that research is a ‘black hole’ into which money Most of the elements are already in place. be wise and agile enough to grasp them. ¤ gets poured, and from which there are no The WA start-up technology ecosystem is tangible benefits. already blossoming, with more than 335 early Professor Peter Klinken is a leading WA medical research scientist, highly regarded for his work in What that tells me is that scientists, stage companies employing more than 3000 advancing the understanding of genes involved in engineers and mathematicians have not been people. leukaemia, cancer and anaemia. His many research able to explain convincingly what they do In 2015 the Premier launched ‘A Science achievements include the discovery of a gene that and the value they provide to society. Statement for Western Australia’, which identified suppresses the growth of tumours. After obtaining his PhD from The University of Western Australia, he In my view, it is incumbent on scientists five priority areas that the WA Government undertook research at the US National Institutes of to explain what they do in simple terms and would concentrate on – the document also Health in Washington and the Walter and Eliza Hall to engage with the community. If that is showcased many of WA’s scientific, engineering Institute in Melbourne. His previous roles have included achieved, the community will come along and mathematical achievements. Professor in Clinical Biochemistry at UWA, Director of Research at the Royal Perth Hospital, and Director as passionate advocates. This will develop a The five key priority areas are based on of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research culture that values scientific endeavour and WA’s existing strengths, as well as areas of (previously the WA Institute for Medical Research).

“ENTHUSIASM FOR THE POSSIBLE” Innovation and Science Australia chair Mr Bill Ferris AC has urged between large businesses and higher education and public research Australian entrepreneurs and researchers to embrace collaboration institutions.” with confidence, telling a conference on Driving Research Impact that Mr Ferris said that change had to occur and was occurring under Australians needed “an enthusiasm for the possible”. the National Innovation and Science Agenda. “Australians have proved themselves to be exceptionally good “What will a successful response look like in future years? Universities competitors,” Mr Ferris said. “We compare ourselves with the biggest will be the hotbed of entrepreneurship, where spin-offs of new technology and the best, not with ‘nations of comparable size and businesses number in the hundreds annually. population’. We take a bold approach and it’s worked “Businesses, big and small, will be collaborating for us, again and again. with the smart research campuses in their sectors, “Finishing outside the Top 10 in the Olympic medal competing to co-invest in the development of new tally would be regarded as outrageous in Australia,” products and services. Mr Ferris said. “But where do we sit in regard to “We will at last have an entrepreneurial ecosystem collaboration between industry and academia? – 30th Bill Ferris that gets Australia into the Top 10 innovation nations out of 30 OECD countries in terms of collaboration of the world.”

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BY LEONIE WALSH [email protected]

Change key to competitiveness and economic growth SCIENCE VISION The willingness and flexibility to change in all sectors of the technology ecosystem and the increased openness to collaboration has been encouraging.

In my role as Lead Scientist Technology is impacting the evolution, and fast to implement. I have had a unique elimination and replacement of many jobs The Victorian Government’s Tech I opportunity to view first- across a broad range of sectors. The rate of Schools initiative is one example of a flexible hand the changes in the change is faster than most companies or and collaborative solution created with Victorian science, technology the education system can keep up with. This partnerships between multiple sectors of and innovation sector. My perspective has dynamic environment has resulted in an the education system and industry that will been to observe the gaps and improve the oversupply of graduates in some areas and provide innovation, entrepreneurship and effectiveness of the technology ecosystem a greater than normal lag in the supply of other 21st century workforce skills. to better support the changes necessary to graduates with new and emerging skills in Internships, work experience models and increase our global competitiveness and areas such as cyber security, bioinformatics outreach programs are also being introduced support economic growth. and data science. in abundance to bridge the skill gaps. Much A number of themes have emerged as This is compounded by industry’s effort will be required to effectively match concerns from within the sector that will demand for a broader range of attributes and manage these types of programs and require significant attention. These themes such as interpersonal skills, workplace evolve curriculum and teaching styles to keep fall under the broad categories of: readiness and creativity – placing a heavy pace with the change. ¢ keeping pace with the changing demand demand on students, teachers and the for jobs and skills of the future workforce; education system as a whole. REAPING THE REWARDS ¢ reaping the rewards of the innovation This demand is unlikely to change any A recent disruptive innovation presentation economy; time soon and will require a greater degree to a group of Geelong business people raised ¢ unraveling the complexity of industry/ of communication, collaboration and shared many questions and highlighted some of academic collaboration; and responsibility between the public and private the challenges and opportunities facing ¢ maximising access to our talent pool. sector to provide improved outcomes for the organisations and communities embracing workplace and the students entering it. the innovation agenda. JOBS AND SKILLS The solutions and resources provided to Questions were focused on how to It has always been a challenge for students better inform students, bridge gaps in the support companies or industries that are to predict where the market is heading when education system and respond to additional being disrupted, and how to recognise the they choose the subjects that will help define skills and capabilities as they emerge opportunities, build better commercialisation their career path, but it is fair to say that it will need to be based on technology and skills and develop a community- wide culture may never have been as challenging as in the teaching styles that can evolve in line with of innovation. These are all good questions at current market. the dynamic nature of change and be flexible a company, community and country level. Examples of organisations responding to disruption in their sector in a very positive What has been encouraging over the past way resulting in revenue and market and value growth on a global scale are plentiful three years is the flexibility and willingness in Victoria. The common theme amongst these companies is a combination of to change exhibited by all sectors of the regular horizon scanning and product or service innovation, along with business technology ecosystem. model innovation. The other very important

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BY LEONIE WALSH [email protected]

ingredient is a flexible, nimble, risk-taking and targeted research and introduce measures that appeals to girls and women. open leadership style that gets the best from around research impact. Although we have had a high level of employees, partners and the market. attention on maximising our talent pool of An innovation culture can spread from MAXIMISING ACCESS STEM women, there are other diverse areas increasing these types of companies and In the three years I have been the Lead Scientist that get little attention but could make a embedding more of this type of leadership in for the Victorian Government I have seen significant contribution if addressed. Those broader areas of the public and private sector, an increase in focus on supporting women that have been raised recently as untapped but this is a slow process. in science. However, we have a long way to resources include people with disabilities, Attracting companies and international go before significant and sustained positive the over 55s, returning mothers, men who leaders with this type of profile can help move changes are embedded that help remove are primary carers and our very significant along this process and build skills at a more barriers to women in science, technology and multicultural community. rapid rate. Victoria has attracted a number of innovation achieving their full potential. We are missing out on capturing these highly innovative companies in recent Programs such as Inspiring Women have knowledge, experience and networks from times, with the potential for more to follow. helped provide support to high-potential these valuable resources and will need to Improving Australia’s position on the women in research, allowing them to find transferable solutions for programs that Global Innovation Index from provide increased support a ranking of 81 out of 141 across these diverse sectors of OECD countries to at least a the community. top 20 would demonstrate Victoria has demonstrated our ability to generate value that it has the ability to from innovation and attract leverage talent in the science, businesses and funding to technology and innovation Australia. community to support industry growth and become a thriving COLLABORATION and globally competitive Much has been said about contributor to the economy. Australia’s poor performance What has been on industry/academia encouraging over the past collaboration and the main three years is the flexibility point to raise is that we and willingness to change have significant room for exhibited by all sectors of the improvement in this area. technology ecosystem, and There is a range of the increased openness to reasons why every Victorian collaboration. university is focusing on Well-targeted policies improved collaboration. and programs, regulatory Sadly, some universities are Leonie Walsh looks on as a student interviews a Victoria Prize award winner. change and altered funding driven predominantly by the models will all help. However, the reduction in public sector funding. Others progress their careers while raising a family. biggest and most difficult change required are building on an already established base A number of institutions and universities are involves developing a more risk-taking culture or have new leadership driving change at an providing similar support along this theme, and breaking down embedded behaviours. organisational and faculty level because they however we need more. An emerging issue Showcasing examples of strong leadership in see the opportunities and value potential for all is the need for the same level of support for these areas will be necessary. ¤ stakeholders. female entrepreneurs starting a business Dr Leonie Walsh FTSE was appointed as the inaugural Industry interest in engagement is while raising a family. Victorian Lead Scientist in mid-2013. She chairs the also patchy, with a need to see the value These programs support women already Victorian Government Innovation Expert Panel, has proposition and outcomes for this investment in the science community, however a bigger been a member of the Future Industries Ministerial in time and funds. challenge is to get more women to take up Advisory Council, provides contributions to the Education State activities via the Tech Schools STEM The trend is a positive one, however it science, technology, engineering and maths Future Industries Advisory Panel and STEM advisory is early days with significant cultural shifts (STEM) careers. To be successful in addressing committee, represents Victoria on the Forum of required to create sustainable change. these issues we will need a serious focus on Australian Chief Scientists and participates in a range Funding model change will continue to drive unconscious bias, more male champions of of innovation, education and advanced manufacturing advisory committees. Dr Walsh has more than 30 years’ collaboration behaviours and new models of change, significant promotion of role models local and global technology leadership experience in a engagement will emerge as universities start for existing and emerging careers, and broad range of industrial applications, with a focus on to introduce mechanisms to focus on more promoting science-based subjects in a way the development and commercialisation of technology.

www.atse.org.au 21 The Gardiner Dairy Foundation vision Women in building is to invest in program launched emerging leaders The Prime Minister and the Minister for Women, Senator and practices to Michaelia Cash, have launched a pilot mentoring program help develop a to support women in the building and construction indust long term future for – where they account for just 11 per cent of the total the dairy industry. construction workforce and leave the industry at a rate almost 40 per cent higher than men.

The Monash Industry Team Initiative, known as Without a commitment to greater gender equality, the MITI, is a significant component of the Gardiner building and construction sector is missing out on attracting Dairy Foundation’s manufacturing support, and retaining the best talent, the Government says. Diverse RD&E strategy. workplaces have been proven to be more productive and The three month MITI program exposes deliver better returns to the bottom line. high achieving, multi-disciplinary students from The mentoring program will match female senior Monash University to the dairy industry and gives industry leaders with female industry newcomers to support the industry the benefit of bright young minds to them in their pursuit of long-term and rewarding careers in design solutions to their real world challenges. MITI building and construction. teams have resolved issues for their dairy industry Delivered by Master Builders Australia, the program will partners: in waste management, environmental run over 12 months in New South Wales and Tasmania. impact, natural gas utilisation efficiency, heat Master Builders Australia will be provided with $250,000 regulation, and milk powder product solubility. in grant funding to deliver the pilot as part of the Australian Government’s Women’s Leadership and Development Through MITI, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation aims Strategy. The program involves mentoring activities, an to create a cohort of young engineers to enhance ambassador program to engage young women in schools capability and skills within the dairy industry. and local communities, and an annual award recognising Students are given the opportunity to apply their excellence and women in leadership. knowledge in a sophisticated dairy manufacturing facility and gain exposure to the benefits of living in regional Victoria. GENDER EQUITY STRATEGY FOR APS The Government has released a gender equity strategy for the Australian Public Service (APS). Winner BHERT Award for Outstanding Excellence Balancing the Future: The Australian Public Service Gender in Collaboration 2015 Equity Strategy 2016-2019 aims to position the APS to lead the way in gender equality for the broader Australian workforce. “A key output of this Strategy is to consider practices that hinder workforce participation and career progression of women, and to develop and implement solutions to counter these practices,” said Senator Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service. “Importantly, this Strategy recognises that gender equality applies to both men and women and that supportive and enabling organisational culture drives the success of this,” she said. “Gender equality is a priority in the APS. The targets and actions outlined in this Strategy, coupled with the accountability that all APS departments and agencies have to deliver on these, sets the APS in the right direction to once again be a leader in gender equality. It was released at Parliament House, Canberra, by Senator Cash, the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister Gardiner Dairy Foundation and Cabinet, Dr Martin Parkinson, and the Acting Public Investing for a Vibrant Dairy Future Service Commissioner, Ms Stephanie Foster. www.gardinerfoundation.com.au JUNE 2016 | FOCUS WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

Emma Johnston MATHS GENDER GAP ”NOT HARDWIRED” While Australian girls are less likely to participate and engage in mathematics, and more likely to achieve at a significantly lower level than boys, this is not evidence of biological or ‘hardwired’ differences between girls and boys, or even indicative of learning differences, according to a new report from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The ACER report, Gender and sex differences in student participation, achievement and engagement in mathematics, concludes that research does not support the idea of structural differences in the brain between girls and boys. Results from the 2012 cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reveal that 15-year-old Australian girls achieved at a significantly lower level than boys, by a difference of approximately one-third of a school year. Girls are also more likely to opt out of maths and science subjects than boys. “The participation of girls in any maths and science subjects in senior school is declining but more worrying is that the participation of girls in advanced maths and science subjects – which are prerequisites for further study and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics Emma Johnston gets fields – is also declining,” said ACER Research Fellow Dr Sarah Buckley. UNSW boost The good news, according to the report, is that neuroscience does not suggest that there The University of NSW has announced the appointment of Professor Emma Johnston are hardwired brain differences but rather as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), replacing Professor Brian Boyle who is acting shows the brain is highly plastic. And according Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). to neuroscience, psychology and education research, that means girls’ – and boys’ – attitudes, A leading authority in marine ecology, Professor Johnston comes to the role with engagement, participation and achievement in an exceptional research career. As well as heading up the Applied Marine and Estuarine maths can be changed by what they think and do, Ecology Lab at UNSW, Professor Johnston has led more than 20 major research projects how their teachers teach, and by the messages they for industry, government, the Australian Research Council and the Australian Antarctic receive from society. Science Program. Boys and girls may have certain preferences for In 2012, Professor Johnston was appointed the inaugural director of the Sydney learning – likely encouraged through socialisation Harbour Research Program at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, where she works – but according to Dr Buckley this does not with 35 scientists to better understand the threats to Sydney’s prized natural harbour, mean they cannot learn in other ways. It is also and helps devise more sustainable management practices. a generalisation to say that all girls or boys will Professor Johnston is a high-profile science communicator, winning the 2015 Eureka have a preference for a particular learning style or Prize for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research. She is a regular environment. media commentator and, as co-presenter for the Foxtel/BBC television series Coast “Rather, the message from neuroscience Australia, has helped take Australian marine science to an international audience. and psychological research is that given new An Australia Research Fellow (2010–14), Professor Johnston studied science at environmental opportunities there is the potential the University of Melbourne, graduating with a PhD in 2002. Her research has been for change and growth,” Dr Buckley said. recognised with numerous awards, including the inaugural 2014 Australian Academy of “The more mathematics is perceived in our Science Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science, the 2012 NSW Science and Engineering society as a subject that is useful, enjoyable and Award for Excellence in Biological Sciences and the Hynes Award from the Canadian Rivers attainable by all, irrespective of gender, the more Institute (2016). She is currently Vice-President of Science & Technology Australia. likely the gender gap will start to close.”

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Global Connections Fund launched

The Australian Government and ATSE have launched a new initiative to build sustainable global linkages for Australian SMEs and researchers in the area of science and technology.

