The Australian Academy of Science

Congratulations to ecologists Emily Hoffmann, Emmeline Norris and Patt Finnerty who are the recipients of the 2025 Margaret Middleton Award. The fund supports early-career ecology researchers focused on endangered Australian native animals. Learn more: https://bit.ly/40QEMcc Nominations for 2026 are now open: https://bit.ly/410TkX2

Thanks to a generous gift from Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger AC FAA and Dr John Henstridge in 2024, the Academy was able to launch the Early Career Scientists International Fund. This transformative gift will empower young researchers from the Asia-Pacific to collaborate internationally and enhance their research capabilities for many years to come. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWa4fEkV Prof Praeger has been a strong advocate for women in STEM throughout her acclaimed career in mathematics that has earned her numerous accolades. In celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, our chief executive Anna-Maria Arabia spoke to She Gives—a campaign to grow women’s giving in Australia by celebrating the collective power of giving to all causes, at all levels for positive social change.

Do you know a scientist or researcher making significant contributions in their field? You can nominate them now for a prestigious Honorific Award, regardless of their career stage. Nominate before 1 May 2025. #StarsOfScience #AusScience

Early and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Mobility Grants are empowering 16 Australian scientists with over $110,000 in funding to collaborate with top researchers across Europe. These grants—valued at up to $7,500 each—are more than just financial support. The grants : ✅ open doors to world-class research facilities ✅ provide access to global expertise to advance research ✅ help build international collaborations that strengthen your career ✅ initiate career-defining collaborations. Dr Hana Starobova (University of Queensland), a 2025 recipient, will travel to Italy’s University of Milano-Bicocca to study how chemotherapy causes motor disabilities. Her grant will give her the chance to learn from field-leading experts. “This will increase my capacity to study this problem and help me to develop future collaborations,” she says. Want to supercharge your research career? Consider applying for an EMCR Mobility Grant in the future! 🌍🔬 EMCR Forum #AusResearch #ScienceCollaboration Learn more: https://bit.ly/42SX67b

Australia’s R&D System Needs Urgent Reform A new discussion paper, released as part of the Government’s Strategic Examination of R&D, is a wake-up call for Australia’s future. The Australian Academy of Science welcomes this review and will make a formal submission. Academy President Professor Chennupati Jagadish warns that “incremental adjustments have been and will be insufficient as leading R&D countries have shown”—Australia must build a strategic, well-funded R&D system to stay competitive. “Instead, we must develop an R&D system that maximises our research talent and current investments while adequately incentivising the entire R&D pipeline,” Professor Jagadish said. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gdudf-5J

We've passed the halfway mark in the Women in STEM Decadal Plan. And on this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re reminded of the critical role women play in driving research and development and strengthening Australia’s prosperity. The Australian Academy of Science builds connections and creates opportunities for women in STEM—because equity isn’t just fair, it’s smart business. Multiple studies show that diversity in organisations improves performance, productivity, and profitability. A thriving STEM sector able to meet Australia’s ambitions needs all of the available talent. Read the Decadal Plan: https://lnkd.in/fBtDdzS #IDWGS

Congratulations to Professor Jennifer Byrne from the University of Sydney and the NSW Health Pathology who is the 2025 recipient of the Academy's David Vaux Research Integrity Fellowship Award. The award recognises individuals who have led efforts to foster and promote integrity in science. Professor Byrne heads the Publication and Research Integrity in Medical Research (PRIMeR) group at the University of Sydney. Although Professor Byrne began her career focusing on cancer research, she now has an international reputation for finding problematic research articles. Professor Byrne plans to use the award funds to give presentations on research integrity at different centres across Australia, where she will meet with early career researchers to discuss their concerns about their careers and research integrity. She will also travel to international conferences to share her work with a broader audience. The award is named after Prof David Vaux AO FAA FAHMS, a vocal and impactful advocate for research integrity throughout his career, through political advocacy, and by raising awareness and educating researchers. Learn more https://bit.ly/4aVDilW

The Academy is pleased to announce that Doctor Judith Sluimer from Maastricht University in the Netherlands is the 2025 recipient of the Selby Fellowship. The fellowship is awarded to distinguished international scientists to conduct public lectures and visit scientific centres across Australia to share their research. She will be sharing her expertise in cardiovascular pathophysiology—the study of how diseases affect the heart and blood vessels—and vascular ageing with Australian researchers later this year. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g5GhRWbJ Applications for the 2026 Selby Fellowship open on 13 February. https://lnkd.in/gJ5nhkh

What are the risks, limitations and ethics of AI use in science and society? We're examining these pressing issues in a new series of events, with expert panelists, speakers, and our MC Lish Fejer (ABC Canberra). Learn more and save with a series pass: https://lnkd.in/ggqUwhqw Thanks to our partners Digital Science and Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre #AIinScience

Why did you see this post? Combining theory and computation, Dr Rachel Wang's statistical network model research has been applied to problems from modelling the spread of online information through social networks to uncovering new insights in genomics. https://t.co/4AX2jhSCGX