AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE NEWSLETTER · AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Budget hits knowledge base The Academy of Science has been highly critical of the Federal Government’s

May–August 2000 Number 47www.science.org.au

NEWSLETTERAUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

Budget hitsknowledge baseThe Academy of Science has been highlycritical of the Federal Government’sattrition of research capacity and cuts toresearch resources in the 2000 Budget inMay.

In a joint statement, the Academy’sSecretary (Physical Sciences), ProfessorBruce McKellar, and Foreign Secretary,Professor Kurt Lambeck, said, ‘Thisyear’s budget continues into a fifth yearthe government’s policy of attrition ofthe higher education sector’s researchcapacity. While the Minister forEducation, Training and Youth Affairs,Dr David Kemp, has acknowledged thecritical state of many of our universities,the budget proposes no remedy.’

The spokesmen said that the dismaltrend of inadequate grants and uncertaincareer paths for university researcherswould continue to drive Australia’s bestand brightest overseas.

‘It is regrettable that this continuedneglect is compounded by some cuts toresearch resources,’ they said. Themodest increase in Australian ResearchCouncil grants would be funded by a cutto the money allocated directly toinstitutions. The funding of thebiotechnology strategy would be takenfrom the Technology Diffusion Program.

CSIRO assets will be sold withoutcompensation to the organisation. As aresult, its future research funding wouldbe more uncertain.

The Federal Government hasindicated that it will consider the state ofresearch and innovation later this year,after it receives the Chief Scientist’sreview of Australia’s science capabilityand the report of the Innovation SummitImplementation Group. The Academystatement said, ‘We can only hope thatnext year, as a result of the advice thegovernment receives from its ownreviews, there is an injection intogovernment thinking of a new sense ofurgency.

‘It is also essential that there be anurgent injection of significant new fundsfor research and development. Thatshould not wait for the next budget.’

The eminent gene scientist, ProfessorJohn Shine, has donated $1␣ million tohelp refurbish the Academy’s Dome. On5 May the President of the Academy,Professor Brian Anderson, announcedthat the building, a Canberra landmark,will be renamed the Shine Dome.

Professor Shine is Executive Directorof the Garvan Institute in Sydney andProfessor of Medicine and MolecularBiology at the University of New SouthWales. He is also a Fellow of theAcademy. The donation is part of a legalsettlement for gene cloning researchwhich led to the mass production ofhuman growth hormone. For moreabout Professor Shine’s research seewww.science.org.au/academy/media/shine.htm.

The donation will be used to renovatethe Dome, which was built in 1959. TheCouncil of the Centenary of Federationhas provided $525␣ 000 and theAustralian Heritage Commission hasprovided $24␣ 000. As a result ofProfessor Shine’s gift and the grants,

many high priority works will becompleted.

Another $900␣ 000 is needed toupgrade the theatre, install moat lightingand upgrade the landscaping betweenthe Dome and Ian Potter House. Councilhas decided that donors who contributean amount of $550 or more may beacknowledged with a small plaque on aseat in the Wark Theatre. For moreinformation see www.science.org.au/dome/donations.htm, or contact NancyLane by phone on (02)␣ 6247␣ 5777 or emailat [email protected].

Meanwhile, work on the Dome isunder way. It follows the conservationmanagement plan and scope of worksprepared by Gutteridge Haskins andDavey in 1999. Project Coordination hasbeen selected as the contractor, and workshould be completed by the end of theyear. The building will reopen in January2001. For more about the Dome’s historyand renovation see www.science.org.au/dome.

Professor John Shine, left, with the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources, SenatorNick Minchin, on 12 April at the handover of the cheque for $1␣ million for refurbishmentof the Dome. Photo: Irene Dowdy.

Shine donates $1 million to Dome

Australian Academy of Science Newsletter

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Office-bearers ofthe AcademyPresident

Professor Brian Anderson

Secretary (Physical Sciences)Professor Bruce McKellar

Secretary (Biological Sciences)Professor John Young

Secretary (Science Policy)Professor John White

Foreign SecretaryProfessor Kurt Lambeck

TreasurerProfessor Athel Beckwith

Telephone numbersExecutive Secretary (02) 6247 5777Publications (02) 6247 5385Awards (02) 6247 5777Finance (02) 6249 1362Fellowshipadministration (02) 6247 5777NationalCommittees (02) 6247 3966Internationalprograms (02) 6247 3966Library (02) 6247 3966Australian Foundationfor Science (02) 6247 5777Facsimile (02) 6257 4620

Email [email protected]

This newsletter is available on theAcademy’s web site,www.science.org.au/academy/newslett/newslett.htm.

Published by the AustralianAcademy of Science, GPO Box 783,Canberra ACT 2601.

Honorary editor: Professor NevilleFletcher FAA; production by GreenWords & Images, Canberra. Otherassistance: members of Academycommittees and Academy staff.

Printed by McPherson’s PrintingGroup, Melbourne.

The material in this newsletter iscopyright but may be reproducedwith acknowledgment. To receivea regular copy of the newsletter orto respond to material in thenewsletter, write to the ExecutiveSecretary at the Academy.

ISSN 1031-9204Print Post Approved PP 255003/00025

Forthcoming events• Australia’s Information Future,

symposium, Canberra, 16␣ August– see page 10

• Schizophrenia and other psychoses,symposium, Canberra, 20 October– see page 3

New topics on Nova• Who will win the drugs race?• Carbon currency – the credits and

debits of carbon emissionstrading

• Is Australian wildlife fair game?Nova: Science in the news is atwww.science.org.au/nova.

Basser LibraryAnyone wishing to use the BasserLibrary should contact thelibrarian, Rosanne Walker,telephone (02) 6247 3966 or [email protected].