On behalf of the Government’s Global Connections Fund, ATSE has run its first call for Priming Grants – a new vehicle for driving collaboration between Australian researchers and overseas small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and between Australian SMEs and overseas researchers. Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Christopher Pyne announced the first round of grants under the Global Connections Fund, at the APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) awards ceremony in Adelaide. Collaborative relationships are proven to produce better research quality and optimise the environment for innovation breakthroughs. Leveraging one another’s Christopher Pyne launches the Fund. strengths in a cooperative way will have benefits for both Australia and partner economies and assist in their development manufacturing; food and agribusiness; to international expertise and networks as technology leaders. Cooperation in medical technology and pharmaceuticals; of researchers; provide a stimulating science, technology and innovation at mining equipment, technology and services; environment which triggers new ideas, the international level is vital to support and oil, gas and energy resources. technologies and innovations; and provide economic growth in Australia. The Global Connections Fund supports opportunities for SMEs to add value to Priming Grants of $7000 will contribute linkages with 17 priority economies – Brazil, products or services through access to and to more effective and strategic network China, EU member states, India, Israel, Japan, adoption of innovative research. formation. They will support collaborations Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, that focus on national industry and Taiwan, the US and Vietnam. Details at the Global Connections Fund research and science priorities: advanced The program will: enhance access website, globalconnectionsfund.org.au

ENTREPRENEUR DELEGATION VISITS CHINESE CENTRES In early May ATSE launched the Australia China Entrepreneurs Program, Monash University in Suzhou to address the successful development sending a delegation to China for a three-day visit to highlight of entrepreneurship skills in a globalised environment. entrepreneurship programs and opportunities in China. Developed Four institutions participated: Monash University, Queensland with funding assistance from the Department of Education and Training, University of Technology, the University of Melbourne and the the program aims to ensure that postgraduate training prepares young University of Technology Sydney. Each sent one academic/educator researchers to work with industry and brings their ideas to market. from their leading entrepreneurship education program/centre and Dr Paul Wood FTSE, who has extensive experience in innovation two postgraduate entrepreneurship students associated with the and entrepreneurship, led the delegation of educators and students program/centre. from four universities to Shanghai and Suzhou entrepreneurship The Suzhou workshop will be facilitated by Dr Buzz Palmer, CEO of centres and incubators. STC Australia and Director of Entrepreneurship at Monash University. Some of Australia’s brightest postgraduates and early career The team visited the Fudan University Youth Entrepreneurship researchers in advanced manufacturing and related fields visited start- and Science and Technology Incubator, the Public Practicing Base for ups in the rapidly developing innovation hub of Shanghai over the Entrepreneurs and the FabLab O Shanghai at Tongji University – all in first two days of the program, which culminated in a forum hosted by Shanghai.

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COP21 a ‘step-change’ CLUNIES ROSS WINNERS FROM in global climate action THREE STATES The 2016 Clunies Ross Awards will The outcome of the Paris climate conference the development and commercialisation of be announced on 15 June and three last December (COP21) represented a step- renewable and clean energy technologies, and leaders in Australian innovation change in global action to address greenhouse the examination of emission reduction schemes will be honoured at the Academy gas (GHG) emissions, Dr Gordon de Brouwer to focus on specific sectors where gains may of Technology and Engineering’s PSM, Secretary of the Commonwealth provide greatest benefit to the nation. Innovation Dinner. Department of the Environment, told the NSW Dr de Brouwer, a senior member of the In the first year of a new format, Division’s ‘Luncheon in the City’ event in April. Australian delegation to the conference, noted ATSE will make awards to winners in that a business-as-usual approach was not likely three categories: The Paris Agreement set a framework to lead to rapid reductions in GHG emissions. ¢ Entrepreneur of the Year; for the net decarbonisation of the global Similarly, an internationally acceptable ¢ Knowledge Commercialisation; and economy over the course of this century and solution to this problem would not come ¢ Innovation. had profound implications for Australia as it from a traditional legal framework, but The Chief Scientists of Queensland, transitioned away from a resource-based and instead would require each country to be Victoria and South Australia – Dr Geoff carbon-intensive economy, Dr de Brouwer said. committed, and to use strategies that were Garrett AO FTSE (Queensland), Dr Leonie He told an audience of 70 Fellows and acceptable within their community. Walsh FTSE (Victoria) and Dr Leanna guests at the lunch – the first in the ‘Climate Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA FTSE, Australia’s Read FTSE (South Australia) – will make Change and its Consequences’ series – that Chief Scientist, will present the second talk the Award presentations to the three Australia had strategies in place to meet its in the series on August 3, highlighting the winners – one from each state. 2030 target, including further auctions under role that science and technology will play in The names of the winners will be the Emissions Reduction Fund, investment in climate change mitigation. released on an embargoed basis ahead of the ATSE Innovation Dinner at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel on 15 June. Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA FTSE will attend the Innovation dinner, at which the CEO of CSIRO, Dr Larry Marshall, will be the keynote speaker. The Academy anticipates the Innovation Dinner will be attended by more than 200 eminent (From left) Richard Sheldrake, Gordon de Brouwer, Peter Tyree and Brian Spies at the lunch. entrepreneurs, decision-makers, government officials, researchers, academics and business leaders. OUR ASIAN COMMUNITIES A POTENT ECONOMIC FORCE The Awards have been running since Australia’s Asian communities – the diasporas Asia, it was launched in Canberra in May by 1991 and winners have included many – are a potent economic force but are under- Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel AO Australians who have become household utilised and under-represented in helping FAA FTSE. names through their achievements. Australia forge greater trade, investment and It noted that the diasporas used their The Clunies Ross Awards are given innovation links with Asia. language skills, cultural understanding and in recognition of the outstanding Australian governments, institutions and global networks to accelerate the circulation application of science and technology industry need to increase the representation of ideas, opportunities, people and capital for that provides economic, social and/or and participation of the Asian diasporas in business purposes around the world. This is environmental benefit to Australia. They the development of policies and programs the diaspora advantage. have become one of the pre-eminent aimed at strengthening economic, political Australia had an opportunity to lead awards for scientists, technologists and and cultural relations with Asia. the world in developing a national diaspora innovators across Australia, recognising These are two key findings of the latest policy to realise the advantages Australia’s the achievements of many special report issued by ACOLA in the Securing diasporas possess, the report said. people. They commemorate Sir Ian Australia’s Future program. Titled Australia’s Dr Marlene Kanga AM FTSE and Professor Clunies Ross, a giant of Australian Diaspora Advantage: Realising the potential for Aibing Yu FAA FTSE were members of the science and former Chair of CSIRO. building transnational business networks with project Expert Working Group.

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National leaders to address ‘Agribusiness 2030’

The 2016 ATSE National Technology agricultural biotechnology. Other speakers include: Mr Rob Webb, Challenges Dialogue ‘Agribusiness 2030’ will Agribusiness 2030 has attracted a top- Deputy Director Hazards, Warnings and bring together Australia’s top agriculture flight list of speakers. Forecasts, Bureau of Meteorology – ‘Weather and agribusiness leaders with innovators Ms Alison Watkins, Group Managing and climate forecasting’; Dr Fyodor Urnov, from research, industry and government to Director, Coca-Cola Amatil, will address ‘The Vice President, Discovery and Translational explore the opportunities and challenges vision: Australian agribusiness in 2030’ and Research, Sangamo BioSciences – ‘Genome for agribusiness in the digital age. Dr John Manners, Director, CSIRO Agriculture, editing in agriculture’; and Professor Steve will discuss ‘The challenges: how science and Swain, Research Director, Breakthrough Agribusiness 2030 will be held on 15 and technology will help us reach this vision’. Genetic Technologies, CSIRO – ‘The 16 June at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Mr David Williams, Kidder Williams importance of bioinformatics’. Hotel and offers an unparalleled opportunity Ltd, will discuss ‘Investment and finance in Major sponsors for the Dialogue and to discuss technology and innovation in the technology and R&D’; Professor Andrew the National Innovation Dinner include: the future of Australian food and agribusiness, Campbell, Director, Research Institute for Department of Industry, Innovation and and chart a course to realise its potential in a the Environment and Livelihoods, Centre for Science, the University of Newcastle, Monash challenging environment. Renewable Energy, Charles Darwin University, University, the University of Queensland, the Sessions will focus on: winning will focus on ‘Can technology turn the tide University of NSW, Queensland University of community support; profiting from the in Northern Australia?’; and Professor Mark Technology, Defence Science and Technology technology revolution; case studies on Howden, Director, Climate Change Institute, Group, CSIRO, the University of Melbourne, new technologies; farming the future; Australian National University, will address the University of SA and the NSW Department working with climate change; and grasping ‘Climate change and global agriculture’. of Primary Industries. JUNE 2016 | FOCUS ATSE IN ACTION

IMNIS expands to South Australia

South Australia has become the next home for ATSE’s Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) initiative, with the creation of a pilot program for the state – the third in Australia.

The program, being hosted in SA by the State Government agency BioSA, seeks to partner industry mentors with PhD students to develop mentees’ commercial knowledge and business skills to better prepare them for careers in industry and collaboration with industry partners. Through linking PhD students in STEM with qualified industry mentors who can provide mentees with advice and guidance, IMNIS aims to narrow the cultural gap that exists in Australia between business and academia. Attending the IMNIS launch in Adelaide are (from left) Ms Sarah Mortellaro, Professor Pat Buckley (UniSA), “Australia is very highly ranked for Emeritus Professor Mike Miller, Dr Meera Verma, Professor John Williams (University of Adelaide), SA Health Minister Mr Jack Snelling, Dr Steven Rodda (UniSA Ventures Pty Ltd) and Mr Marco Baccanti the quality of research we produce here. (CEO, Health Industries SA). However, preparing our students for careers outside of academia is one area where we can improve substantially,” said Dr Meera Verma FTSE, Chief Executive of BioSA and ATSE SA Liaison at BioSA is leading the initiative in the SA IMNIS project. The Academy is also Division Chair. SA, together with the support of former ATSE facilitating access to its networks and Fellows “The establishment of a program here Director Professor Mike Miller AO FTSE and Ms to help IMNIS achieve its objectives. in Adelaide such as IMNIS will help round Ronnie Wood, a Director of IMNIS. Three SA The first two pilot programs, in Victoria out our students’ skill sets. The ultimate universities have partnered with BioSA in this and WA, were launched in mid-2015. The goal of the program is to produce industry- initiative – the University of South Australia, Victorian program focuses on biotechnology, savvy PhD graduates in STEM who can work Flinders University and the University of with support from AusBiotech CEO Dr Anna effectively at the research/industry interface, Adelaide. Lavelle FTSE. The WA program, overseen by and lead the companies they work for or have BioSA and ATSE have established an Dr Peter Lilly FTSE, who has broad experience founded,” Dr Verma said. IMNIS Steering Committee to provide in the resources industry and research, Ms Sarah Mortellaro, Director Industry program oversight and expert guidance to focuses on energy and mineral resources.

TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP ON FOOD SAFETY IN BEIJING ATSE engaged in a two-day workshop in China in April, on safety in rapid testing, soil health, the use of ICT, antibiotic use and social the food supply system. An ATSE delegation, led by Vice President acceptance. Professor Kaye Basford FTSE, travelled to Beijing for a joint workshop Following the workshop, participants undertook technical visits to with the Chinese Academy of Engineering on advances in technology Beijing Sanyuan Foods, a large Chinese food and dairy producer, and for food safety. the COFCO Corporation Nutrition and Health Research Institute. The delegation participated in a two-day workshop and The Australian delegation accompanying Professor Basford roundtable with CAE, which also included representatives from various comprised Professor Snow Barlow FTSE, Dr Tony Gregson AM FTSE, sectors in China – research, food production and processing, and Dr Joanne Daly PSM FTSE, Dr Mary-Ann Augustin FTSE, Professor government. Deli Chen, University of Melbourne, Associate Professor Alice Lee, Australian and Chinese participants made presentations on the University of NSW, Mr Richard Bennett, Produce Marketing Association systems, regulations and technologies that are used in the two countries Australia–New Zealand/Fresh Produce Safety Centre and Dr Matt to ensure that the food supply system is safe, from ‘farm to fork’. Wenham, from ATSE. These included examples from the dairy, horticulture, grain and Representatives of the Australian Embassy in Beijing also attended meat industries of the two countries, and touched on issues around the workshop.

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This article first appeared on The Conversation website. It was written by Professor Helen Marsh FTSE, Dean, Graduate Research, James Cook University, and Professor Mark Western FASSA, Director, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland – both Deputy Chairs of the SAF 13 Expert Working Group – and co-authored by Mr John McGagh FTSE, an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland and Chair of the EWG.

Skilled graduates the key outcome

The skilled graduate must become the most important outcome of research training in Australia – as it is in many other parts of the world – urges a new report by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA).

The findings from the ACOLA Review of Australia’s Research Training System suggest that universities need to better serve the needs of doctoral graduates. The report provides recommendations for how to help better connect research students and graduates with industry. Helene Marsh John McGagh With fewer than 50 per cent of Australian doctoral graduates being employed in the university sector, industry experience and in research collaborations between higher the supervisor) and cheap labour still linger. training that better equips graduates for jobs education providers and industry. Our Research training needs to be valued as beyond universities is essential. poor performance is illustrated by several the human capital development required to The report calls for transferable skills indicators. For example, Australia ranks last build our innovation economy as well as for to be central to the training of doctoral out of 30 OECD countries on the proportion of the research that research students produce. candidates. Such skills development must be small and medium enterprises collaborating Increased emphasis on the skilled graduate flexible and candidate-directed, and build on with higher education and public sector as the major outcome of research training will the diverse backgrounds and experience of institutions on innovation. It is second last on require cultural change in supervisory practice. candidates. the same indicator for large businesses. Encouraging PhD students to form a OTHER COUNTRIES COLLABORATION bridge between academia and industry will In 2002 in the UK, the Roberts Review Industry placements are at the heart of bolster collaborations and be a win-win for all. catalysed a policy initiative that provided this model. Industry is defined broadly as: The review also calls for more professional £120 million in new government funding for businesses, governments, government supervision through recognising excellence, skills development of research higher degree business enterprises, non-government driving metrics and providing high- candidates and postdoctoral research staff in organisations, not-for-profit organisations quality training and ongoing professional STEM disciplines. and community organisations. This needs development for supervisors. This program was a major cultural change to include research students in the social While rates of satisfaction with in the provision of skills and career support sciences and humanities as well as those supervisory experience for research students for researchers in UK higher education in science, technology, engineering and have steadily increased over the past 14 institutions. It championed the value of mathematics (STEM) disciplines. years, surveys reveal that one in five research investing in the development of individual Australia has been slow to adopt such graduates is dissatisfied with the supervision researchers. initiatives. This failure is likely to have they received. Negative expectations of A review of the program in 2010 contributed to our lacklustre performance cloning (creating graduates in the image of confirmed that it had resulted in major

Research training needs to be valued as the human capital development required to build our innovation economy as well as for the research that research students produce.

