On Tuesday 27 October, Australia's Chief Scientist, Prof Tony Haymet delivered a speech at the 2026 National Science and Engineering Challenge dinner in Canberra.

Good evening, everyone. 

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we are meeting tonight, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. 

I also pay my respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here this evening. And I recognise their continuing contribution to science and innovation in this country over some 60,000 years of knowledge-building.

It’s a pleasure to be here and I thank the University of Newcastle for inviting me. 

These awards recognise the breadth of work being done across Australia’s secondary schools, inspiring students into STEM.

Shortly, I will say more about the importance of the National Science and Engineering Challenge and the broader impact it has had over the past 25 years. 

But first, I’d like to say a few words about the video we’ve just watched.

For me what stood out was the unique skills the students at Wadeye bring to their learning: their capacity for problem solving, knowledge and enthusiasm. 

These are the skills that we need to solve our biggest challenges and it’s terrific to see a program that encourages and enables students to build those skills and put them to good use. 

So, I want to congratulate those students and their community – and especially the National Science and Engineering Challenge team – for this work.

I have long advocated for increased collaboration between industry and the research sectors, and for closer partnerships between science and engineering.

It will be critical to Australia’s future. And I’ve seen firsthand the powerful combination of science and engineering.

In 2010, I co-founded a company that was spun out of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, to make ocean-monitoring robots and instruments. 

By connecting the company’s talented engineers with scientific knowledge, we went on to develop a range of ocean-monitoring robots and instruments used to collect crucial scientific data at sea.

I mention this because, the actual company was a company of engineers.  

The science was already largely complete; and it was the engineers doing the transformative work – translating that science and taking it to the next level. The science had been done earlier, and in some cases, we licenced it.

It’s just one example of how closely science and engineering work together and how beneficial that marriage can be! Likewise, during my time at the CSIRO, I often saw engineers and scientists collaborating seamlessly on projects of national significance.

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But bringing science and engineering together also means thinking about who will carry that work forward – and how we give the next generation the opportunity to be part of it. 

For Australia, our future prosperity depends on both welcoming scientific and engineering talent from around the world and nurturing it here at home.

Back in June, analysis from Engineers Australia showed that 60% of the engineering workforce in Australia was born overseas.

This figure tells two stories. Australia is attractive to global talent – and needs that talent to fill critical skills gaps. 

But we cannot rely on that alone. 

To secure our future, we need to grow more technical expertise here at home.

And to make those home-grown engineers ready for the workforce, it makes sense for them to regularly work with scientists during their degrees. 

Many of our tertiary institutions understand this; take the University of Newcastle, for example. In 2021 it combined its Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment with its Faculty of Science – to create the College of Engineering, Science and Environment to foster greater collaboration across these disciplines.

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What the Science and Engineering Challenge does, by focusing on students in years 9 and 10 – right before they select their senior secondary subjects – is showcase the exciting and rewarding opportunities that these fields offer.

It helps the next generation of Australians see engineering and science not as an abstract or unreachable career, but as a viable, exciting path they can pursue.

From hands-on problem-solving at school to collaboration between science and engineering at university, the goal is the same: to prepare students for what lies ahead. 

Today, AI is part of that. When it comes to knowing what engineering jobs might look like in the future, none of us has a crystal ball. 

A better question to ask might be: what are we doing to ensure Australia’s engineers are AI literate? And, what skills do we need to be teaching now?

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Which takes me back to the impact of the Science and Engineering Challenge over the past 25 years. 

Nearly half-a-million students have taken part. That’s an extraordinary achievement!

And I was so pleased to learn that just over half of all student teams come from regional, rural or remote areas. How’s that for levelling the playing field!

These students are not only tackling some hands-on engineering and science challenges, they’re communicating, building confidence and engaging in teamwork – the very skills scientists and engineers need to tackle real-world problems in a rapidly changing world. 

That’s what we’re celebrating tonight: not just a challenge completed, but the confidence to take on the next one! A chance for students to discover that science and engineering are not distant possibilities – but something they can be part of and contribute to. 

By creating a space for different perspectives and ideas, the challenge encourages all students, whatever their background, to see a place for themselves in science and engineering.

So once again, congratulations to the students and schools recognised tonight. 

And thank you to everyone who makes the National Science and Engineering Challenge possible. Your dedication enriches lives and strengthens our shared future.

Thank you and enjoy the evening.