Gifts to the AcademyIf you would like to make a gift ora bequest to the Academy ofScience or the AustralianFoundation for Science, pleasecontact the Executive Secretary orthe Development Officer, telephone(02) 6247 5777 or [email protected].

The President of the Academy ofScience, Professor Brian Anderson,believes that the next year will becritical for Australia to take upinternational challenges in science andhigher education. He used his addressto the Academy’s annual generalmeeting, on 5 May, to outline theproblems and point the way to thesolution.

Professor Anderson compared asnapshot of Australia today with adecade ago: diversified resources suchas BHP and Rio Tinto make up a muchsmaller sector of the stock market,while telecommunications has grownfrom almost nothing to one of thelargest sectors. ‘Industries are nolonger based just on atoms, moleculesand materials, but also on bits, bytesand information structures, includingbiological structures,’ he said.

‘Mirroring the above, profound andworldwide changes are occurring inuniversity enrolment patterns. Manytraditional science disciplines have notshared in the growth; others have beenspectacularly successful.’ Enrolmentshad increased in biology, computerscience and electrical engineering. Thischange would flow on to the scienceand technology workforce.

Government laboratories are notpresenting many issues of concern atthe moment. Meanwhile industrialresearch and development appeared tobe sinking. Professor Anderson said,‘Big business is one of the societalgroups in Australia with leastawareness of the importance of scienceand technology. They are less awarethan their international counterparts.’In the run-up to the Innovation Summitin February, a former chief executiveofficer of IBM expressed much dismayat the response of his businesscolleagues to the importance ofinnovation.

On the positive side, more venturecapital is available. Pre-venture capitalis available through the FederalGovernment’s COMET program, andchanges to the capital gains tax arealready encouraging entrepreneurship.Medical research has also gainedgreater government support.

Universities are in trouble. ProfessorAnderson observed that a leakedCabinet submission identified eight ornine universities which were nearinsolvency. The higher educationsystem suffered from run-downinfrastructure, depressed salaries andthe loss of key people. ‘Behind all this

The next 12 months willbe critical

continued on page 4

Number 47, May–August 2000

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Sir Gustav Nossal described theAcademy’s annual general meetingsymposium on Australia’s ScienceFuture, held on 3 and 4 May 2000, as an‘intellectual feast’.

Summing up after the sessions, SirGustav said, ‘This special Y2K AGMhas been a long time in planning, veryambitious in scope and with asatisfyingly large and diverse audience.It has maintained interest to the veryend of the sessions.’

One of the aims was to involveyounger scientists as speakers andparticipants in discussion. Judgingfrom the fresh presentations of speakersand the lively debate about thefundamental directions of science, thisappears to have been achieved.

The organisers were the ChiefResearch Scientist at the CSIROAustralia Telescope, Dr RichardManchester, and the Executive Directorof the Garvan Institute of MedicalResearch, Professor John Shine. Othersenior scientists organised speakers onthe themes of the global environment,mind and brain, energy, molecularstructure and recognition, IT and

Intellectual feast onAustralia’s science future

telecommunications, geneticengineering, the universe, and ageing.

The speakers described thebackground to their fields of research,the latest developments andopportunities for Australia in thefuture. The presentations were clearand understandable, discussing themost fundamental research – such asthe origins of the universe or thegenetic code of life – and the latestapplications – in health, agriculture,conservation and technology. Theresearch raised many issues withsocial, economic and politicalimplications.

As Sir Gustav pointed out, thespeakers’ overviews of the history oftheir disciplines repeatedly showedAustralian scientists prominent at thefrontiers of research. He said, ‘Thesymposium illustrated what greatshape Australian science is in, despitethe limits of funding which we allknow about. It is a precious heritagewhich the Academy must protect.’

For background on all the speakersand summaries of their talks, seewww.science.org.au/future.

Awards for young researchersThirteen young researchers attended the Academy’s symposium on Australia’sScience Future with awards from the Australian Research Council and theTechnology Diffusion Program of the Commonwealth Department of Industry,Science and Resources. Funding from the Technology Diffusion Program also broughttwo young Australian scientists, Dr Neil Hamilton and Dr Bryan Gaensler, back fromoverseas to speak at the symposium. The award winners are, back row from left,Dr␣ Ron Smernik, Dr Kristen Bremmell, Dr Leanne Armand, Dr Allyson Williams,Dr␣ Mathew Leitch, Dr Jacqueline Matthews, Dr Harvey Millar, Miss Natasha Hendrick,Mr Thomas Brinsmead; front row, Dr Colin Nexhip, Dr Samantha Richardson, Dr JohnLambert, Dr David Neumann.

Schizophreniaand other psychosesTranslating research intopolicy and action

An Australian Academy of Sciencesymposium

Friday 20 October, 20008.30am to 6pmHyatt Hotel, Canberra

This important one-day meetingwill bring together policy makers,medical researchers, medicaladministrators, consumers andcarers. Topics cover the latestresearch findings, the relevance ofresearch to consumers and carers,how research guides policy andassessing value for money.

For details and registration:web: www.science.org.au/schizophreniaemail: [email protected]: (02)␣ 6247␣ 3966

May to headRoyal SocietyAn Australian scientist andCorresponding Member of theAcademy, Sir Robert May, will becomethe next President of the Royal Society.Sir Robert is currently Chief ScientificAdviser to the UK Government andHead of the UK Office of Science andTechnology. He holds these positionson leave from his Royal SocietyResearch Professorship in Zoology atOxford University.

He began his career studyingchemical engineering, physics andmaths at the University of Sydney. In1959 he gained a PhD in theoreticalphysics and in 1969, at the age of 33,became Professor of Physics at theuniversity. His research interestschanged to the way wild animalpopulations change. In 1973 he movedto Princeton University and later toOxford.