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improvement in the way career development this funding be used to seed a national of the data available to determine the and transferable skills training were provided program of placements for research doctoral performance of the research training system for researchers. It was unable, however, candidates, along the lines of Mitacs. and its value to Australia’s economic and to provide quantitative metrics of success Certainly, some Australian research social well-being. because of the absence of baseline data. students already obtain experience by working The review calls for a longitudinal Although no such dedicated funding has on externally defined research problems, in national data-collection exercise to monitor been available in Australia, many universities non-academic settings with non-academic course satisfaction, course completions and have invested in the delivery of transferable supervisors, especially as part of the career outcomes for HDR training. skills training to higher degree by research Cooperative Research Centre system. However, Without such data, it is impossible to (HDR) candidates. However, transferable skills the review did not have enough data to determine the return on this almost $1 billion development is not as strongly embedded in evaluate the significance of such partnerships annual government investment in the our research training system as in the UK and at a comprehensive national scale. development of the human capital required some other similar countries. This is an example of the inadequacy for the innovation economy. In 1999, Canada established Mitacs as a part of its Network Centre of Excellence Program. Mitacs started as an initiative RESEARCH TRAINING REVIEW in mathematics, prompted by the loss of SEEKS BETTER ENGAGEMENT Canadian mathematics PhD graduates to The final Review of Australia’s Research Review of the US. The program expanded from 17 Training System report, launched by the Australia’s Research Training System internships in 2003 to almost 3200 in 2014-15. Minister for Education and Training, Senator By 2020, 10,000 internships are expected to Simon Birmingham, at the Knowledge Nation FINAL REPORT be delivered per year. Summit, has joined the chorus of calls for

Although Australia has several small better research–industry collaboration. PROJECT internship schemes for research students, It notes Australia’s industry–university

AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF THE HUMANITIES AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE we estimate that fewer than 120 of more collaboration performance lies close to last ACADEMY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES IN AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF than 20,000 HDR candidates undertook an among international competitors – a situation TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING internship in 2015. A Canadian HDR candidate it says is unacceptable for a nation striving to is 16 times more likely to undertake a transition to an innovation-driven economy. placement than their Australian counterpart. “There is an urgent need for Australia to Implementing the recommendations Mitacs has 14 government partners address this issue,” the report says. 1 flowing from its key findings. including the Canadian Government, most “We encourage the university sector to Reducing provincial governments and more than 60 develop a range of industry-engagement 2 red tape. universities. In 2014-15, Mitacs collaborated models in research training to drive Incentivising industry–university with 1065 partners in Canada and 23 partners proactive industry–university collaboration. 3 collaboration. outside Canada; 79 per cent were small-to- We encourage industry to engage with Developing a national program to medium enterprises. universities in order to benefit from the skills 4 support industry placements for In 2014-15, it enabled two million hours and expertise of researchers.” research doctorate candidates. of research work by interns for industry and The report, published by the Australian Monitoring not-for-profit partners, underpinned by an Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA), 5 results. investment of C$22 million (A$23.4 million). was commissioned in May 2015 by the Increasing encouragement for Mitacs surveys of their partners previous Minister for Education and Training, 6 Indigenous participation. indicate that 82 per cent have continued Christopher Pyne. It required ACOLA, as part “Government clearly has a regulatory collaborations with the academic supervisor, of the Securing Australia’s Future program, and financial role in improving the system, 66 per cent of the products of the to conduct a comprehensive review of but many of the actions required fall under collaborations have been commercialised and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) training in the remit of universities working in close 47 per cent have hired at least one intern. The Australia. collaboration with other stakeholders, majority of participating interns feel more This project was undertaken by an Expert especially industry, communities, and other employable as a result of their internship. Working Group (EWG) consisting of Fellows parts of the innovation sector,” the report said. The 2015 Review of Research Policies from the four Learned Academies, with Many of the actions needed would and Funding recommended that Australian expertise in research, higher education and require implementation by the higher government funding of $12.5 million per year industry. It was chaired by Mr John McGagh education sector, industry and community be provided to create a program to support FTSE, former Head of Innovation at Rio Tinto. stakeholders, it said. universities to increase numbers of industry The report made six recommendations, placements for PhD students. primarily directed to the Australian Review of Australia’s Research Training The ACOLA review recommends that Government, which focused on: System is on the ACOLA website.

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BY TREVOR DANOS [email protected]

A different perspective on science funding

The current disconnect with science discourages children from pursuing careers in STEM, dries up the job opportunities in STEM and fails to honour and encourage the brightest students.

In the 1960s and 1970s, when Sadly, that wise corporate investment is dealing rooms at banks to function and the Julius Sumner Miller appeared generally no longer forthcoming, despite the encryption software used by banks would not I on Australian television, Federal Government’s National Innovation exist without science. he and Harry Messel had and Science Agenda and talk about the “ideas Second, science has come to be seen by no difficulty in securing boom” and the importance of STEM. the industrial companies as the responsibility substantial funding from the corporate world for In the words of Julius Sumner Miller, ‘Why of government, supported by the tech, telco, the promotion of science including elite science. is it so?’ engineering and defence sectors. For industrial This funding came not just from companies First, science has come to be viewed companies, this means that requests for STEM involved in science and engineering, but from a by the industrial companies as yet another funding tend to be directed to marketing broad collection of ‘industrial’ companies such as investment decision, with the usual focus and sponsorship departments (responsible Westpac and Consolidated Press. on the need for short-term returns and for sport) or personnel who are charged with At that time, the mention of science was immediately ‘translational’ outcomes. There administering narrowly scoped corporate social predominantly about the betterment of is probably not much that can be done responsibility (CSR) charters. These are not the society and about capturing and responding about this, except for pointing out to boards places where there is much understanding to science’s sheer wonderment, rather than the hidden relevance of science to our about the central role of science at those ‘innovation’ or its impact on GDP. daily lives – both the algorithms that allow companies and in the broader world.

MATHS A ‘MUST’ TO YEAR 12 Lyn Beazley Former WA Chief Scientist and prominent science advocate Professor Lyn Beazley AO FTSE has called for more attention to maths in schools, but to boost job options. saying that mathematics to Year 12 should be compulsory. He said business groups Addressing a recent Curtin University productivity conference, consistently identified poor she said people needed to realise three-quarters of future jobs would numeracy as a barrier to require science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) employment and general skills. productivity growth, Professor Beazley, 2015 WA Australian of the Year, said most pointing to a recent innovations in Australia were happening in professional, scientific Productivity Commission and technical services, and the economy would suffer without people report that found almost skilled in maths. a quarter of Australians “Insurance and construction are top of the list in [Australian] were capable of only basic innovations – my gosh, you need maths for those, but you need maths mathematics “such as just to run any company, even to run your own household,” she said. counting”. Professor Beazley also said it was vital to increase gender diversity Professor Cameron said in the sector. recent research found 60 University of WA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Alec Cameron per cent of jobs linked to said universities acknowledged an “urgent need to put in place clear current study courses would not exist in future. and reasonable incentives for students to choose the highest level of “All aspects of the education system need to be ready for change,” mathematics appropriate”, not only to maximise study opportunities, he said.

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Third, the need for carefully planned In Australia, the commitment to elite companies to commit meaningfully to STEM action and follow-through has been replaced student science is rather limited, principally and STEM funding. This funding should not by a delusional belief in the mantra of the Australian and International Science been seen as some component of a marketing ‘innovation’. The repeated recitation of Olympiads in physics, chemistry, biology, budget nor should it be conflated with CSR. ‘innovation’ is not a plan. Nothing worthwhile earth sciences and mathematics, the Professor Our nation’s goal should be nothing is ever accomplished without hard work and Harry Messel International Science Schools less than a commitment to make STEM the commitment of resources. and the National Youth Science Forum. and research and development a centrally The Australian Government and the Australia wants, and the world needs, important and essential part of each Business Council of Australia are to be more super-bright students who can solve company’s business-as-usual activities. applauded for putting innovation and agility the world’s grand challenges. Nobody ever This journey on STEM is not unlike the on the national agenda but an agenda item regretted their country winning another conversations about diversity that first should be the starting point, not the end point. Olympic Medal and the same logic and presented themselves to the corporate world This current disconnect with science by aspiration should apply to Nobel Prizes. 10 or more years ago. We need to learn from a very large number of industrial companies The AIS was formed after Australia’s that experience and inject STEM into the is devastating – it discourages children from failure to win a gold medal at the 1976 boardrooms of the nation so that boards drive pursuing careers in STEM, it dries up the job Montreal Olympic Games, regarded at the change top-down and make measurable opportunities in STEM and it fails to honour time as a national embarrassment. Yet, when success in STEM part of the business culture and encourage the brightest students. Australia’s standing in OECD international of the organisation. The underlying problem is one of culture. maths and science league tables slides Just imagine what could be achieved As a community, we are not committing to downward, there is stasis, with occasional but by the ideas boom if every Australian public and not valuing science, including science ineffectual grumblings about the national company had to report on its STEM activities excellence and elite science. This stands in such science curriculum. and its research and goals and achievements strong contrast to sport, where as a nation There is no outcry from the industrial in its annual report, as is now the case with we commit hundreds of millions of dollars companies. sustainability and diversity. ¤ each year to the Australian Institute of Sport Not surprisingly, the countries that do (AIS) to improve community participation in well in those league tables are those where Mr Trevor Danos AM is a company director and a sport (Outcome 1) and to achieve excellence all sections of society value STEM and strategic adviser. He is on the board of Sydney Local Health District, he chairs the NSW Treasury Social in sporting performance and international education. If Montreal was the clarion call for Investment Expert Advisory Group and is a member sporting success (Outcome 2). the creation of the AIS, then the league table of the ANZ Coordination Committee for the SKA Outcomes 1 and 2 could so easily be results should now trigger the development telescope. He was previously a director of CASA and rewritten to refer to public participation in of a comprehensive strategy for STEM TransGrid and was a member of the CRC Committee. He recently wrote The Pursuit of Excellence: A History science and attaining international excellence Outcomes 1 and 2. of the Professor Harry Messel International Science in science. It must be time for all Australian School and is an Adjunct Professor at UNSW.

GOVERNMENT BACKS AMSI PROGRAMS BUSINESS DEANS FOCUS ON The Department of Education and Training will co-fund the expansion COLLABORATION of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute’s (AMSI) research and The Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) has appointed Professor higher education training programs. Stephen Taylor from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) as its Welcoming the $2 million investment, AMSI Director Professor inaugural Research Scholar – a new role that has the goal of expanding Geoff Prince said AMSI looked forward to closely engaging over the collaboration between universities and industry. next four years with the Government’s National Science and Innovation The ABDC Research Scholar will support the development and Agenda (NISA) to strengthen Australia’s mathematical capability. implementation of an ABDC research engagement strategy that AMSI will strengthen industry pathways by linking its key events highlights the role business schools can play in supporting Australia’s such as BioInfoSummer and AMSI Optimise to industry placement long-term competitiveness and productivity through their research opportunities to foster work readiness. and education. Retention of senior undergraduate students, Professor Taylor will take a leadership role particularly women and Indigenous students, Stephen Taylor in expanding collaboration across business will also be a priority. schools and with key stakeholders, and in The key to AMSI’s success, according to improving the connection between the needs Professor Prince, is its position as the national of business and government and business peak body with access to both academic and school research. industry networks. PLEMING DAMIEN PHOTO: Until recently he was Associate Dean “AMSI is uniquely placed to secure Research at UTS Business School and is a Australia’s mathematical workforce into the former Chair of ABDC’s Business Academic 21st century,” he said. Research Directors’ Network.

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Office of the Chief Scientist having even lower proportions of female graduates. AUSTRALIA’S STEM WORKFORCE Biological sciences and environmental studies graduates STEM horizons Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics MARCH 2016 were evenly split between the genders. In the VET sector, are unlimited only nine per cent of those with STEM qualifications were women. Australians with qualifications in science, technology, Dr Finkel said that even more worrying than the engineering and mathematics (STEM) are working gender imbalance in some STEM fields was the pay across the economy in many roles from wine-makers gap between men and women in all STEM fields to financial analysts, according to a new report from revealed in the report. These differences cannot be the Office of the Chief Scientist. fully explained by having children or by the increased proportion of women working part-time. Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA FTSE said The report found that gaining a doctorate is a sound investment, Australia’s STEM Workforce was the first comprehensive analysis of the with more STEM PhD graduates in the top income bracket than their STEM-qualified population and was a valuable resource for students, bachelor-degree-qualified counterparts. However, STEM PhD holders parents, teachers and policy-makers. are less likely to own their own business or work in the private sector. The report is based on data from the 2011 Census, the most recent Dr Finkel said that preparing students for a variety of jobs and comprehensive and detailed data set of this type of information. The industries was vital to sustaining the future workforce. report will serve as a benchmark for future studies. “This report shows that STEM-qualified Australians are working “This report provides a wealth of information on where STEM across the economy. It is critical that qualifications at all levels prepare qualifications – from both the university and the vocational education students for the breadth of roles and industries they might pursue. and training (VET) sectors – may take you, what jobs you may have “The most striking finding in my mind is the range of occupations and what salary you may earn,” Dr Finkel said. that people with STEM qualifications have pursued. We have people “Studying STEM opens up countless job options and this report with physics doctorates working as financial analysts. shows that Australians are taking diverse career paths.” “We have chemistry graduates running farms and making wine. The report investigates the workforce destinations of people We have ICT graduates planning cities. There are no limits on what a with qualifications in STEM fields, looking at the demographics, STEM graduate can do, and we shouldn’t impose them. industries, occupations and salaries that students studying for those “Do we impose them? I suspect we do, perhaps particularly on qualifications can expect in the workforce. women with the talent and passion for STEM. The pay gap between The report found that fewer than one-third of STEM university men and women revealed in this report is significant, it is longstanding graduates were female, with physics, astronomy and engineering and it is unacceptable. No ‘clever country’ under-serves half its people.

GO8 TOPS THE AUSTRALIAN LIST IN NATURE INDEX YOUNG UNIVERSITIES Australia is listed at number 12 in high-quality the leading university, followed by Stanford RATE WELL global research by Nature Index, just ahead of University, The University of Tokyo and MIT. Sixteen Australian universities have been India and three places behind South Korea. The Nature Index is built on an named in the top 100 of the Times Higher The US leads the index, followed by China, institution’s contributions to about 60,000 Education World University Rankings of the 150 Germany, the UK and Japan. high-quality papers each year and counts world universities younger than 50 years of age. Between 2012 and 2015, China’s both the number of papers and the relative Top-ranked was the University of contribution to the Nature Index grew by an contribution of the authors. Technology Sydney (21), followed by annual average of 12.8 per cent. Australia’s Melbourne researchers were listed as Queensland University of Technology (equal grew by an average 3.3 per cent a year over authors on 164 more papers than their UQ 28), Charles Darwin University (equal 31), the the same period. peers, but UQ had greater ownership of their University of Wollongong (37), James Cook Australia’s Group of Eight universities papers – fewer authors from other institutions University (38), Flinders University (46), Griffith fill the top eight positions by Australian – bringing them to the top of the index in University (48) and Deakin University (50) universities, with The University of terms of contribution to the articles. The next group was led by the University Queensland leading at 89 on the global The index indicates that Curtin University of SA (57), La Trobe University (58), Swinburne university list. Monash University is 93 is the most collaborative Australian university University (74), Murdoch University (82), globally, ANU is 100 and The University of in the top 500 of the index, as shown by its Western Sydney University (equal 86), Melbourne at 130. article count being much higher than the Curtin University (equal 92), Southern Cross Australia has 11 universities in the top 500 relative contribution from its authors. It was University (94) and RMIT University (98) institutions in the index, which tracks more also the biggest Australian mover in the index, The University of Canberra, Central than 8000 institutions worldwide. improving by a compound annual average of Queensland University and Edith Cowan Globally, Harvard University was listed as 22.2 per cent between 2012 and 2015. University were ranked within 101 to 150.

