A Note from the President of the Australian Academy of Science. (August 2, 2010)

Suzanne Cory today released this note for general  publication:

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2 August 2010

Dear Colleagues,

When Kurt Lambeck passed to me the gavel at the end of the Academy’s Annual General Meeting on 6 May, I said then how deeply honoured I felt to be elected to the presidency of the Academy. I am very conscious this is a great responsibility and I thank the fellowship for its confidence in me. Since assuming the role, I have become much more informed about the many and varied activities of the Academy and I look forward to interacting with Fellows as we work together to carry forward these initiatives.

Australia is fortunate to have a rich science heritage. Just as in the past, our future prosperity will depend on our capability in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. During this election period, we must all be vigilant to ensure this message is heard clearly. Despite budgetary constraints, the next government must continue to invest strongly in research and development.

Many challenges loom for the nation: in health, energy, water, climate change, sustainable agriculture and preservation of biodiversity. Each of these areas requires expertise and insight from many scientific disciplines and the application of a systems-based approach. The Academy is well situated to make major contributions and must play a proactive leadership role. We must stand ready to provide society and its policy makers with sound independent scientific advice.

As the first elected female President, I am particularly conscious of the resource that women represent for Australia’s scientific future. We must ensure that our governments, universities and research organisations provide solutions that enable more women to pursue life-long careers in science and that the contributions made by women are recognised and rewarded.

A nation’s strength in science and technology is absolutely dependent on the quality of its education system. The Academy has a proud record of achievement in fostering excellence in science education, starting with the Web of Life and progressing to Nova: Science in the News, Primary Investigations and, most recently, Primary Connections and Science by Doing. With their emphasis on enquiry-based learning, the Academy’s education programs are an important resource for the new national science curriculum.

I look forward to the next four years as President and hope to continue the work of my predecessors who were absolutely committed to the ideals and activities of the Academy.

With best wishes,
Suzanne Cory