He steps down from his post as UKChief Scientist in September and beginshis five-year term of office as Presidentof the Royal Society on 1␣ December2000. Another Australian in England,Howard Florey, was President of theRoyal Society from 1960 to 1965.


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Seven awards were presented at theAcademy’s annual general meeting on5 May 2000. The David Craig Medalwas reported in the last AAS Newsletter(number 46). Information about theAcademy’s awards is available atwww.science.org.au/awards/awards.htm.

Matthew Flinders LectureProfessor David BogerProfessor Boger delivered a mostentertaining Flinders Lecture at theAcademy’s annual general meeting on5 May.

Professor Boger is LaureateProfessor of Chemical Engineering atthe University of Melbourne andDirector of the Particulate FluidsProcessing Centre, a special researchcentre of the Australian ResearchCouncil.

He was born in Pennsylvania in1939 and moved to Australia in 1965.He worked first at Monash Universitythen, from 1982, at the University ofMelbourne.

Professor Boger discovered a highlyelastic constant-viscosity fluid – theBoger Fluid – which became animportant test fluid. He used suchmaterials to link surface chemistry tothe properties of particulate fluids. Hisresearch broadened to encompass coalsuspensions, waxy crude oils, ceramicsand hydrocolloids. He turned basicresearch to significant industrialoutcomes in the petroleum, mineralsand food industries. His currentresearch has applications inatomisation, inkjet printing and thedelivery of agricultural chemicals.

The Flinders Lecture was entitled

‘Research and innovation in non-Newtonian fluid mechanics: therelevance of irrelevant research.’ Afterdefining research, innovation and non-Newtonian fluids, Professor Boger usedexperiments with elastic Newtonian-like fluids to demonstrate how fluidelasticity can have a large andsometimes exciting effect.

He said that some regard the resultsof this work as irrelevant, as directapplication to the solution of specificproblems is not obvious. He thenshowed how this irrelevant knowledgecan be used to minimise waste in theminerals industry and in the handlingof crude oils. He concluded byshowing how irrelevant elastic fluidresearch is directly relevant to inkjetprinting and the delivery ofagricultural chemicals – applicationswhich were not obvious at the outset.

The Flinders Lecture, given onceevery two years, recognises theresearch of a scientist of the higheststanding.

Mawson MedalProfessor Christopher PowellProfessor Powell is a leading figure inthe study of tectonics during the earlyhistory of the Earth. He has studied thehistory of the supercontinent ofGondwanaland and the older Rodinia,both of which included much of whatis now Australia.

He has also shaped current ideas instructural geology, notably in studies ofthe fabrics in natural rocks, thetectonics of the Himalayan region, theevolution of the Indian Ocean, thetectonics of the Lachlan Foldbelt ineastern Australia and the evolution of

Award winnerslies the problem of the government asprice fixer for the principal product oforganisations who cannot control theprice of their inputs and who cannotreceive a premium price for a premiumproduct.’

Only small sums of research fundswere contestable. ‘The imputeduniversity salaries are the biggest ticketitem. These are uncontested, and theiroutcomes are not assessed.’

The Australian Research Council hasreleased a visionary strategic plan,including a program that encourageslinkages between research andindustry. ‘The public is not reallyimpressed by scientists getting electedto the Royal Society, or winning fancyprizes apart from the Nobel prize. Onthe other hand they are very impressedby scientific advances that contribute toeconomic outcomes. Linkages arenecessary for these outcomes.’

The linkage program has a socialdimension. ‘Science awareness of thecommunity is essential if we are tohave intelligent responses to issues likecloning, genetically modifiedorganisms, nuclear reactors andsalinity. The Academy has taken a highprofile on a number of these issues. Weargue that science can inform thedebate, rather than settle it.’

Professor Anderson said that therewas a disconnection between thepresent level of funding of theAustralian Research Council and thevision laid out in its strategic plan.

He pointed out that in 1972 oneAustralian dollar would buy US$1.45.Now it buys 58 or 59 cents. ‘This is anindictment of the last three decades ofleadership, not just of our politicalleadership.

‘Fellows of the Academy must bepart of the solution. The next 12months will be critical as the ScienceCapability Review, the InnovationSummit Implementation Group andthe newly fashioned ARC proclaim themessage of what our corner of theeconomic landscape can do.

‘Some major conclusions are to bedrawn. We must hope they will bewisely drawn. They will do two things.They will constitute an action agendafor the 2001 budget, and they willcontain an action agenda for us, tomodify some of our long-establishedpatterns of behaviour.’

The next 12 months will becriticalcontinued from page 2

Professor David Boger Professor Christopher Powell


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the Hamersley iron ore province ofWestern Australia.

The Mawson Medal recognises anoutstanding research career in theEarth sciences.

Fenner MedalProfessor Hugh PossinghamProfessor Possingham is amathematical ecologist who has madecontributions to marine, behavioural,population and community ecology.He has done pioneering work on theviability of populations of endangeredspecies and the application of decisiontheory to conservation biology. He isalso a vocal advocate of biodiversityconservation.

He is moving from the University ofAdelaide to a position divided betweenmathematics, zoology and entomologyat the University of Queensland.

The Fenner Medal recognisesdistinguished research by a youngerscientist in the plant and animalsciences.

Frederick White PrizeDr Peter ScalesDr Scales has made lasting contribu-tions to basic and applied colloid andsurface science. He has developed asafe and environmentally friendlydense fluid that has found wideapplication in the processing of coaland other minerals. He has collabo-rated with waste water processingcompanies in Australia and the UK.

From his fundamental studies hehas developed a new compressionalrheology filtration facility which heand his students have used to improve

the design of waste water sludgefilters.