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“And no clever country would encourage its most STEM-literate FigureKEY 1 Key FACTS findings of Australia’s STEM Workforce. people to pursue only traditional research paths, in universities or public-sector research agencies. I know from my own experience that TOTAL STEM WORKFORCE STEM UNIVERSITY GRADUATES STEM PhD GRADUATES the opportunities rarely lie in the expected places. STEM workforce Industries and occupations Business ownership STEM graduates work across the “Our STEM community, and most of all our young people, should 32% economy in a wide variety of industries University and largely as professionals (55%) and be given every encouragement to find new applications for their skills qualified managers (18%). 2.3 across the economy. MILLION Top six industries 68% (65% of STEM graduates) Vocational “Our best future is a future that builds on technology, innovation, Education & 25% 10% Training (VET) Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 23% qualified Non-STEM STEM ideas and imagination. It is a future with STEM. And it is a future that is 10% PhDs PhDs Manufacturing ours to build,” he added. 16% of STEM qualified 10% people are female Public Administration and Safety 10% 10% of STEM PhDs owned Professionals Australia, which positions itself as the professional Education and Training a business compared to 23% of non-STEM PhDs. 6% association representing Australia’s STEM workforce, said the report Health Care and Social Assistance 5% A PhD can provide an Financial and Insurance Services data correlated with its own reporting, noting that STEM employees earning premium undoubtedly drive productivity across the economy. 29% 9% University VET % of STEM graduates “This report shows businesses that employ STEM-skilled workers are qualified qualified earning in the top income bracket ($104 000 or above) 33 per cent more productive than those who do not. It is no coincidence Unemployment rate Biological Sciences PhD

PhD that the most innovative companies in the marketplace are also the STEM = 3.7% 2.7x Non-STEM = 4.1% biggest employers of STEM workers,” CEO Mr Chris Walton said. Environmental Studies PhD Chemical Sciences PhD “Barriers that prevent Australia from fully realising the benefits of 2.0x 32% male 12% female 1.9x Growth of STEM vs a strong STEM workforce must be removed immediately. Long-term non-STEM qualified population Between 2006 and 2011: % of employed STEM graduates workforce development must be at the core of all government planning. in the private sector Bachelor Degree “Investing in engineering, science and IT professionals in 26% Non-STEM PhD earning multiplier 77% decision-making and management positions within government 43% 15% STEM In every STEM field, higher translates directly to reduced waste of taxpayer dollars. Yet successive Per cent growth proportions of PhDs earned in All STEM STEM PhDs the top income bracket compared governments have shed in-house engineering and science capacity. It 2006 2011 graduates to bachelor graduates.

CONTENTS v is a dangerous false economy. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Census of Population and Housing, 2006 and 2011. “We need to not only ensure a strong pipeline to attract our best and brightest into the STEM professions but a sustainable workforce in the long-term. There is no ideas boom without the experienced STEM AUSTRALIA’S STEM WORKFORCE IS AVAILABLE ON THE professionals to develop and drive it.” CHIEF SCIENTIST’S WEBSITE

$163 MILLION ARC GRANTS FOR 258 PROJECTS MALARIA BREATH- The 258 new research projects to be funded 477 partner organisations where researchers TESTING GOING by $163 million in ARC grants will permit team up with businesses and corporate WORLDWIDE researchers from 31 universities to collaborate Australia, think-tanks and other institutions to Australian scientists with industry and business to address pressing deliver breakthroughs that solve real-world will soon be issues as diverse as identity theft, different problems,” Minister Birmingham said. field-testing their ground-breaking breath disease strains and farming crop yields. “Those partners have pledged support markers for malaria, thanks to a $1.4 million Education and Training Minister Senator – cash and in-kind – of $162.9 million. That research grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Simon Birmingham said the impacts and represents $2.01 for every dollar from the Foundation. benefits from the projects would be felt in Commonwealth and highlights the value of Over the next 18 months, a CSIRO hospitals and schools, on farms and in homes research done at Australian universities and research team will be leading collaborative across the country. laboratories.” validation trials in locations with high malaria The latest round of grants includes: The 16 Laureate Fellows include two incidence including Malawi, Bangladesh, ¢ 16 new Australian Laureate Fellowships Australians returning from overseas and four Malaysia and Sudan. worth $44.1 million; international researchers. This next stage of development follows ¢ 231 new Linkage Projects ($81.2 million); The University of Melbourne was the on from the exciting discovery last year by ¢ 5 new Industrial Transformation Research principal beneficiary of the Linkage Projects scientists at CSIRO, QIMR Berghofer Medical Hubs hubs ($15.7 million); and grants, being awarded $11.2 million, followed Research Institute and the Australian ¢ 6 new Industrial Transformation Training by UQ ($9.9 million), UNSW ($7.6 million), National University, where the research Centres ($22 million). Monash University ($6.4 million), UWA identified distinctive chemicals that can be “The new research projects under the ($5.2 million), the University of Sydney detected in the breath of patients infected Linkage Projects scheme are also supported by ($4.7 million) and ANU ($3.7 million). with malaria.

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Inside the Sydney launches its Sydney Nanoscience Nanoscience Hub Hub.

The University of Sydney has launched the Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (AINST) – and its $150 million Sydney Nanoscience Hub – which it claims is the most advanced facility for nanoscience in the region – where design, fabrication and testing of devices can occur under one roof.

More than six years in the making, the Sydney Nanoscience Hub was co-funded with $40 million from the Australian Government and includes teaching spaces alongside publicly available core research facilities that will support fundamental research as well as the work of start-ups and established industry. The Institute hosts some of the capabilities of the Australian National Fabrication Facility and of the Australian Microscopy and Thomas

PHOTO: UNIVERSITY SYDNEY OF PHOTO: Maschmeyer Microanalysis Research Facility – both co-funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Researchers at the Institute contribute to two Australian Council Centres of Excellence: CUDOS, the Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems; and EQuS, the Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems. Professor Benjamin Eggleton FTSE, the Director of CUDOS who also heads the photonics flagship at AINST, said photonics (the study of photons – the building blocks of light) was already delivering real- world solutions. “Photonics is the backbone of the internet and underpins a $7 trillion industry,” Professor Eggleton said. “Our team has led the world in photonic-based chip processing and we are now working on building a photonic chip – or a lab on a chip – that may one day be compatible with mobile phones, enabling them to sense environmental pollution or be used for testing blood samples to diagnose health issues.” AINST Director, Professor Thomas Maschmeyer FAA FTSE, will also head one of five initiating flagships – in Energy and Environment. Ben Eggleton

DATA61 AND AICD LINK ON CYBER SECURITY CSIRO’s Data61, the largest data innovation and training program to enable directors program, directors will have the opportunity group in Australia, and the Australian Institute and their organisations to grow and innovate to: of Company Directors (AICD) have finalised with confidence based upon the information ¢identify implied and express obligations a joint commitment to collaborate on lifting principles of confidentiality, integrity and as directors or officeholders of an the digital and cyber literacy of directors and availability of data. The program will focus on organisation; boards across Australia. corporate governance and its application to ¢identify the value of information to The parties have entered a Memorandum the way people interact with technology and the organisation in terms of business of Understanding (MoU) that aims to create each other in a quantifiable and repeatable opportunity and risk; stronger and more secure organisations manner. ¢identify a target state of assurance to by facilitating a better understanding of This collaboration will enhance the address business risk and opportunity; cyber security by boards, appropriate risk creation of highly skilled company directors ¢identify the current capability of the management, the required investment and equipped to influence economic growth organisation to protect and leverage its the opportunities for innovation that come and community prosperity, while protecting valuable information and determine an with it. enterprise assets from intentional theft or appropriate path to sustainability; and Over the coming months Data61 and accidental loss. ¢develop a quantifiable program for AICD will develop a cyber security education It is anticipated that, as a result of the continuous organisational improvement.

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BY IAN RAE [email protected] NEWS A new look at south-east Asia

In his 19th book, Professor Lindsay Falvey FTSE continues his career as a writer on social, technological I and esoteric themes. This time he has given us a PUTTING SOME LIGHT primer for understanding the states and language ON THE LAUNDRY groups that lie one overnight flight away from our south-eastern capitals. Books about south-east Asia seldom include By magnifying this textile 200 times the total coverage of the nanostructures by the word ‘understanding’ in their titles, although it’s common in the the silver nanoparticles (red colour) is evident. blogosphere and in the titles of university courses. Starting from prehistoric A spot of sunshine may be all it takes to get your washing done, if Understanding Southeast times, he describes developments nano research into self-cleaning textiles at RMIT University delivers. Asia: Syncretism in in the region in terms of Researchers have developed a cheap and efficient new way Commonalities by Lindsay agriculture, trade, language and to grow special nanostructures – that can degrade organic matter Falvey (TSU Press (Thailand), religion, cronyism and corruption, when exposed to light – directly on textiles, which paves the way 2015, xx + 166 pp). colonialism, statehood and towards nano-enhanced textiles that can spontaneously clean leadership. themselves of stains and grime simply by being put under a light Each is impacted by the bulb or worn out in the sun. continuing influence of China to the north and India to the west. Rice, RMIT’s Dr Rajesh Ramanathan said the process developed by of course, as we know from others of Falvey’s writings, is the glue that the team had a variety of applications for catalysis-based industries binds many of these strands together. such as agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and natural products, and More philosophically, and alluding to the book’s subtitle, he could be easily scaled-up to industrial levels. uses the concept of syncretism (the amalgamation or attempted The researchers worked with copper and silver-based amalgamation of different religions, cultures or schools of thought) nanostructures, which are known for their ability to absorb visible to describe how “merged belief systems spanning all aspects of life light. When the nanostructures are exposed to light, they receive provide psychological resilience” and promotion of environmental an energy boost that creates ‘hot electrons’. These hot electrons morality ensures “the protection of resources essential to life”. release a burst of energy that enables the nanostructures to Lest we fall into the trap of thinking that syncretism is a dressed degrade organic matter. up version of the Asian Values debate of the 1980s and 1990s, the “The advantage of textiles is they already have a 3D structure book ends with a discussion of “the regional concept of harmony” so they are great at absorbing light, which in turn speeds up the or avoidance of the risk of “personal harm from taking a contentious process of degrading organic matter,” he said. position”. “There’s more work to do to before we can start throwing out These can properly be seen as deriving from a broad range of our washing machines, but this advance lays a strong foundation commonalities and so they contrast with more instrumentalist models for the future development of fully self-cleaning textiles.” of society that he characterises as “hegemonic, nation-building and The challenge for researchers has been to bring the concept out academic”, dominated by statutory law. of the laboratory by working out how to build these nanostructures And this is not just “the nostalgic view of an old Asia hand” – the on an industrial scale and permanently attach them to textiles. syncretism he describes can move us beyond rice and religion to a The RMIT team’s approach was to grow the nanostructures deeper understanding of our neighbours. directly on the textiles by dipping them into a few solutions, resulting The book’s summary is rendered in 10 languages and the text in the development of stable nanostructures within 30 minutes. includes a number of annotated maps, data tables, cartoons and When exposed to light, it took less than six minutes for some of colour photographs. ¤ the nano-enhanced textiles to spontaneously clean themselves.

Professor Ian Rae FTSE, an Honorary Professional Fellow at the University of “Our next step will be to test our nano-enhanced textiles with Melbourne, is a former technical Director of ATSE. He was President of the Royal organic compounds that could be more relevant to consumers, to Australian Chemical Institute (2006–08) and served for a decade as a technical see how quickly they can handle common stains like tomato sauce adviser to the UN Environment Programme. He is co-editor of the Australian or wine,” Dr Ramanathan said. Academy of Science journal Historical Records of Australian Science.

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DATA61 AND CYBER CSIRO’s ON Accelerator drives LONDON JOIN FORCES CSIRO’s Data61 (formerly NICTA) is partnering collaboration with Cyber London (CyLon), Europe’s first cyber security accelerator and business incubator, Eleven teams of scientists and researchers from CSIRO and Australian universities to strengthen cyber collaboration between have been selected to take part in the current round of CSIRO’s ‘ON Accelerator’, Australia and Britain. a program designed to boost Australia’s innovation performance by accelerating A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) big science and technology ideas into commercially viable opportunities. between the two parties aims to accelerate cyber innovation in both Australia and Britain The teams were selected on by providing expertise, resources and capital the potential of their ideas to have to enhance the growth of this sector, an area of real positive impact on Australian strategic priority for both governments. industry, economy, environment The partnership will complement and future, among other selection initiatives in the Australian Government’s criteria. Some of the winning ideas soon-to-be-released Cyber Security Strategy, include: including the recently announced Cyber ¢ a GPS-free, collision-avoidance Security Growth Centre. sensor allowing unmanned The Growth Centre is a component of the aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drone National Innovation and Science Agenda and devices to fly autonomously near will bring together cyber security research infrastructure and in GPS-free and innovation to grow Australian business environments, with the potential opportunities online. to rapidly advance the booming UAV and drone markets into new NEW NORTHERN areas such as parcel delivery INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY services; TO BE CAIRNS-BASED ¢a natural feed additive for Cairns has been chosen as the headquarters livestock that could improve for the Northern Australia Infrastructure productivity by 10 per cent and Facility (NAIF).

reduce methane emissions by up SCHWERDTFEGER KARL CSIRO, © PICTURE: Mr Josh Frydenberg, Minister for to 90 per cent; and Jiaming Li, Lloyd Niccol and Kate Cavanagh, Resources, Energy and Northern Australia, ¢a facial-recognition technology from elimun8, one of the successful CSIRO teams said the decision was an essential step progressing to the ON Accelerator. that could provide accurate, real- towards implementing the $5 billion facility, time pain assessment for health proposed in the Government’s White Paper patients who cannot communicate verbally. on Developing Northern Australia. For the first time CSIRO welcomed Australian university applications into the ON “We are implementing our plan to unlock Accelerator program, recognising the importance of collaboration and engagement the huge economic potential of northern between research sectors in driving Australia's innovation agenda. Australia and the NAIF is a centrepiece of this “CSIRO is focused on helping Australia navigate the changes we face, from plan. It will help deliver the infrastructure digital disruption to environmental impact. We need to translate more of our nation’s projects needed to drive economic excellent science into solutions that build a better future, and the ON Accelerator is and population growth in our north,” the perfect way to teach researchers and teams how to do just that,” said CSIRO Chief Mr Frydenberg said. Executive Dr Larry Marshall. The Federal Member for Leichhardt Out of eight university applications Curtin University and a combined team Mr Warren Entsch said the Cairns decision from Macquarie University, the University of Adelaide and ANU were successful in made sense. securing two wildcard spots in the next current program. “Our region is a hub for agriculture, “As a collaborative and industry-engaged university we are excited about tourism, education and energy resources, continuing to build integration across CSIRO, industry and university sectors. The coupled with a sizeable population base. We CSIRO ON Accelerator provides a framework through which we can extend previous also have outstanding connectivity – Cairns collaborations," said Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), International Airport recently rated 13th in Macquarie University. the world’s top 20 best-performing small From July the ON Accelerator program will be expanded nationally to include airports and we have direct flights to almost all other publicly funded research organisations, as well as Australian universities, as every capital city in Australia as well as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda. excellent connections internationally.”

