Professor Tony Haymet appointed Australia's Chief Scientist

Emeritus Professor Tony Haymet — a world-leading oceanographer, chemist and entrepreneur — was yesterday announced as Australia’s 10th Chief Scientist, effective immediately.

Prior to his appointment, Haymet was Chair of the Antarctic Science Foundation and Chair of the ATSE (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering) Climate Change Working Group. He was also a Distinguished Professor, Director and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus at the UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Haymet’s long and distinguished career includes roles as a scientist, administrator, CEO, board member, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He has held senior roles with CSIRO, authored 177 peer-reviewed publications and co-founded a company that manufactures ocean robots. He was also the Chair of the Oceans Council at the World Economic Forum in 2012–13.

The role of Australia’s Chief Scientist is to provide authoritative, independent scientific advice to government, champion Australia’s science and research system and contribute to improving our scientific capability. Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic, who announced Haymet’s appointment, said he was an outstanding Australian who would make an exceptional Chief Scientist.

“With a scientific background spanning several disciplines, along with the commercial runs on the board, Tony’s lived and breathed the value of scientific collaboration,” Husic said.

“He will make a powerful advocate for our world-class science and research community, with experience on the international stage as an advocate only adding to his stellar research career.

“Our new Chief Scientist has also been a fierce advocate for action on climate change, healthy oceans and the public value of science.

“I am confident he’ll do an excellent job in providing advice to government and being a vocal champion of Aussie science.”

Haymet said he would be using his new position, which he describes as “the role of a lifetime”, to emphasise the importance of measurements, data and scientific facts.

“My role is to support the scientists out on the farms, the deserts and oceans — it’s measuring what’s happening to our land, water and atmosphere,” he said.

Haymet’s three-year term begins around one month after the departure of the previous Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley, at the end of 2024. In recognition of her contribution, which included helping Australia through the pandemic, the government has appointed Foley to the board of CSIRO, where she previously worked for nearly 36 years — including as the organisation’s Chief Scientist. Her term on the CSIRO board will last for three years.

Image caption: Emeritus Professor Tony Haymet.