Dr Scales is Senior Lecturer andPrincipal Research Fellow in theDepartment of Chemical Engineeringat the University of Melbourne.

The Frederick White Prize recog-nises research by a younger scientist inthe physical, terrestrial or planetarysciences which is important to the well-being and civilised progress of society.

Gottschalk MedalDr David VauxThrough the study of the mostcommon blood cancer, follicularlymphoma, Dr Vaux has made seminaldiscoveries about the cell deathmechanism. Cells in follicularlymphoma have an abnormalchromosome because twochromosomes have broken andrejoined the wrong way, causing a genecalled Bcl-2 to be switched on. Dr Vauxdiscovered that Bcl-2 is an inhibitor ofcell death. This showed that theultimate cause of the cancer is notincreased cell division, as had beenthought, but the failure of the damagedcells to die.

Since making these discoveries, DrVaux has been trying to apply hisunderstanding of cell death to thetreatment of cancer. Drug companiesare also applying his findings to heartattacks and stroke.

Dr Vaux is Senior Research Fellow atthe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute ofMedical Research in Melbourne.

The Gottschalk Medal is awardedeach year to a younger scientist whohas made significant contributions tomedical science.

Pawsey MedalDr Anthony MurphyDr Murphy has applied hisunderstanding of the chemistry andfluid dynamics of plasmas to theenvironmental problem of the disposalof hazardous chemicals. Plasmas arehot clouds of ionised gas. His earlywork focused on radio-frequency waveheating of plasmas for nuclear fusion.In the last few years a team of CSIROscientists in Sydney and Melbourne hasbuilt small units that use the intenseheat of plasmas to break downhazardous chemicals, more completelythan incinerators, into their constituentatoms.

Dr Murphy has also applied hisknowledge to make welding moreefficient and to purify the water inswimming pools, cooling towers andsmall sewerage works.

Dr Murphy is a Principal ResearchScientist at CSIRO Telecommunicationsand Industrial Physics in Sydney.

The Pawsey Medal is awarded eachyear to a younger scientist who hasmade significant contributions tophysics.

Professor Hugh Possingham Dr Peter Scales

Dr David Vaux

Dr Anthony Murphy


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On 24 March the Academy of Sciencehonoured 12 of Australia’s leadingscientists by election to Fellowship ofthe Academy. Election to theFellowship recognises a career that hassignificantly advanced the world’sstore of scientific knowledge. There are323 Fellows. The new Fellows are listedbelow. For more information seewww.science.org.au/future/newfel.htm.

1. Professor Bruce Armstrong, 55,Director of the Research and RegistersDivision of the New South WalesCancer Council.

Professor Armstrong received aDPhil from Oxford University forresearch into the role of diet in humancancer. He has since conductedepidemiological research into therelationships between sun exposureand skin cancer, diet and bloodpressure, and asbestos-related cancers.After periods in health service andresearch management, he has directedresearch into environmental andgenetic interactions in causing cancersrelated to sun exposure, into cancerscreening and early diagnosis, and intothe performance of cancer services.

2. Professor Adrian Baddeley, 44,Professor of Mathematics (Probabilityand Statistics) at the University ofWestern Australia.

Professor Baddeley describesstatistics as the science of uncertainty.His research has dealt withuncertainties in spatial information ofthe sort collected by satellites, digitalcameras, microscopes, medicalscanners, geological surveys, medicalregistries or wildlife surveys. Hisrecent work has produced ways ofmeasuring differences between twopictures of the same scene, findingclusters in a random pattern of points,and extrapolating a spatial patternbeyond its visible boundary. Thesetechniques could be used to analysemedical images for rare diseases or topredict the location of geological faults.

3. Professor Julie Campbell, 53, SeniorPrincipal Research Fellow of theNational Health and Medical ResearchCouncil, Centre for Research inVascular Biology at the University ofQueensland.

Professor Campbell’s research hasfocused on the cell biology ofcardiovascular disease and

atherosclerosis. Her team hasdeveloped an artificial blood vessel,grown in the animal into which it willbe grafted, which is strong and doesnot cause the production of antibodiesor thrombosis. Lengths of livingtubular tissue have been successfullytransplanted into rabbits. The tissuehas potential use in coronary arterybypass grafts, below-the-knee arteryreplacement, vascular patches andblood dialysis.

4. Professor Victor Flambaum, 48,Professor of Theoretical Physics at theUniversity of New South Wales.

After working at the NovosibirskInstitute of Nuclear Physics in theUSSR, Professor Flambaum came toAustralia in 1991. He has producedimportant results in atomic physics andnuclear physics, particularly in the areaof violation of fundamental symmetriesof the nucleus, which have opened upnew areas of research. In Australia hehas developed a new statistical theorywhich is applicable to compoundnuclei, complex excited atoms andatomic clusters.

5. Professor Bruce Kemp, 53, SeniorPrincipal Research Fellow of theNational Health and Medical ResearchCouncil and Deputy Director of StVincent’s Institute of Medical Researchin Melbourne.

The addition and removal ofphosphate from proteins – calledprotein phosphorylation – arereversible chemical reactions usedextensively to regulate protein functionin living cells. The reactions form anelaborate molecular communicationsystem, responding to hormones, nerveimpulses, nutrient abundance, toxinsand ultraviolet light damage. Thecatalysts in these reactions are enzymescalled protein kinases andphosphatases, of which there are about2000 different forms. Professor Kemphas explored how protein kinasesrecognise the right proteins andspecific sites of activity. This hasunexpectedly revealed how manyproteins are controlled by a remarkableself-regulatory mechanism.