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to manipulate individual atoms, as well as six cryogenic dilution ‘Best work in the world’, refrigerators that can reach ultra-low temperatures close to absolute zero. “The international race to build a super-powerful quantum says Turnbull computer has been described as the space race of the computing era,” Professor Simmons said. In the race to build the world’s first super-powerful quantum “Our Australian centre’s unique approach using silicon has given computer, the University of NSW has opened new cutting-edge us a two to three-year lead over the rest of the world. These facilities quantum computing laboratories at the Centre of Excellence for will enable us to stay ahead of the competition.” Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T). The new laboratories will also be essential for UNSW researchers to capitalise on the commercial implications of their work. The new laboratories will double the productive capacity of the “In addition to our fundamental research agenda, we now have CQC2T at UNSW, helping Australian researchers remain global leaders an ambitious and targeted program to build a 10-qubit prototype by building a 10-qubit prototype quantum integrated circuit – the quantum integrated circuit within five years,” Professor Simmons technology that will underpin the development of a commercial said. “By mapping the evolution of classical computing devices over quantum computing device. the past century we would expect commercial quantum computing CQC2T’s unique approach of using silicon has given researchers at devices to appear within five to 10 years of that milestone.” UNSW a two to three-year lead over the rest of the world. The new facility was opened by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, accompanied by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne. There was no bolder idea than quantum computing, Prime Minister Turnbull said, hailing UNSW’s research in the transformative technology as the “best work in the world”. He praised the leadership of Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons FAA FTSE, Director of CQC2T, and congratulated the Centre’s team on their research breakthroughs. The laboratories will double the productive capacity of the UNSW “No bolder idea” – headquarters of the CQC2T. Malcolm Turnbull. They will also be used to advance development work to Michelle Simmons commercialise UNSW’s ground-breaking quantum computing research and establish Australia as an international leader in the industries of the future. The work has attracted major investment from the Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionise computing. Today’s digital Australian Government, Commonwealth Bank and Telstra. computers have finite processing power whereas a commercial quantum computer CQC2T is leading the international race to build the world’s first will deliver a significant speed-up in power, including over a supercomputer. More jobs than ever before in Australia’s modern 21st century economy are digital. quantum computer in silicon. The enormous power of quantum computing will create many more opportunities The new laboratories, which have been funded by UNSW, will for new and higher wage jobs, particularly those involving analysis, forecasting and house six new scanning tunnelling microscopes, which can be used modelling.

$6 MILLION FOR NEW CHINA RESEARCH LINKS Six new Joint Research Centres will be funded for three years under developing new cereal grains with long-term health benefits; the Australia-China Science and Research Fund (ACSRF). ¢the University of Melbourne and Chinese Agricultural University – “These grants, totalling $5.95 million, support the objectives of the investigating healthy soils for sustainable food production; National Innovation and Science Agenda, and help Australian research ¢Swinburne University and First Institute of Oceanography of the institutions build links with China – a growing science power and State Oceanic Administrations – developing a new generation of important collaborative partner for Australia in science and research,” models to forecast and describe ocean and wave climatology; Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Christopher Pyne said. ¢the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Institute of “This will build Australia’s research capacity, forge strategic Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science – exploring the alliances and increase commercialisation and application of research translation of data into management solutions for coastal pollution outcomes, boosting innovation and international competitiveness.” and ecosystem safety; and The new Joint Research Centres grant winners are: ¢the University of South Australia and Central South University – ¢Monash University and Soochow University – researching dairy developing in-line chemical and mineral sensing for sustainable industry manufacturing process efficiencies and new high-value mineral processing. products; The Joint Research Centres will also receive co-investment from ¢the University of Adelaide and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University – the Chinese Government through the partnering Chinese institution.

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ROBOTS ORGANISE BEES IN ORCHARDS Two Australian-made robots have uncovered the best locations to place beehives in orchards to get maximum fruit output in a new study commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation). Delivered by the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics, the findings CSIRO’s Dr Crispin Howitt and Dr came from a four-year study that included the use Phil Larkin celebrating the launch. of two unmanned vehicles. The robots – trialled on almond, apple, lychee, custard apple, avocado and banana farms – worked concurrently on either side of tree rows CSIRO barley key to using a group of cameras, lasers and software to create a series of algorithms that led to the gluten-free beer identification of the fruit and patterns in yield variations consistent with a lack of pollination. CSIRO’s Kebari™ barley has been used to make the world’s first commercially This enabled growers to moved hives to enhance produced, full-flavoured, barley-based, gluten-free beer – Pionier – released by pollination. German beer-brewing company Radeberger. “This is a very exciting finding as this technology has the ability to help growers identify While Pionier is only available in Germany, CSIRO is continuing to explore issues such as a lack of pollination and address opportunities with Australian brewers to develop a local beer using Kebari™ barley. them quickly,” said Hort Innovation Chief Executive Once development of a hulless version of the barley is complete, there is Mr John Lloyd. a plan to work with manufacturers to bring a range of foods containing “By monitoring the data patterns produced by Kebari™ barley to Australian consumers. these robots growers can effectively help ensure While it is ‘ultra-low’ in gluten, Kebari™ grain cannot be called “gluten- the best yield possible.” free” in Australia or New Zealand under the current Food Standards Mr Lloyd said the robots also showed the Code. But the gluten level is well below 20 parts per million, the level capacity to identify individual pieces of fruit and recommended by the World Health Organization for classification as nuts, paving the way for fully autonomous tree gluten-free, so in some other countries, such as Germany, products fruit and nut-picking. made with Kebari™ barley can be classified as gluten-free. “This study has provided a real window into a The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and The not-too-distant future where labour-hire shortages Royal Melbourne Hospital were involved in the early stages of the and associated costs no longer need to be key ultra-low gluten barley project. concerns for tree crop growers.” “Using conventional breeding we’ve reduced the gluten levels Hort Innovation is currently investing more to 10,000 times less than regular barley, which more than meets than $15 million in autonomous-based projects on the World Health Organization’s recommendation for calling a grain behalf of the nation’s horticulture industries. gluten-free,” CSIRO Principal Research Scientist Dr Crispin Howitt said. Radeberger’s “It’s really exciting seeing the first product made with the malted ‘Pionier’ gluten- version of our Kebari™ grain, we hope it’s the first of many products.” free beer.

EATING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT A new CSIRO survey aims to examine the environmental impact of the nation’s diet. CSIRO will use data from the country’s largest diet survey, the Healthy Diet Score, to look at the contribution of food consumption to our environmental footprint, as well as providing people with a score indicating the nutritional quality of their eating habits. Improving the national diet could achieve both health and environmental benefits, such as minimising greenhouse gases by reducing processing, packaging and transport of food. CSIRO research has found that reducing overconsumption of kilojoules and eating whole foods at the levels recommended in the National Dietary Guidelines could cut the greenhouse gas contribution of the average diet by 25 per cent. Robot working an almond orchard.

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$4 million investment Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne to develop and test a promising drug lead for inhibiting the biological target cMyc – a key to speed drug discovery driver of destructive cell mutation in many cancers. CSIRO’s chemistry group leader, Dr Jack Ryan, said an effective way Melbourne start-up biotech company MecRx has secured a $4 to successfully inhibit cMyc has eluded scientists across the world for million investment from the Medical Research Commercialisation the past 30 years. Fund (MRCF) to advance its breakthrough technology for “We’re delighted to see this work translated to drug development, accelerating drug discovery. which we hope will ultimately lead to clinical trials through our partners at Peter Mac and commercialisation of the world’s first cMyc Under the agreement, CSIRO is assisting MecRx in validating its drug,” Dr Ryan said. technology platform, which is being used to create promising starting Established and managed by Brandon Capital Partners, MRCF points for new anti-cancer drugs. CSIRO shared the R&D costs in return brings together more for a mixture of milestone payments and shares in MecRx, based on their than 50 of Australia’s success. Today, CSIRO has a 14.6 per cent equity stake in the company. leading medical research The CSIRO risk-sharing agreement, combined with a Victorian institutes and research Government Innovation Voucher, enabled MecRx to secure the hospitals, the Australian significant MRCF investment. Government and the “MecRx is a shining example of how the research and commercial state governments sector can work together to accelerate Australian innovation and make of Victoria, NSW, WA, a significant commercial impact,” MecRx board director Dr Chris Smith Queensland and SA said. “CSIRO and the Victorian Government were crucial in getting and has support from our technology off the ground – without their funding support and various superannuation (From left) CSIRO’s biomedical research director expertise the idea would never have been tested and the huge potential funds and the Australian Dr Paul Savage, MecRx founder Dr Joanne our platform offers for new drug discovery would have gone unrealised.” Government’s Innovation Alcindor, MecRx director Dr Chris Smith and MecRx and CSIRO have joined forces with the world-leading Investment Fund (IIF). CSIRO chemistry group leader Dr Jack Ryan.

Do they cause WTS? Research led by University of NSW the laboratory and another in the study Professor Guy Marks will investigate participants’ homes, investigating the the broader social and environmental impact of infrasound – inaudible sound circumstances that may influence the health that emanates from turbines. Sleep quality, of people living near wind farms. balance, mood and cardiovascular health will The outcomes of this research will assist all be measured. in developing policy and public health “As of yet, there’s no proof that WTS recommendations regarding wind turbine actually exists, as all the research available is development and operations in Australia. seriously flawed,” Professor Marks said. Australia is home to more than 75 wind “Those who experience it are certain farms running about 2000 turbines. AGL’s that it’s affecting their health, and report Macarthur Wind Farm in western Victoria is the convincingly that the problem disappears largest, followed by TrustPower’s Snowtown when they go on holiday and returns when NEW RESEARCH WILL PHOTO: ISTOCK project in South Australia, completed in 2014. they come home. TACKLE ‘WIND TURBINE Wind power use is rapidly expanding in “On the other hand, there are several SYNDROME’ Australia, with multiple new projects in the experts who firmly believe WTS symptoms are pipeline. But with the growth has come a rise the result of a ‘nocebo effect’, where a person in complaints from residents living near wind becomes certain something harmless is Australians living near wind farms may soon farms who report experiencing headaches, making them sick. In other words, their health know if ‘wind turbine syndrome’ actually exists dizziness and sleep disturbances that they problems are triggered by the individual’s or if the symptoms they report are the result attribute to the turbines. The symptoms, dislike of the turbines, rather than from any of the ‘nocebo effect’. which also include nausea, tinnitus and sound emanating from them.” The National Health and Medical irritability, are referred to collectively as wind Flinders University’s Associate Professor Research Council (NHMRC) has awarded two turbine syndrome (WTS), a medical state they Peter Catcheside’s $1.3 million NHMRC grant grants totalling $3.3 million to enrich the link to infrasound. will evaluate the sleep and physiological evidence-based understanding of the effects With a $1.9 million NHMRC grant disturbance characteristics of wind farm noise of wind farms on human health. Professor Marks will lead two trials, one in compared to traffic noise.

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Climate Science Centre underpins future research

CSIRO will establish a national climate research centre in Hobart that CSIRO will offer its unique Southern Hemisphere modelling will focus on climate modelling and projections for Australia, drawing capability and measurements to the UK’s global model, helping on both national and international research expertise. to build a model that is even more relevant for Australia and other Southern Hemisphere nations. Operating as part of CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, the new All of CSIRO’s critical measurement infrastructure, such as the CSIRO Climate Science Centre has a guaranteed research capability for ice and air libraries, ARGO float program and Cape Grim, will be 10 years and will focus CSIRO’s climate measurement and modelling guaranteed in the same manner as the other national facilities such as researchers and resources. the RV Investigator, which is based in Hobart. Collaboration and partnership will be a cornerstone of this Welcoming CSIRO’s announcement, Mr Pyne said the Centre’s decadal commitment for Australia. In recognition of this, the Minister research would help guide decision-making around land use, where for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne, has agreed and how infrastructure is built, and the viability of new technologies that an independent National Climate Science Advisory Committee and approaches to carbon abatement. will be established, with representation from CSIRO, the Bureau of “Australia’s whole research sector – supported by the Australian Meteorology and other experts from Australia and overseas. Government’s annual investment in science, research and innovation It will report at Ministerial level to inform the future direction of of almost $10 billion – contributes to this vital national capability,” Australia’s climate science capability and research priorities. Mr Pyne said. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said CSIRO’s Strategy 2020 “It is critical that CSIRO continue to work in this space, and this was focused on collaboration, global connection, excellent science announcement fulfils that commitment. It means that Australia’s and innovation. foremost research agency will continue to underpin and provide “All four of these pillars are at work in this Centre,” Dr Marshall leadership in an area that impacts all of us. said. “As I indicated at the start of CSIRO’s current broader change “Throughout its history CSIRO has independently made decisions process, it is critical that we retain the capability that about how best to direct its efforts and resources to underpins our national climate research effort. meet Australia’s needs – this operational decision is “This announcement is a culmination of the another example of this.” ongoing consultation and feedback we’ve had from Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO our staff and stakeholders, and this new Centre is a FAA FTSE welcomed the announcement. He said reflection of the strong collaboration and support Australia had a rich history in world-class climate right across our system and the global community. research and its future was now on a much firmer “The Centre, with support from the Advisory footing. Committee, will allow scientists across the nation to “This announcement recognises the provide a decadal commitment to climate research importance of climate research, in particular in the nation's interest.” The RV Investigator. modelling and observations, to our science and The foundation of the Centre will be 40 full-time our community. The new centre is a stable building CSIRO scientists. It will work closely with researchers from Australian block in this critical field, which will both inform national policy and universities and other stakeholders, including the BoM, and CSIRO meet our international obligations,” Dr Finkel said. is also planning to deepen its existing partnership with the UK “Australia has a central role to play in understanding the climate of Meteorology Office. the Southern Hemisphere.”

