Nine new members join STA board

Science & Technology Australia has elected nine new members to its board.

The members are:

• Agricultural and food sciences: Dr Damien Belobrajdic, Nutritional Society of Australia (SA Co-Chair); Senior scientist at CSIRO Health and Biosecurity
• Biological Sciences: Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Society for Reproductive Biology; Executive Dean of Science and Technology, University of Canberra
• Chemical Sciences: Dr Tom Cresswell, Vice-President, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia; Isotope ecologist, ANSTO
• Geological and Geographical Sciences: Marina Costelloe, Australian Geoscience Council; President, Australian Society for Geophysics; Section Leader, Geoscience Australia
• Mathematical sciences: Professor Adrian Barnett, Statistical Society of Australia (President); Statistician, Queensland University of Technology
• Physical sciences: Professor Cathryn Trott, Astronomical Society of Australia (Incoming President); Node Leader, ASTRO 3D
• Plant and Ecological sciences: Professor Rachel Burton, Australian Society of Plant Scientists; Head of Department of Plant Science, University of Adelaide
• Technological sciences: Branwen Morgan, Australasian Genomic Technologies Association; General Manager, Ausgem
• General member representative: Jasmine Chambers, National Tertiary Education Union; General Manager, Science, University of Sydney
   

The new board members work in a range of roles at major Australian science agencies, tertiary institutions and cross-sector collaborative organisations, and bring to STA a depth of experience in governance, strategy and leadership, as well as in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

STA President Professor Emma Johnston AO said, “We were thrilled by the response to our call for leaders to apply, which is a reflection of the organisation’s success and the calibre of those departing the board.

“Our members have elected brave, articulate, experienced and passionate STEM professionals to support STA’s bold strategy as we work towards our mission of advancing the role, reputation and impact of science and technology.”

Johnston said, “During their terms over the last two years, each of our outgoing board members has made an important contribution to our strategy and success,” Professor Johnston said.

“On behalf of the organisation, I’m grateful for the time and the work they’ve put in to building our capacity to advocate for the sector.”

Outgoing board members are: Professor Dianne Jolley, Professor Coral Warr, Dr Duanne White, Professor Geoff Prince, Professor Andrew Peele, Professor Ulrike Mathesius, Professor Brian Yates and Peter Elford.

 “With evidence-based policy, strong support for scientific research and better retention of our best minds in Australia, we will be well on our way to global success,” she said.

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