6. Professor Keith Nugent, 40, Head ofthe School of Physics at the Universityof Melbourne.

Information can be carried in a waveeither by modulations in amplitude or

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modulations in phase. The second canbe very subtle or completelyundetectable. Professor Nugent haslooked at what we mean by phase andused the resulting ideas to find betterways of measuring it. He has obtainedstriking images with visible light, X-rays, electrons and neutrons. This workis of fundamental interest in physicsand of practical value in palaeobotany,industrial inspection and other areas ofscience and technology.

7. Professor Mark Randolph, 48,Director of the Special Research Centrefor Offshore Foundation Systems andHead of the Geomechanics Group atthe University of Western Australia.

Professor Randolph isinternationally recognised for hisfundamental contributions tofoundation and offshore engineeringthat have found wide application inengineering projects. He has developedsimple and practical solutions tocomplex problems. Examples includefinding expressions for the response ofpile foundations to loading, workingout how soil flows around pipelines,analysing drag anchors, and devisingnew designs for piled raft foundations.He has pioneered geotechnicalcentrifuge modelling in Australia.

Professor Peter Reeves, 65, Head of theMicrobiology Department at theUniversity of Sydney.

Bacteria have extensive diversitywithin species and a rate ofevolutionary change which is veryrapid in some aspects but remarkablyslow in others. Since the early 1980sProfessor Reeves has worked on theevolution and genetics of bacterialsurface polysaccharides. He has alsoworked on the development ofbacterial vaccines.

8. Dr Richard Robson, 62, AssociateProfessor in the School of Chemistry atthe University of Melbourne.

The common theme of Dr Robson’schemistry has been the attempt todesign organised molecular systems inorder to achieve unusual structures orreactivity. Early efforts with a vacantsite between two metal atoms havegiven way to larger metal-organicnetworks in one, two and threedimensions. This work is laying thefoundations for the tailor-madematerials of the future.

9. Professor Lesley Rogers, 56,Professor of Neuroscience and AnimalBehaviour, University of New England.

Professor Rogers has doneoutstanding research into braindevelopment and behaviour. She hasstudied the evolution and developmentof hemispheric specialisation – whichused to be considered a unique humancharacteristic – in amphibians, birdsand primates. She has written anumber of general scientific books aspart of her strong commitment tocommunicating science to a wideaudience.

10. Professor Joseph Sambrook, 60,Director of Research at the PeterMacCallum Cancer Institute inMelbourne.

Professor Sambrook isinternationally renowned for hisstudies of DNA tumour viruses and themolecular biology of normal andcancerous cells. His group at ColdSpring Harbor in the USA worked outhow SV40 and adenoviruses integratedthemselves into the genome of the hostcell. He has also made majorcontributions to understandingintracellular traffic, protein folding andthe molecular genetics of humancancer.

11. Professor Curt Wentrup, 57,Professor of Organic Chemistry at theUniversity of Queensland.

Professor Wentrup is one of theworld’s leading experts in the field offlash vacuum thermolysis, a means ofstudying chemical compounds. He hasused this technique to characterise awide variety of new compounds. Hehas contributed substantially to theknowledge of carbene and nitrenechemistry and is Australia’s leadingexpert in this field.

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At the annual general meeting on 5May, the Academy elected five newmembers of its governing Council.

1. Professor Kurt Lambeck, formerlythe Secretary (Physical Sciences), waselected Foreign Secretary. ProfessorLambeck is Professor of Geophysics atthe Australian National University.

Professor Lambeck has madeoutstanding contributions to the Earthsciences, particularly in the fields ofgeodesy and geophysics. His researchhas involved the study of thedeformations of the Earth’s surface andinterior on a wide spectrum of lengthand time scales.

His early work led to pioneeringcontributions to the mapping andunderstanding of the Earth’s gravityfield, to the Earth’s variable rotation, tothe global tide deformations and to theorbital evolution of the Earth-moon

system. His most recent research isleading to a new understanding of pastand present sea-level change.

2. Professor Bruce McKellar waselected Secretary (Physical Sciences).Professor McKellar is Professor ofTheoretical Physics at the University ofMelbourne.

One of his major interests isneutrino physics, particularlyanomalies that may indicate physicsbeyond the standard model. He is alsostudying the minute breakdown oftime reversal invariance recentlyobserved in particle physics. At thesame time he maintains an interest in awide variety of problems in quantumphases, quantum chaos and the originof the homochirality of biologicalmolecules.

3. Dr Graeme Pearman was elected amember in the physical sciences.Dr␣ Pearman is Chief of CSIROAtmospheric Research in Aspendale,Victoria.

After early work measuring carbondioxide fluxes in wheat crops, DrPearman developed a strong interest inthe global carbon cycle and thechemistry and composition of theatmosphere, on which he haspublished many papers. He helpedestablish CSIRO’s Climate ChangeResearch Program.

He has pioneered research into theapplication of global transport model-ling, the use of stable carbon isotopes,the extraction of fossil air from Antarc-tic ice cores, the extraction of carbonfrom tree rings, and the use of veryprecise measurements of oxygen.

New members of Council

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4. Professor Cheryl Praeger waselected a member in the physicalsciences. Professor Praeger is Professorof Mathematics at the University ofWestern Australia.

After studying at the University ofQueensland and Oxford, ProfessorPraeger did research at the AustralianNational University before moving tothe University of Western Australia.Her research interests are finite andinfinite permutation groups,algorithms for group computations,finite group theory, algebraic graphtheory, applications to algebraicnumber theory, applications toexperimental design, design theory andfinite geometry.

She has also contributed to scienceeducation, advising and teaching inThailand and the Philippines, assistingcurriculum development andpromoting the participation of womenin science.