SCOTS GET HALF ENERGY FROM RENEWABLES Scotland generated the equivalent of 57.7 per cent of its electricity This follows reports in January that Denmark produced 42 per cent consumption from renewable sources in 2015, according to statistics of its electricity from wind turbines in 2015, up from 39 per cent in 2014. released by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change. The Danish Government aims to produce half of all its electricity This record figure beats the government’s 2015 interim target to from wind by 2020. meet half the country’s electricity demand from renewable sources, Some regions in Denmark’s west produced more wind energy which means Scotland is more than halfway to its ultimate goal of fully than they could consume for the equivalent of 60 days of last year. renewable electricity. Government sources said that on one particularly windy day in July, The 2015 gains, with renewable electricity generation up by Denmark produced 140 per cent of its electricity demands from its almost 16 per cent over 2014, came from increases in wind (up wind turbines and was able to sell the excess off to Germany, Norway 21.2 per cent) and hydro (up 7.2 per cent) power generation. and Sweden.

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ARENA part of nine new CEFC BACKS WINDLAB The Clean Energy Finance Corporation R&D projects is providing $8 million to a CSIRO spinout company, Windlab Ltd, which is The Australian Renewable Energy Agency power produced by all the rooftop solar commercialising CSIRO renewable energy (ARENA) has announced $17 million in PV in a given area, another will look at how research. funding for nine new R&D projects through robots could capture data for solar installation Windlab, established in 2003, has its latest collaboration R&D funding round. diagnostics and the third will look at how developed more than 550MW of wind energy battery storage and solar can solve network projects and currently has a development ARENA CEO Mr Ivor Frischknecht said constraint problems on Bruny Island. portfolio in excess of 50 projects, totalling the funding would create clear pathways “The ($2.6 million) project led by Curtin some 7000MW of potential capacity, including for renewable energy technologies to move University of Technology aims to unlock the 10 projects in Australia. Windlab now operates from the laboratory to the field by fostering potential of renewables in medium-density in seven countries, including Australia, Canada, collaboration between research institutions strata developments, while the ($10.6 million) the US and across southern Africa. and industry. University of Wollongong-led one aims to “This CEFC finance will help Windlab “ARENA’s $17 million funding is develop a low-cost, high-density sodium continue its expansion from project leveraging substantial contributions from battery. development to investment and asset private and public sectors, with combined “The University of Adelaide will lead a management, important to its growth plans,” project values totalling more than $54 million. ($15.1 million) project to find out if solar thermal CEFC CEO Mr Oliver Yates said. This will tap into our home-grown ingenuity energy can be integrated into Alcoa’s alumina “Windlab’s success to date is reflected in and complement our existing portfolio of 144 refining process and Queensland University of the breadth of its corporate activities, which R&D projects.” Technology will work with industry (on a $5.7 now include wind and solar-farm project Mr Frischknecht said the projects would million project) to explore how to produce development, asset management and equity ultimately aim to benefit businesses and biogas from sugarcane to further reduce the investment. consumers by integrating more renewables into sugar industry’s fossil fuel use. “Through our experience in the our energy networks and industrial processes. “The ($3.6 million) project led by the renewables sector, CEFC has been able to bring “A range of renewable energy University of Western Australia will determine together the appropriate finance structure to technologies are represented, including the optimum size and location of wave support Windlab in securing the next phase in storage, biofuels, wave power, solar PV and energy arrays and the University of South its business strategy. This is a great example of solar thermal,” Mr Frischknecht said. Australia-led ($2.1 million) project will an Australian business using locally developed “The Australian National University is develop low-cost phase-change materials, innovation to drive business success in the leading three projects (totalling $14.4 million). which can store solar power for the industrial growing renewable energy market.” One will develop a system to estimate the refrigeration market.”

A residential battery storage trial is now running in the suburb of RESIDENTIAL Alkimos Beach, north of Perth, supported by $3.3 million in funding BATTERY from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). STORAGE ARENA CEO Mr Ivor Frischknecht said the Alkimos trial was set to UNDER TRIAL prove an innovative energy retailing model suited to the 21st century and the lessons learned would address gaps in existing knowledge, potentially paving the way for similar projects. Solar panels on an Alkimos Beach house. “A central 1.1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of lithium-ion battery storage has been installed in two shipping containers in the suburb. It will store power from more than 100 rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems,” Mr Frischknecht said. “Combining community-scale battery storage and rooftop solar presents a win-win for energy retailers, developers and consumers, and can provide households with the benefits of storage without on-site installation and maintenance. “Solar will work alongside battery storage to lower Alkimos Beach’s demand for electricity from the grid. This model has the potential to offer residents cheaper electricity bills and reduce grid connection costs for future new developments.” The $6.7 million trial will run until 2020.

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BY LACHLAN BLACKHALL [email protected]

The personal power station is on the rise

Australia is a proving ground for residential energy storage and an overwhelming majority of global battery manufacturers are launching their products in Australia.

Australia has an amazing Australia has two compelling reasons for Our electricity prices are amongst the opportunity right now adopting residential energy storage at the 2 highest in the world. Of the top 10 A to lead the deployment moment. electricity prices globally, prices in SA, NSW, and grid integration of Australia has an incredible solar resource. Victoria and WA occupy positions three to six. residential energy storage 1 More than 1.5 million homes across For these reasons, consumers with solar globally. This storage rollout not only creates Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and are looking to energy storage as a mechanism opportunities for related products and SA provide more than 4GW of residential solar to capture and use more of the energy they technologies but also creates the impetus for generation capacity. Globally, Australia has generate – reducing their grid consumption new businesses and business models around one of the largest, if not the largest, per capita and ultimately lowering their electricity bill. electricity distribution and retail. deployment of solar. Alongside this, more than Globally, Australia is seen as a proving If we get this right Australia will stand 200,000 customers in NSW, SA and Victoria are ground for residential energy storage, which at the forefront of a revolution in how the about to lose generous solar feed-in tariffs (up means that an overwhelming majority of electricity network of the future will operate. to $0.60/kWh). global battery manufacturers are launching

NSW LEADS RACE FOR NON-TOXIC, THIN-FILM CELLS ‘Zero-energy’ buildings – which generate as much power as they The cheaper, safer CZTS cells. consume – appear closer after a UNSW team achieved the world’s highest efficiency using flexible solar cells that are non-toxic and cheap to make. Until now, the promise of zero-energy buildings has been held back by two hurdles: the cost of the thin-film solar cells (used in façades, roofs and windows), and the fact they’re made from scarce and toxic materials. But a University of NSW team, led by Dr Xioajing Hao from the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics at the UNSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, has achieved the world’s highest efficiency rating for a full-sized thin-film solar cell using a competing thin-film technology known as CZTS. NREL, the US’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has confirmed the world-leading 7.6 per cent efficiency in a 21cm area CZTS cell. “This is the first step on CZTS’s road to beyond 20 per cent

Unlike its thin-film competitors, CZTS cells are made from abundant materials (copper, zinc, tin and sulfur) and CZTS has none of the toxicity problems of its two thin-film rivals, known as CdTe (cadmium-telluride) and CIGS (copper-indium- gallium-selenide). Cadmium and selenium are toxic at even tiny doses, while tellurium and indium are extremely rare.

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While shifting power using energy drive a revolution which will ensure that storage is one way to utilise solar and customers can participate directly in the energy storage, it is not the only way. At grid, not only saving money but also actively Reposit Power, we are excited about all of participating in keeping the grid stable and the other ways that we can make solar and providing a steady supply of renewable storage work for customers through the energy for us all. deployment of advanced real-time control In years to come energy storage and and optimisation systems. smart software may allow consumers to A residential energy storage consumer using Advanced real-time control software can trade energy peer-to-peer and, in the Reposit’s technology. not only shift solar from when it is generated not-too-distant future, energy storage to when you need it but it can also pre-charge deployed throughout the grid may allow us their products in Australia first. This includes energy storage systems on cloudy days and to completely eliminate the fossil-fuel-fired storage systems from Tesla, LG, Samsung and take advantage of arbitrage opportunities power stations that we have today. Enphase. in time of use (ToU) tariffs. Importantly, such The time is right for the rise of the Many more energy storage systems from software, when coupled with an energy personal power station. A combination of manufacturers in Japan, China, South Korea, storage system, can also be used to sell residential solar and energy storage, powered Germany and the US will reach Australian energy back to the grid when wholesale by Reposit can underpin this revolutionary shores in 2016 – and this doesn’t include prices are high, or when the grid needs extra change in our electricity grid. ¤ those being developed in Australia. This stability services. Allowing consumers to sell Dr Lachlan Blackhall was the inaugural (2015) winner wide variety of storage systems will provide back to the grid is vital for supporting the of the Batterham Medal, an award by ATSE on behalf substantial choice for Australian consumers, rollout of other renewable energy generation of the Go8 Deans of Engineering and Associates that hopefully driving prices down rapidly over such as wind and commercial solar. recognises an early career engineer who has achieved the years ahead. Over the years ahead, stability services substantial peer and industry recognition for their work. Dr Blackhall graduated from the University of The primary reason that consumers provided by residential energy storage Sydney with a BE/BSc and the University Medal and are adopting residential energy storage is will increase the stability of the grid in the has a PhD in in control theory from ANU. He won that it allows them to capture excess solar presence of high renewable penetration two major prizes for his research before co-founding generation during the day and use it at night from new renewable technologies such as Reposit Power, a technology company designing advanced control systems for grid-deployed energy when peak energy prices are present. This is geothermal and wave energy. storage. As Chief Technology Officer, he has pioneered typically referred to as ‘solar shifting’. Residential energy storage is going to the use of distributed control schemes.

$1 BILLION FOR CLEAN ENERGY FUND efficiency, and marks a milestone in its journey from the lab to The Australian Government is establishing a $1 billion Clean commercial product,” Dr Hao said. “There is still a lot of work needed Energy Innovation Fund (CEIF) to support emerging technologies to catch up with CdTe and CIGS, in both efficiency and cell size, but we make the leap from demonstration to commercial deployment. are well on the way.” The Fund will be jointly managed by the Clean Energy Finance “In addition to its elements being more commonplace and Corporation (CEFC) and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency environmentally benign, we’re interested in these higher bandgap (ARENA) and provide both debt and equity for clean energy projects. CZTS cells for two reasons,” said Professor Martin Green AM FRS FAA Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Government would FTSE, a mentor of Dr Hao. reinvigorate the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the “They can be deposited directly onto materials as thin layers Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which would work together that are 50 times thinner than a human hair, so there’s no need to to provide capital investment in Australian businesses and manufacture silicon ‘wafer’ cells and interconnect them separately. emerging clean energy technologies. They also respond better than silicon to blue wavelengths of light, The CEIF will target projects such as large-scale solar with and can be stacked as a thin-film on top of silicon cells to ultimately storage, off-shore energy, biofuels and smart grids. improve the overall performance.” ARENA will continue to manage its existing portfolio of Dr Hao believes CZTS’s cheapness, benign environmental profile grants and deliver the announced $100 million large-scale solar and abundant elements may be the trigger that finally brings round, and will be given an expanded focus beyond renewable architects and builders onboard to using thin-film solar panels more energy to enable energy efficiency and low-emissions technology, widely in buildings. according to the announcement. Once the large-scale solar Until now, most architects have used conventional solar panels round is complete, ARENA will move from a grant-based role to made from crystalline silicon. While these are even cheaper than CZTS predominantly a debt and equity basis under the CEIF. cells, they don’t offer the same flexibility for curved surfaces and other The CEIF will be established from within the CEFC’s $10 billion awkward geometries needed to easily integrate into building designs. allocation. This Fund will make available $100 million a year for 10 years.

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AUSTRALIA JOINS NUCLEAR Power Shift looks RESEARCH FORUM Australia has joined the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), a cooperative to 21st century international endeavour, along with 12 other nations and the European Union to work together on long-term research on advanced nuclear technologies. The Clean Energy Council has released Power Shift: The Forum develops Generation IV technology and addresses not only the A blueprint for a 21st century power system, which construction and operation of the next generation of nuclear power reactors, details a suite of strategic policy and regulatory but also considers fuel efficiency, reducing waste production, and meeting measures to drive the transition from a high- stringent standards of safety and proliferation resistance. emission power sector to an energy system powered Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Christopher Pyne said Australia’s by renewable energy, battery storage and efficient success in gaining membership was based on the landmark research and smart technology. infrastructure and world-class research capabilities and expertise of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to contribute to the GIF’s Clean Energy Council Chief goals. Executive Mr Kane Thornton said “Australia’s invitation to join this important global project marks an exciting taking advantage of Australia’s opportunity to be at the forefront of global innovation in the nuclear industry,” massive clean energy potential Mr Pyne said. “Inclusion in the GIF further strengthens Australia’s position as a would allow the nation to nation that has the research muscle to deliver innovations on the global stage. modernise its energy system and GIF research is focused on six reactor designs that will deliver safe, secure, cut emissions from the energy sustainable, competitive and versatile nuclear technology. GIF expects that sector to zero by no later than some of these reactor designs could be demonstrated and commercially rolled POWER SHIFT: 2050. out in around 2030 to 2040, and current members are already developing and A BLUEPRINTST CENTURY FOR A 21 ENERGY SYSTEM Ultimately this constructing prototype technologies. visit cleanenergycouncil.org.au transformation would do Meanwhile the Government has shortlisted the voluntarily nominated much of the heavy lifting for site in Barndioota, South Australia, as a possible site for a National Radioactive Australia’s commitments under Waste Management Facility. Last November the Government shortlisted six the global climate agreement reached in Paris last year. voluntarily nominated sites for community consultation, three in SA, and one in He said Power Shift contained many actions that each of NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory. could be integrated by policymakers and regulators to pave the way for a modern energy system which TRACKING CLOUDS TO BOOST PV PLANTS created a more competitive market and empowered consumers to generate, store and manage their own electricity use. A CloudCAM prototype. POWER SHIFT CALLS FOR: ¢ transparent carbon reduction targets that apply to the energy sector, recognising the important interaction between energy policy and climate change policy: ¢ strong and long-term renewable energy targets that ensure the continued and steady deployment of ARENA PHOTO: renewable energy; A cloud-tracking system that enables cheaper renewable energy by forecasting ¢ innovation that delivers the next generation of clean the power output of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants has entered the Australian energy solutions with appropriate institutions and market, with Fulcrum3D selling its CloudCAM technology to utility-scale solar support for R&D, demonstration, and innovative customers. financing for the clean energy sector; Fulcrum3D Technical Director Mr Colin Bonner said three commercial solar ¢ smart regulation that creates a competitive market sites across Australia had purchased CloudCAMs, including two sites operated and empowers consumers and reforms energy by renewable energy company Epuron. market and regulatory frameworks to facilitate greater “The two sites, at Ti-Tree and Kalkarindji in the Northern Territory, are the competition, empower consumers and overcome first high-penetration PV power stations in Australia to use cloud forecasting the barriers to unlock the commercial opportunities to smooth solar power output,” he said. “In addition to increasing revenue, to transition to smarter, cleaner energy technologies; the integration of CloudCAM at the Ti Tree site has seen a significantly lower and demand for energy from its storage system, reducing cycling of the batteries ¢ public support achieved by unlocking the benefits of and increasing battery life.” renewable energy for communities and consumers. A pilot project received more than $500,000 funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

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CRAIG SIMMONS TAKES ON Two Fellows on ARENA Board WATER QUALITY ROLE South Australian 2105 Scientist of the Year Mr Jonathan Jutsen FTSE and Dr Katherine Professor Craig Simmons FTSE has been Woodthorpe FTSE have been named appointed to a national advisory group on among six new directors on the board of the Australia’s drinking water quality. The National Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Water Quality Advisory Committee provides Announcing the appointments, expert advice to the NHMRC on public health Environment Minister Greg Hunt said issues related to drinking water quality. the board would, in collaboration with “Water quality is a profoundly important the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and fundamental issue for all aspects of (CEFC), jointly manage the $1 billion public and environmental health nationally Clean Energy Innovation Fund to support and internationally,” Professor Simmons says. emerging technologies make the leap from A leading Australian hydro-geologist, demonstration to commercial deployment. Professor Simmons, the director of the Mr Jutsen is the Chair of the Australian National Centre for Groundwater Research Alliance to Save Energy and has been a leading and Training (NCGRT) at Flinders University, figure in Australia and internationally in the will join other leading authorities in the fields energy efficiency and carbon management of microbiology, toxicology, regulation of field for more than three decades. Katherine Woodthorpe water quality and operation of water utilities. Dr Woodthorpe is an experienced non- “I am honoured to be invited to join the executive director, serving on boards ranging Global Environmental Markets Practice, committee, which is also responsible for from ASX-listed companies to research his other roles include Adjunct Professor targeted research areas relating to health and institutions and government entities of Climate Change Law at the water, Australian public health epidemiology for nearly 20 years. An experienced Australian National University and World Health Organization systems and venture capitalist, she was Chief and an Affiliate of the Cambridge processes for drinking water quality,” he says. Executive of the Australian Private Centre for Climate Change “The NHMRC Water Quality Advisory Equity and Venture Capital Mitigation Research at the Committee will provide advice on current Association Ltd 2006–13. University of Cambridge. and emerging health issues relating to water Mr Martijn Wilder AM will Other Directors are Ms Maria quality in Australia, the Australian Drinking serve as the new Chair of ARENA. Atkinson AM, Ms Susan Jeanes and Water Guidelines, and identify gaps in the Head of Baker and McKenzie’s Jonathan Jutsen Ms Meg McDonald. NHMRC water quality guidelines.”

