Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, welcomed 13 scientists into the Australian Public Service last week, telling them that the events of this year had highlighted the increasing importance of science and research in policymaking.

The Low Emissions Technology Statement released on September 22 addresses the biggest global challenge of our era – how to reduce emissions quickly while supporting economic growth.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has welcomed the release of a report on the future of technology in Australian agriculture.

Australia’s Chief Scientist borrowed from the lyrics of an old country song when asked at a Year13 summit what advice he had for school leavers unsure of their next step.

“Do what you do do well,” Dr Alan Finkel told the virtual Future of Work Expo last month.

The science of climate change is not in doubt. Global warming is due to human activity, and must be arrested as a matter of urgency by reducing global emissions. But how do we reconcile a dramatic reduction in emissions with a prosperous economy?

"As Australia’s Chief Scientist, I have long advocated the need for a common set of advice to school students about the importance of studying core subjects.

Completing fundamental subjects in secondary school, such as history, languages, mathematics, and science, combined with a strong foundation in English, is essential to equip young Australians with the agility and flexibility to navigate life post-school, regardless of whether they continue to tertiary studies or enter the workforce directly.

The National STEM School Education Resources Toolkit was a key recommendation of the STEM Partnerships Forum and aims to help teachers, school leaders, industry partners and other providers to deliver high quality STEM initiatives in schools.

Australia’s response to the devastating bushfires of the 2019 summer must be two-fold. First, adaptation – how we prepare for and respond to fires. And second, mitigation – which means a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

When was the last time you read the terms and conditions before clicking “accept”? The amount of personal information we are giving up in the digital sphere is astonishing, and will only increase with our ever-higher reliance on artificial intelligence as it takes off in self-driving cars, automated medicine, and security and law enforcement.