5. Professor Marilyn Renfree waselected a member in the biologicalsciences. Professor Renfree is Head ofthe Department of Zoology at theUniversity of Melbourne.

Professor Renfree has made majorcontributions to the understanding ofmarsupial reproduction anddevelopment. After early research intoembryo-maternal relationships in thetammar wallaby, she studied thebiology of other marsupials. Her majorresearch interests have been the controlof reproduction in female marsupials,the control of sexual differentiation,and the contraceptive effects ofbreastfeeding.


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Just as light interferes with opticaltelescopes, so radio communicationsinterfere with radio telescopes. Untilrecently, radioastronomy has beenlimited by bandwidth and otherfactors. But the large, sensitivetelescopes of the future – such as theproposed square kilometre array –mean that interference can no longer beignored or bypassed.

An Elizabeth and Frederick WhiteConference on radio frequencyinterference mitigation strategies washeld in Sydney on 15 and 16 December1999. The conference was sponsored bythe Academy’s Elizabeth and FrederickWhite Fund, and organised by Jon Belland Peter Hall, from the CSIROAustralia Telescope, and Colin Jacka,from CSIRO Telecommunications andIndustrial Physics.

The conference brought togetherexperts on interference mitigationtechniques from Australia and overseasand introduced many astronomers touseful new techniques. ‘It saved us

going in directions that wouldn’t havebeen profitable,’ said Jon Bell.

The keynote speaker, Fred Harrisfrom San Diego State University,described the key elements of signalprocessing that can be used insuppressing interference. Ron Ekersspoke on the future of radioastronomyand the options for dealing withhuman-generated interference.

Alan Young discussed the conflictsand common ground between radio-astronomy and telecommunications.Doug Gray said that there was greatersynergy between radioastronomy andsonar and radar arrays. Peter Hall gavean overview of how the square kilome-tre array could deal with interference.

Other topics were advancedtechnologies, experiences of mitigatinginterference, tools for handlingastronomical data and how the varioustechniques could be applied to thesquare kilometre array.

For further information, go to www.atnf.csiro.au/SKA/intmit/atnf/conf/.

Specialelection ofChief ScientistOn 5 May the Fellows of theAcademy of Science elected theChief Scientist, Dr Robin Batterham,to the Fellowship. He was electedby Special Election, which allowsthe election of a very small numberof people who have madecontributions to science in waysother than personal research.

Dr Batterham’s career hasstraddled laboratory research andindustrial development. He studiedchemical engineering at theUniversity of Melbourne. He wasChief of the CSIRO Division ofMineral Engineering from 1984 to1988. He has held senior technologydevelopment positions in themining company, Rio Tinto Ltd. Heis currently Managing Director,Research and Technology Support,of Comalco and Chief Technologistof Rio Tinto.

Since 1990 he has played animportant role in the CooperativeResearch Centres program.

The President of the Academy,Professor Brian Anderson, said, ‘DrBatterham has brought to theposition of Chief Scientist erudition,energy, acuity and skill, and hasexhibited his breadth of under-standing of the two worlds in whichhe has worked. He is also anorganist of distinction.’

Mitigating interference

Bone and its marrow are a remarkablecomposite of cells, matrix and mineralthat fulfil a number of vital functions –giving structural support, serving as ahome for blood formation andproviding a reservoir of calcium andphosphate. A recent conference set outto transfer knowledge of bone and theskeleton from basic research to theclinic.

The Boden Research Conference,entitled The human skeleton – frommolecules to structure and function, washeld at Clare in South Australia from26 to 29 March 2000. The conferencewas sponsored by an Academy fundset up by the late Alexander Boden.Seventy-four clinicians, academics anduniversity and industry-basedresearchers attended the conference,13␣ from overseas.

Speakers talked about bonephysiology, bone formation andadaptation, bone growth, fractures,bone loss, osteoporosis and bonequality, osteoarthritis and rheumatoidarthritis, the genetics of bone diseaseand clinical cases. Participants camefrom orthopaedics, paediatrics,pathology, cell biology, dentistry,veterinary science, materialsengineering and many other fields.

Following lectures, discussion wasgiven energy by the diversity of theaudience. There were also posterpresentations of research.

The organisers, Dr Nick Fazzalarifrom the Institute of Medical andVeterinary Science in Adelaide and DrDavid Findlay from the University ofAdelaide, reported that the conferenceand related social events were thecatalysts for cross-fertilisation of ideaswhich will benefit skeletal research andclinical practice for many years tocome.

The human skeleton

Dr Robin Batterham

Fixing thefoundationsA report summarising the proceedingsof the Academy’s symposium, Fixingthe foundations: A national symposium onthe role of soil science in sustainable landand water management, is now available.The symposium was held in Adelaidein November 1999 (see AAS Newsletternumber 46). For a copy of the reportemail [email protected] or download aPDF version from the Academy’swebsite, www.science.org.au/soilrep.htm.


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Honours toFellowsThree Fellows of the Academy wereelected Fellows of the Royal Society inMay: Professor Warren Ewens,Professor of Biology at the Universityof Pennsylvania, Professor Peter Hall,Professor of Statistics in the Centre forMathematics and its Applications at theAustralian National University, andProfessor T John Martin, Director of StVincent’s Institute of Medical Researchin the University of Melbourne.

The US National Academy of Scienceshas awarded its 2000 Gilbert MorganSmith Medal to Dr Shirley Jeffrey,Chief Research Scientist at CSIROMarine Research in Hobart. The medalis awarded for excellence in publishedresearch on marine or freshwater algae.While she was in Washington toreceive the award Dr Jeffrey was alsoelected a Foreign Associate of the USAcademy.