WA AANSTO CHIEF REAPPOINTED Dr Adi Paterson FTSE has been reappointed for five years as the CEO of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), which is the home of Australia’s nuclear science expertise and the custodian of some of the nation’s most significant science and research infrastructure. Dr Paterson commenced his tenure as CEO in March 2009. Under his Adi Paterson leadership, ANSTO has significantly expanded its national and international impact. Major programs and projects that are helping drive ANSTO’s growth include: Craig Simmons ¢ the $168.8 million ANSTO nuclear medicine project, which will come online in coming months and see ANSTO more than triple its production of potentially life-saving nuclear medicines; and ¢ ANSTO’s assumption of operational control of the Australian Synchrotron. ANSTO Chair, Mr Jim McDowell, said Dr Paterson’s leadership, achievements and strong vision for ANSTO’s future had made the Board confident of Dr Paterson’s continued leadership. “Dr Paterson has led ANSTO exceptionally well, and will continue to do so. With Dr Paterson at the helm we are well positioned to continue to deliver strong outcomes for Australia,” Mr McDowell said. Dr Erica Smyth FTSE is ANSTO Deputy Chair.

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Frazer to head medical research board

Five Fellows have been named by Health Hilton, a member of ATSE’s Gender Equity Minister Sussan Ley as members of a new Working Group, is one of 20 inaugural ‘Male eight-member advisory board to advise the Champions of Change’, recognised for his Government on investing proceeds from the work to improve the representation of $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund. women at senior levels of medical research. Professor Høj was formerly the Vice The Board will be chaired by eminent Chancellor and President of the University of scientist Professor Ian Frazer AC FRS FAA FTSE. South Australia from June 2007 to October Professor Frazer, who was integral in developing Karen Reynolds Ian Frazer 2012. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer, is also Officer of the Australian Research Council president of the Cancer Council Australia. (2004–07) and Managing Director of the He will be joined on the Australian Australian Wine Research Institute, based Medical Research Advisory Board by seven in Adelaide (1997–2004). Professor Høj was other directors, including four Fellows: educated at the University of Copenhagen, Professor Doug Hilton FAA FTSE, President majoring in biochemistry and chemistry. He of the Association of Australian Medical has a Master of Science in biochemistry and Research Institutes; University of Queensland genetics and a PhD in photosynthesis. Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Høj FTSE; Dr Rathjen has significant experience in Chief Executive of ASX-listed biotech Peter Høj Deborah Rathjen company building and financing, mergers and company Bionomics, Dr Deborah Rathjen acquisitions, therapeutic product research FTSE; and Flinders University academic business case, ensuring that the financial and development, business development, Professor Karen Reynolds FTSE. assistance provided from the MRFF delivers licensing and commercialisation. Dr Rathjen The Board will develop the Australian the greatest value for all Australians.” has been recognised both in Australia and Medical Research and Innovation Strategy Professor Frazer is founding CEO and internationally through awards and honours. every five years, and associated Australian Director of Research of the Translational In 2015 she was named in the Top 50 most Medical Research and Innovation Priorities Research Institute in Brisbane. He has received influential Australia business women by The every two years. It will also provide advice more than 20 awards for science, including a Australian newspaper. to the Health Minister on other matters that Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science (2006), a Professor Reynolds is Deputy Dean, relate to use of funding from the MRFF. Clunies Ross Award and Howard Florey Medal Computer Sciences, and a Matthew Flinders “The MRFF is the single largest (2007), and the Prime Minister’s Prize for Distinguished Professor at Flinders University, investment in medical research ever made Science and a Balzan Prize (2008). a Director of ATSE and Chair of its Health in this country – and a core part of the Professor Hilton is a molecular biologist, Technology Forum, a member of the SA Australian Government’s health reform and Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Science Council, Chair of the Biomedical innovation agenda,” Ms Ley said. Institute of Medical Research and Head Engineering College, Engineers Australia, and “The Advisory Board will ensure that any of the Department of Medical Biology at also Chair of EA’s National Panel for Biomedical expenditure from the MRFF will have a strong the University of Melbourne. Professor Engineering Education and Research.

CHARLIE SARTAIN WINS manager and senior executive roles in Australia and THE INSTITUTE MEDAL overseas before being appointed Chief Executive Queensland Division stalwart Mr Charlie Sartain of Xstrata Copper and a member of Xstrata plc’s FTSE has been awarded the The Institute Medal – Executive Committee in January 2004. Over the most prestigious award and highest honour subsequent years Xstrata Copper grew to become conferred by the AusIMM. It is awarded in the world’s fourth largest copper producer. Mr recognition of eminent leadership services to the Sartain left the Xstrata Group upon the completion Australasian minerals sector. of the merger with Glencore plc in May 2013. Mr Sartain’s commitment to the global minerals As his career progressed, Mr Sartain became industry spans 35 years. He spent the early part of known for his philanthropic and corporate his career in a variety of mining engineering and activities that enhanced research, promoted social management roles at the Mount Isa Mines complex Charlie Sartain responsibility and recognised the importance of the in north Queensland. He then held several general minerals industry in a global context.

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Fellows leading NSW data analytics

Three ATSE Fellows are playing a leading and Flagship Director at CSIRO. role in the NSW Government’s Data He is regarded as a thought leader in the Analytics Centre (DAC) as members of a new area of the digital economy and is a regular advisory board to hone the Government’s speaker on ‘Big Data’, broadband enabled data priorities. services and the impact of technology on society. He has an MBA from the Chaired by the chief information officer at University of London and a PhD in Mobile the Australian Stock Exchange, Mr Tim Thurman, Telecommunications from the University of the board comprises nine other members from Sydney. government, industry and academia. NSW Innovation Minister Mr Victor The creation of the board follows the Dominello said the first-of-its-kind facility, appointment of Dr Ian Oppermann FTSE which is presently co-located at the University as CEO and Chief Data Scientist of the NSW of Technology Sydney, would better enable Data Analytics Centre. He is NSW’s first Chief data sharing between agencies to inform more Data Scientist, having acted in the role in an efficient, strategic, whole-of-government, Ian Oppermann interim capacity since the middle of last year. evidence-based decision-making. Dr Oppermann has more than 20 years’ “The board will advise government on Durrant-Whyte FRS FAA FTSE, Director of the experience in the ICT sector and has held priorities and the key partnerships across Centre for Translational Data Science at the senior management roles in Europe and industry, government and research sectors University of Sydney, are on the new Board. Australia as Director for Radio Access that should be forged to ensure outcomes are “With the calibre of Dr Ian Oppermann Performance at Nokia, Global Head of Sales delivered,” Mr Dominello said. and Tim Thurman at the helm, I’m confident Partnering (network software) at Nokia Professor Mary O’Kane AC FTSE, NSW Chief the DAC will deliver positive outcomes,” Siemens Networks, and then Divisional Chief Scientist and Engineer, and Professor Hugh Mr Dominello said.

SIDDIQUE TAKES THE PULSE we need to mobilise responsible governance of food production.” The University of Western Australia’s Agriculture Chair, Professor FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva said the appointment Kadambot Siddique AM FTSE, has been named by the United Nations was made in recognition of Professor Siddique’s outstanding Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as Special Ambassador for contribution to Australian and international agriculture, leading Pulses 2016 at a ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco. innovative research in production agronomy, development and Professor Siddique received the Special Ambassador designation at breeding of pulses and cereal crops for the benefit of the grains the 2016 International Conference on Pulses for Health, Nutrition and industry in Australia and overseas. Sustainable Agriculture in Drylands, where world experts gathered to “Your many efforts have also promoted international collaboration by find a path forward to boost pulse production in developing countries providing an extensive network of research connections to help farmers using science, development investments, policy and markets. improve the quality and output of their crops,” Dr Graziano da Silva said. As Special Ambassador, Professor Siddique will raise awareness of “I am confident that your knowledge, commitment and influence the important contribution of pulses to food security and nutrition, would amplify the message about the important role of pulses in including the positive impact of pulses sustainable food production, and will send a on climate change, human health and strong signal to the international community environmental sustainability. Kadambot Siddique on their benefits for soil fertility and climate “In the changing climate, the role of honoured in Marrakesh. change.” pulses in farming systems is important for Professor Siddique has 30 years’ experience crop diversification, nitrogen fixation and in agricultural research, teaching and availability of nutrients in the system, as well management in both Australia and overseas. As as for human health, including cardiovascular a result of his personal research and extensive disease, diabetes, obesity and dementia,” collaborations, Australia has become one of the Professor Siddique said. major grain legume exporting nations in the “I am humbled and honoured to continue world. His pioneering research on chickpeas the FAO’s mission of eradicating hunger, food has contributed enormously to the Australian insecurity and malnutrition. With declining chickpea industry, currently valued at more arable land and water, now more than ever than $300 million a year.

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Chris Roberts blazes the innovation trail

After 40 years at the frontier of ground- trying to see the future of clinical practice. engineering’s footprint both locally and breaking medical device technology, former Asking how are you as a healthcare across the globe. It’s an ambitious challenge, Cochlear CEO Professor Chris Roberts FTSE professional going to want to manage your but one for which he’s well equipped, having has built a career on being one step ahead patients down the track, given the doubling worked in fields ranging from orthopaedics of the curve. of medical knowledge every two to four and cardiology to sleep medicine, as well as years,” he says. “And it is also about being able serving on the executives of Cochlear and As the inaugural joint Professor of the to see the future of technology.” ventilation technology giant ResMed. PLuS Alliance, a global collaboration between In his new role with the PLuS Alliance, “The medical devices industry is UNSW Australia, King’s College London and Professor Roberts’ focus is to grow biomedical characterised by technologic innovation and Arizona State University, Professor Roberts hopes to take his passion for innovation to the next level, bringing together government, Chris Roberts industry and academia across three continents to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. “What are all these different countries, states and cities doing to drive innovation, to drive translation? What does the future look like and how do we participate in that?” he asks. “It’s about government policy, it’s about industry and it’s about universities, and how do these groups work collaboratively together – what are the settings that the government needs?” Strategic thinking is second nature for Professor Roberts, a chemical engineer who started his professional life in the field of renal dialysis and went on to become chief of trailblazing hearing device company Cochlear – a position he held for 11 years.

“As a medical device company you’re JONES QUENTIN PHOTO:

TOM CALLCOTT A BHP RESEARCH Tom Callcott was born in Melbourne and graduated BSc (1947) and STALWART DAppSc (1970) from the University of Melbourne. He had supervisory and Dr Tom Callcott AM FTSE, a fuel technologist and pioneer of the research roles with ICIANZ Ltd in 1947–51, working on synthetic ammonia Australian Institute of Energy, was widely known for his work as fuel production, brown coal fluidised drying and carbonisation. research manager with BHP. The composition and processing of coal became his principal A University of Melbourne engineering graduate, he spent most research interest, beginning when he worked on the generation of fine of his working career at the BHP Central Research Laboratories in coal particles with the British Coal Utilisation Research Association Newcastle (1956–82), following earlier employment with ICIANZ Ltd during 1951–55. BCURA was one of the early industry research groups (now Orica). established in Britain and fine coal was a problem in the domestic heating He established Callcott Consulting in 1982 after he left BHP. systems of the time because they were not designed to handle the fines His was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2002 for his that mining inevitably produced. service to science, particularly in the field of particle science, coal One outcome of Tom’s research was the development of the carbonisation and coal technology. He joined ATSE as a Fellow in 1976. Broadbent–Callcott technique, which tracked the movement of particles ATSE has recently learned of his death in Newcastle in November through size fractions as breakage occurred. The equation incorporating 2014, aged 90. breakage, selection and classification that they used became the basis This obituary was contributed by Emeritus Professor Dr Alban of models which are now used for optimising industrial comminution Lynch AO FTSE: processes.