The Paul Ehrlich Foundation inGermany has awarded its Paul Ehrlichand Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2000to Professor John Kerr, an EmeritusProfessor of the University ofQueensland, for his seminal work inthe field of cell death by apoptosis. Theprize was shared with Professor H RHorvitz.

Echidna featuredThe Academy’s latest Caughley Fellow,Dr Peggy Rismiller, has produced acover story for the American Society ofMammologists’ prestigious Journal ofMammalogy. Dr Rismiller, who studiesechidnas on Kangaroo Island in SouthAustralia (see AAS Newsletternumber␣ 45), had submitted an articlewith Michael McKelvey on thereproduction rates of echidnas. Thejournal’s cover photograph shows anechidna on the move.

Batchelor diesOne of the Academy’s CorrespondingMembers, Professor George Batchelor,died on 30 March 2000. ProfessorBatchelor was Emeritus Professor ofApplied Mathematics at the Universityof Cambridge.

Victorian groupactivitiesThe Victorian Group of the Academyhas two important events planned forJuly and August. On 19 July they willwelcome new Victorian Fellows at adinner at University House at theUniversity of Melbourne. And on8␣ August they will hold the combineddinner of the Academies, again atUniversity House. This will featureProfessor David Yencken speaking on‘Cassandra or Nostradamus: TheEnvironmental Debate’. For moreinformation contact Professor GeoffreyOpat, phone (03) 8344 5121 orfax (03) 9349 4912.

Closing datesCalls for preliminary proposals:

SeniorDavid Craig Medal, Hannan Medal, Ian Wark Medal andLecture, Jaeger Medal, Haddon King Medal, Lyle Medal 31 July

JuniorGottschalk Medal, Fenner Medal, Pawsey Medal,Moran Medal 31 July

Selby Fellowship 30 AugustFor more information see www.science.org.au/awards/awards.htm

Japan and Korea Postdoctoral Fellowships and Awards 1 AugustScientific visits to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China 1 SeptemberScientific visits to Europe 2 OctoberScientific visits to North America 1 NovemberFor more information see www.science.org.au/internat

Youngresearchers totravel overseasIn recognition of the need to helpyoung researchers establishinternational networks, the Academyrecently began a program to supportyoung Australian researchers to visitEurope and the United States. Of the 59applications that were received, 10were approved for travel to the UnitedStates, and a further 10 were selectedfor travel to Europe. The scheme hasbeen funded by the Department ofIndustry, Science and Resources as partof its Technology Diffusion Program.

Further information about theparticipants is available from theAcademy’s website at www.science.org.au/internat/yar2000.htm.

Women scientistsThe Academy has received a grantfrom the Department of Health andAged Care to interview sevenoutstanding Australian womenscientists. Condensed transcripts of theinterviews will be added to theAcademy’s Video Histories of AustralianScientists website, www.science.org.au/educatio/vhas.htm.

The project is a result of theOutstanding Older Women ScientistsForum organised by Ann Moyal andheld in Canberra in September 1999 aspart of the International Year of OlderPersons. The Minister for Aged Care,Mrs Bronwyn Bishop, expressed aninterest in interviewing not only olderwomen scientists aged in their 80s and90s, but also younger women.

Australia’sInformation Future:Securing theinfrastructure forresearch and innovation

Date: 16 August 2000

Venue: AGSO Building,Symonston ACT

Hosted by: Coalition for Innovationin Scholarly Communication, withsupport from the NationalAcademies Forum, the AustralianResearch Council and theAustralian Vice-Chancellors’Committee

Registration: $125, including GST

For more information:www.naf.org.au/infofuture.htm


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The Academy’s former Foreign Secretary,Professor Michael Pitman, died on30␣ March 2000.

Michael was born in the UK on the7␣ February 1933. He received hisschooling at Colstons Boys School,Bristol, where he excelled in scienceand gained an open scholarship toCambridge University and SidneySussex College. His scholarship wasactually in the physical sciences, but inhis last two terms at school Michaelstudied botany to fill in time. Itchanged his future dramatically.Michael was academically gifted,receiving Class 1 Honours in allsubjects.

At the beginning of his time as apostgraduate student, Michael andMaureen were married, the start of avery happy relationship and successfulpartnership. Brigit and Adrian wereborn at Cambridge. Michael obtained aPhD under the supervision of theeminent plant physiologist, ProfessorG␣ E Briggs and was awarded a JuniorFellowship at St Johns CollegeCambridge. At Cambridge he met astrong Australian contingent of futurescientific leaders in Australia and theinteraction with them no doubtinfluenced his decision to applysuccessfully for a lectureship atAdelaide University where BobRobertson was Professor of Botany.After four years at Adelaide and at theage of 33, Michael was appointedProfessor of Biology at the Universityof Sydney.

At Adelaide and Sydney, Michaelexpanded his research on salt and iontransport in plants begun atCambridge. Mechanisms at the cellularand membrane levels were related tothe plant as a whole. His researchtransformed plant mineral nutrition byextending the principles that wereworked out in giant cells of algae to theleaves and roots of common plants.Michael became one of the founders ofmodern mineral nutrition physiology,advancing the field far from its earlypreoccupation with practical problemsto a deep understanding of theunderlying mechanisms. He inspired ageneration of research studentsthrough his simple, elegantexperiments and clear formal analysis.But his research interests ranged fromelegant fundamental research todistinctly applied research.

For example, his group at SydneyUniversity was responsible forelucidating the cause of death ofNorfolk Island pines on Sydney’sbeaches. The cause of the damage wastraced to the synergistic effect ofdetergents from the sewage outfallsand the salt spray.

A particular research interest ofMichael’s was the response of a plantto salinity, which had agricultural andenvironmental application. Michael’soutstanding research achievementswere recognised by election toFellowship of the Australian Academyof Science in 1981 and the award of aDoctor of Science by CambridgeUniversity.

Michael was an energetic editor ofThe Web of Life, the Academy of Sciencesponsored and published textbook thatelevated the teaching of biologythroughout the nation. Michaelregarded this involvement as possiblyhis most important contribution toscience in Australia.

In 1983 Michael was appointedDirector of the CSIRO Institute ofBiological Sciences. The instituteconsisted of eight divisions in the areasof plant and environmental sciencewith particular links to agriculture. Thedirectorship of the Institute providedMichael with the opportunity topromote his research philosophy. Hisown experience and achievementsmade him well aware of theimportance of creative individuals, buthe was convinced that more could beachieved by building disciplinary andinterdisciplinary teams. Michael firmlybelieved that could only be achieved bydiscussion and persuasion rather thanby directive. Michael’s personality,patience, ability to listen to the points

of view of others before making up hismind on issues or research prioritieswas well suited to this approach.

I appointed Michael as my deputyin 1986. He had responsibility for arange of activities that included humanresources policies. He foresaw the needfor a new approach to human resourcemanagement in a time of diminishingresources and many of the changes thatwere implemented owe their evolutionto Michael’s initiatives. I relied on hiswise counsel and valued his courtesyand above all his loyalty. It was indeeda pleasure to work with him.

In 1988, Michael was appointed amember of the newly formedAustralian Research Council. The thenMinister of Science, Barry Jones,thought highly of Michael’s qualitiesand requested that CSIRO secondMichael to the Department of Industry,Technology and Commerce as ChiefScience Advisor and as his personaladvisor. Michael played an importantrole in ensuring that research anddevelopment and science awarenesswere recognised as essentialcomponents in policy development.

Working with the Minister, BarryJones, he made a significant input tothe Prime Minister’s Science Statementof May 1989 that led to theestablishment of the Prime Minister’sScience Council and the CooperativeResearch Centres Program.

In 1992 Michael was appointedChief Scientist in the Department of thePrime Minister and Cabinet, ExecutiveOfficer of the Prime Minister’s Scienceand Engineering Council and Chair ofthe Cooperative Research CentresCommittee.

Throughout his career Michaelworked hard to retain his networksand friendships throughout Australiaand overseas. He also clearlyrecognised the importance to Australiaof strengthening our international linksin science and technology. He wasthrilled with his election as ForeignSecretary of the Australian Academy ofScience in 1997. Michael was anoutstanding Foreign Secretaryestablishing in particular much betterrelationships with France – he washonoured by the French Governmentwith the award of Chevalier de l’ordrenational du Merite – and improving therapport with several countries ofSouth-East Asia.

Keith Boardman

Death of Michael Pitman

Michael Pitman


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On 6 April 2000 the Academy ofScience held a forum to examine therewards and challenges of operatingmajor research facilities in Australia.Such facilities include telescopes,particle accelerators, supercomputersand data banks.

The forum concentrated on theexperience of the directors of majornational research facilities funded bythe Federal Government in its 1995–96round. Speakers came from theAustralian Proteome Analysis Facility,the Australian National SeismicImaging Resource, the AustraliaTelescope, the Australian GenomeResearch Facility, Airborne ResearchAustralia, the National Plasma FusionResearch Facility, and the AustralianSynchrotron Research Program.

There was a lively debate on ways inwhich Australia might more effectivelyuse existing facilities and develop aprogram for additional facilities.

Recurring points made by theparticipants included:• major facilities should be seen as

incubators of Australian expertiseand should not be expected tooperate at full capacity at first

Whither suitcase science – the needfor major national research facilities

Search for DomesouvenirsOn 5 May Michael Caton, who starred as DarrylKerrigan in the film The Castle, launched a searchfor souvenirs that feature the Academy’s Dome.The search is being held to draw attention to thescientific and architectural importance of theDome, which is being renovated. Michael Caton ispictured holding a miniature beer mug and theAcademy’s groundsman, Merv Lane, is holding atray, both of which Merv has donated to theAcademy.

The collection will be on display at theCanberra Museum and Gallery in April and May2001. Please send any Dome souvenirs for thedisplay to Dome Souvenir Search, AustralianAcademy of Science, GPO Box 783, Canberra ACT2601. More information about the souvenir searchis at www.science.org.au/dome/souvenir.htm.

• the need to provide equitable andefficient access for Australianresearchers by funding theoperating costs of facilities, not justthe capital cost

• the desirability of merit-basedaccess

• the need to maintain a critical massof researchers within the hostinstitution

• the need to recognise different ratesof depreciation

• the need for Australian researchersto learn to share facilities

• the urgent need for a governmentprogram for major facilities.

The forum was part of a studycurrently being undertaken by theAcademy to assess the deficiencies inthe supply of and access to cuttingedge facilities in Australia. The study,chaired by the Academy’s Secretary(Science Policy), Professor John White,will assess best Australian andinternational practice, define thethreshold needs for a major nationalfacility, and examine the governanceand operating structures needed to runfacilities in different disciplines.

At an early stage the studyidentified issues needing further work:• the need for an advice framework to

identify emerging needs• the desirability of different sources

of funding and ownership ofprojects

• the need to examine theresponsibilities of differentgovernment agencies

• the need for both capital andoperating costs. Australia mustavoid a result whereby a facility isfunded but without sufficient fundsfor users.It has also become apparent to the

Academy that the goals for fundingmajor facilities need clarification. Is thegoal to grow the nation’s sciencecapability, encourage innovation orfoster start-up companies? Theassumption is all three but a businessplan needs to clearly show the facility’score business. How have the originalgoals been altered as a result of theneed to cover operating expenses?

The study is continuing. A summaryfrom the April forum is available bycontacting [email protected].

Documents

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