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research and development, and many are in take these three leading, globally thinking Farrell AM FTSE, who had done his PhD niche markets so they have to be global. So universities and top-down form a strategic with US dialysis pioneer Belding Scribner I’ve spent my life in international, innovative alliance. How do we make that work?” and returned to Sydney to set up a new businesses.” Although it’s early days – he started the nephrology research laboratory. In addition to corporate boards, he position in February – Professor Roberts has “I did my final-year experimental design has also had extensive experience in the hit the ground running, with fact-finding thesis in his lab and got really excited about government sector and is currently serving missions to London and the US. dialysis – I was blown away that you could on three top advisory bodies – the NHMRC’s Each PLuS Alliance university has different keep people alive with just these very simple Health Innovation Advisory Committee, Jobs strengths, and his mission is to explore chemical engineering principles,” Professor NSW, and Innovation and Science Australia how new opportunities and advantages Roberts says. – a new independent body to help drive the can be leveraged through collaboration, Cochlear founder the late Paul Trainor Turnbull Government’s $1.1 billion National particularly in areas such as business and gave him his first job out of university in Innovation and Science Agenda. commercialisation or greater integration 1976. He went on to do his MBA and a PhD He sees the PLuS Alliance as between and within faculties. in biomedical engineering, completing complementing these roles and says that, Plenty of things are exciting Professor his thesis on plasma exchange therapy for rather than simply swapping industry for Roberts in the engineering space, from new autoimmune diseases – a technique he academia, “I am actually creating something a materials to UNSW’s quantum computing ultimately likened to “killing a mosquito with little bit different”. research and developments in machine a sledgehammer”, although it is used today Professor Roberts has long been a learning, which he says could have important to treat conditions such as Guillain–Barré believer in the importance of universities to applications in medicine and research. syndrome. corporate innovation; he moved Cochlear His own journey into medical technology He entertained the idea of going into back onto an academic campus at Macquarie was one of “serendipity”. Originally seeking a medicine at some point but says he realised University to bring it within a research degree that would offer good employment very early on that “if you could bring environment. prospects, he chose food technology, the technology in and do some of these things Together, Cochlear and the university logic being that “people are always going to you could probably influence just as many have built a ‘hearing precinct’, also housing need to eat”. people, maybe a larger number of people”. not-for-profits and government statutory He ultimately decided to enrol in “I think you’ve always got to be moving bodies – a “wonderful example” of top-down chemical engineering, thinking it sounded forward,” he says. “If you get up every morning strategic collaboration Roberts says happens a bit more challenging, but still took all motivated and fired up, and actually just put all too infrequently. the food-related subjects: brewing, dairy, one foot in front of the other, it’s amazing “A lot of collaboration, particularly cheese “and that got me into biology and what you can do.” in research, is bottom-up. But that’s not microbiology”. strategic,” he says. While an undergraduate at UNSW, he Edited from an article that first appeared on the “What I’m interested in is how do we studied under ResMed founder Dr Peter UNSW online Newsroom, written by Amy Coopes.

Tom worked with the BHP Central Research outstanding contributions to the science of fuel Laboratory in Newcastle from its establishment and energy. He was Foundation President of in 1956 to 1982, becoming Fuel Research the Australian Institute of Energy and holder of Manager during the later part of this period. numerous offices in the Australian membership From 1982 until retirement in 2007, Tom was the of the Institute of Fuel, including National Principal of Callcott Consulting PL. Chairman for two years. His research and development projects He was inventor of patents granted in were concerned with the physical and chemical several countries concerning coking (Auscoke properties of coals, cokes and other coal Tom Callcott process), gasification (OXAR process), ball mill derivatives, resource characterisation and media, coal processing and transporting. He appraisal, comminution of fuels and minerals, published more than 100 papers and patents coal preparation research and practices, Auscoke, Integrated Pipeline and was co-author with GB Smith of the book Solvent Refined Coal. Transport and coal separation system, with special emphasis on coal Tom was awarded the Institute Medal of the AusIMM in 1991 and the conversion especially liquefaction through solvent refined coal. Joseph Becker Award of the Iron and Steel Society in 2001, and an Order of Tom travelled widely and gained an international reputation. He Australia in 2002. was the first Australian to receive the Melchett Medal (1976), which is He is survived by his wife, Mary, and his two daughters, the highest award of the British Institute of Energy. It is awarded for Barbara and Ruth.

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Crozier has a clear vision of success

It was only when Professor Stuart Crozier These deals have brought tens of millions of But I also saw clinicians and allied health FTSE and his colleagues shook hands on a dollars to UQ. workers not being able to treat patients as licensing deal with global healthcare giant GE “Our timing was really fabulous in terms effectively as they needed to because their Healthcare that he realised the technology of focusing on the technology of MRI and the diagnostic methods weren’t up to it,” he recalls. he’d co-invented was going to affect the lives engineering of it,” Professor Crozier says. “Some of the treatments were also inadequate. of countless patients worldwide. This early success was the first of several They were quite clear about the things that medical technology breakthroughs he and his they wanted to do but couldn’t, and some of Professor Crozier, Director of the colleagues have made. He holds more than that was because of a lack of technology.” Biomedical Engineering and MedTeQ Centre 20 patents for MRI-related technologies and After completing his undergraduate at the University of Queensland, and his his expertise in designing medical devices degree, he joined the Princess Alexandra team developed a way to make images from and developing new applications has had a Hospital and the Queensland Government’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners significant global impact. medical physics department, and started on a clearer. This innovation vastly enhanced the Professor Crozier migrated to Australia part-time masters degree in medical physics value of MRI machines as diagnostic tools and with his family from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in at QUT. It established a pattern whereby he helped clinicians detect diseases earlier. the north of England, when he was six years would undertake part-time higher education The technology is now central to more than old. He grew up in Brisbane, where his father into areas that related to his day job. 65 per cent of all MRI scanners manufactured was a motor mechanic. “The work that I was doing motivated and has been used in billions of scans. A talent for maths and physics, and an the study and the study helped to improve “We shook hands on the deal with interest in health and medicine, led him to the work,” says Professor Crozier, who also GE Healthcare after protracted negotiations study a Bachelor of Engineering, specialising completed a PhD and a higher doctorate at and then they told us the volume of their in electrical engineering, at the Queensland UQ. This was followed by short stints working sales and the reach of the machines around University of Technology (QUT). Before in laboratories in the UK, the US and Japan. the world. It was only then we realised we he started his undergraduate degree, he Following their success with clearer would be a part of the diagnosis of huge undertook an internship at the biomedical imaging, his team looked to reduce the size numbers of patients,” Professor Crozier says. engineering department of the Princess of the magnets MRI machines needed to “That is such a wonderful feeling.” Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. What he saw operate. MRI machines use superconducting Along with GE Healthcare, another major there sparked his interest in designing and magnets cooled to minus 269°C. The large manufacturer of MRI machines, Siemens developing medical devices. size of the magnets meant the machines Technology, has licensed the technology. “I saw engineers working on cool things. were expensive and took up a lot of space

UWA HONOURS BERNARD BOWEN WA Wildlife Research Centre. He guided the establishment of the WA WA science icon and long-time Fellow Dr Bernard Bowen AM FTSE Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) and was its founding chair. has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of He was instrumental in the establishment of ICRAR – a joint venture Western Australia (UWA). between Curtin University and UWA – and has chaired the ICRAR Board Renowned as one of the country’s finest science administrators since 2009 and is a member of the WA Science Hall of Fame. and a passionate marine science and radio astronomy leader, he was the founding chair of the International HARRY POULOS NAMED ‘GEOLEGEND’ Centre for Radio Astronomy Research Professor Harry Poulos AM FAA FTSE, a world- (ICRAR) in WA. leading authority on foundation engineering, has He was presented with the degree been named a ‘GeoLegend’ by the US Geo Institute in recognition of his outstanding (a part of the American Society of Civil Engineers) contribution to science in WA following a and been the subject of an in-depth interview in long and distinguished career spanning the latest issue of its GeoStrata publication. more than half a century. GeoStrata says Professor Poulos’ other areas Dr Bowen was WA’s first government Harry Poulos of expertise include soil behaviour and piled marine scientist, spent 23 years at the foundations, marine geotechnics, and earthquake helm of the Department of Fisheries, was geotechnics. He has held dual roles in academia and industry and chair of the WA Environmental Protection specialises in tall building foundation design. Authority and helped develop the WA In recent years he has been involved with foundation design Bernard Bowen Marine Research Laboratories and the for the Burj Khalifa (currently the world’s tallest building) in Dubai,

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Stuart Crozier with a machines are now widely used in hospitals radiofrequency coil. and clinics in developing nations. There is also interest from sporting bodies, which see the benefits of being able to scan their players to assess if they can continue playing without aggravating or exacerbating an injury. Professor Crozier’s latest project is to develop an image-guided therapy to enable an MRI machine to locate and focus a radiation beam directly onto a tumour in real time, reducing the amount of healthy tissue that can be inadvertantly irradiated using current methods. This work is attracting considerable interest around the world. German scientific

PHOTO: UQ instrument maker Bruker is employing some of his developments in radiofrequency engineering. UQ’s Magnetica, formed in 2005 to commercialise the magnets, is partnering As one of the world’s leading innovators in medical imaging with Japanese magnet maker Jastec and technology, Professor Stuart Crozier FTSE is touching the lives of has also been holding talks with a Chinese countless patients. His advancements in MRI scanner technology company. have been used in billions of scans and are helping doctors around In 2012, Professor Crozier received a Clunies the world make better and more timely diagnoses, improving Ross Award for his 20 years of contributions to patients’ wellbeing and saving lives. the field of magnetic resonance imaging. in hospitals. Their design also created portable magnets, which can now be found Edited from an article that first appeared on the discomfort for patients with claustrophobia, in a new range of mobile MRI machines. Australia Unlimited website written by Christopher who had to enter the machine’s tunnel-like When a knee or elbow needs to be scanned, Niesche. Australia Unlimited is a nation brand entrance to be scanned. there’s no need for the patient to physically which is part of a broader Government-funded The team developed smaller and more enter the machine. These smaller and cheaper program called Building Brand Australia.

the proposed Incheon 151 Tower in Incheon, South Korea, and the organisations such as UNESCO, Diamond Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. to recognise the talent and Professor Poulos has been a Fellow for 20 years. In 1961 he earned achievements of scientists and Suresh a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Sydney, engineers worldwide. Bhargava where he later obtained a PhD in 1965. Before transitioning into He was among nine international academia, he was an engineer at MacDonald Wagner & Priddle. He Laureates conferred in Tehran in joined the Department of Civil Engineering at Sydney University in March by the Iranian Minister of 1965 and was appointed professor in 1982, a position that he held Science, Research and Technology. until his retirement in 2001. This award recognises researchers, In 1989, he joined the consulting firm of Coffey Partners innovators and inventors from all International, where he is currently a senior principal with Coffey over the world for their outstanding Geotechnics. He is also an emeritus professor at the University of achievements and contributions to Sydney, and an adjunct professor at Hong Kong University of Science science and technology. The award is and Technology. named after the 8th century Iranian mathematician and astronomer Abu Jafar Mohammad Ibn Mousa SURESH BHARGAVA WINS IRAN HONOUR Khwarizmi. Professor Suresh Bhargava FTSE, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Bhargava was chosen from 628 nominations for his latest (International) at RMIT, has been awarded the 29th Khwarizmi invention in the field of industrial chemistry – an ultrasensitive sensor International Award, an initiative by the Iranian Ministry of Science, for monitoring mercury emissions in alumina refineries using quartz Research and Technology, with the support of major international crystal microbalances and a novel gold-based nanotechnology.

www.atse.org.au 51 FOCUS | JUNE 2016 ATSE PEOPLE

Fellows prominent in research planning

Four Fellows are among the group of experts a national level and to identify future national who will map out Australia’s research research infrastructure priorities and areas for priorities over the coming decade. ongoing investment. Minister Birmingham said the NCRIS Education and Training Minster Senator supported national research infrastructure Simon Birmingham said the new Expert that provided services to more than Working Group (EWG) would help set 35,000 researchers, both domestically and the future direction of national research Andrew Cuthbertson internationally, through 27 projects and infrastructure, with $150 million a year of facilities delivered at 222 institutions. indexed funding for the National Collaborative Edwina Cornish “Combined with guaranteed funding Research Infrastructure Strategy through the for the National Collaborative Research National Innovation and Science Agenda. which, in turn, is critical to Australia’s future. Infrastructure Strategy, this Roadmap will The eight-person EWG will be chaired by “The work of this eminent group of help retain and attract the best researchers Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO FTSE and will Australians will develop a roadmap to to position Australia amongst the world’s include Professor Edwina Cornish AO FTSE, maintaining and expanding Australia’s other top research countries,” Minister Provost of Monash University, Dr Andrew world-class research capability,” Minister Birmingham said. Cuthbertson FTSE, Chief Scientific Office and Birmingham said. It was expected to be “This next phase for the National R&D Director, CSL Ltd, and Dr Adi Paterson completed in late 2016. Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy FTSE, CEO, ANSTO. “The Expert Working Group will consult is an important part of implementing our Minister Birmingham said the National widely with researchers, businesses and other National Innovation and Science Agenda as Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy stakeholders to develop a national 10-year our economy transitions from one reliant on was critical to Australia’s research community plan to underpin research and innovation at mines to one focused on minds.”

WENDY CRAIK TO HEAD BIOSECURITY REVIEW SHARING THEIR VISION Dr Wendy Craik AM FTSE will chair an independent review of the Intergovernmental Agreement FOR INNOVATION on Biosecurity (IGAB), an essential component of the national biosecurity system. Four Fellows were featured in the recent Dr Craik will be joined by Dr Richard Sheldrake AM FTSE, ATSE NSW Division Chair and ‘Thought Leadership Series’ of articles former Director-General of the NSW Department of Primary Industries Mr David Palmer. promoted by Science Meets Business, an The review was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for online publisher. Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce. Chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA The IGAB was first introduced in 2012 to identify biosecurity roles and FTSE wrote that all real-world problems were responsibilities across Australian governments, and outlines priorities for solvable from an engineering perpsective. collaboration to minimise the impact of pests and disease on Australia’s CSIRO’s Deputy Director and Science economy, environment and the community. Director of Manufacturing Dr Cathy Foley “Australia’s biosecurity system is working well and our world-class PSM FTSE shared a four-step plan to ready credentials underpin the international market access enjoyed by our Australia for the vastly different job scene of farmers and profits at the farmgate,” Mr Joyce said. “Our biosecurity system Wendy Craik the future. protects the health of all Australians, plants and animals, but it is not Ausbiotech CEO Dr Anna Lavelle FTSE something the Australian Government can deliver in isolation. wrote that cash-strapped life sciences had “Strong biosecurity relies on evidence-based processes and received a massive funding boost that partnerships across all Australian governments and between industry, would strengthen the role of biotech in our natural resource managers and the broader community. economic future. “Strong biosecurity also requires sufficient resources and capability, Chief Defence Scientist, Dr Alex Zelinksy which is why the Australian Government has committed an additional FTSE wrote that building a highly trained $300 million to strengthen biosecurity efforts via the Agricultural Richard Sheldrake STEM workforce was critical to Australia’s Competitiveness White Paper. This review of IGAB will help ensure our defence and national security. nation’s biosecurity system remains current, efficient and flexible.” Science Meets Business, backed by the Dr Craik holds a PhD in zoology and has previously served as a Commissioner of the CRC Association, positions itself as showcasing Productivity Commission, Chair of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Chair of the frontier research and the nexus, and National Rural Advisory Council and Executive Director of the National Farmers’ Federation. opportunity, between science and business.

52 www.atse.org.au Graduate Research Training. www.unimelb.edu.au/research/

Join Australia’s Best Minds e University of Melbourne is seeking high calibre PhD students to contribute to projects at the forefront of international research. At the University of Melbourne, one of Australia’s leading research universities, you will become part of a dynamic research community, working alongside the best and brightest researchers in the country. Our generous scholarship programs provide students with  nancial support and opportunities for international  eldwork and travel. To  nd out more about undertaking a graduate research degree at Melbourne, visit: www.unimelb.edu.au/research/ ATSE_June.inddATSE_June.indd 1 1 13/05/201613/05/2016 8:35 8:35 AM AM