Science at the Shine Dome 2014

The Australian Academy of Science held its annual Science at the Shine Dome gathering from 27-29 May. The theme of this year’s event was Celebrating Australian science - past present future.

The prestigious Academy Medal was this year presented to two awardees: Emeritus Professor Harry Messel and Simon McKeon AO FAICD. Professor Messel was recognised for his enduring service to the cause of science in Australia, which has included innovative scientific leadership through the establishment of the Physics Foundation at the University of Sydney; his vision for secondary school science education and the resulting series of textbooks; and the establishment of his International Science Schools.

Simon McKeon is a prominent business leader and philanthropist who has made extensive contributions to Australian science and innovation. The 2011 Australian of the Year has championed informed debate on climate change and provided inspiring leadership in the community sector, especially in the areas of health and disability.

Professor Jerry Adams FAA FRS was meanwhile presented with the Macfarlane Burnet medal for research in the biological sciences. He delivered the Macfarlane Burnet lecture about his work, which has advanced understanding of cancer development, particularly of genes activated by chromosome translocation in lymphomas, through molecular analysis and transgenic mouse models.

Other notable awardees include:

• Inaugural Nancy Millis Medal winner Professor Emma Johnston, who was awarded for her leadership and groundbreaking research on human impacts on marine ecosystems.
• Ruth Stephen Gani Medal winner Professor Ryan Lister, who explained how the brain epigenome is rewired during foetal development.
• Frederick White prize winner Professor Chris Turney, for his research on understanding past and present climate change and on improving climate change models.
• 2014 Christopher Heyde Medal winner Associate Professor David Warton, for distinguished research in mathematical sciences by a researcher under the age of 40.

The event saw the admittance of 21 science leaders here as fellows of the academy. The fellows were elected in March for their outstanding contributions to and application of scientific research. Each new fellow presented highlights of their pioneering research, which covered the genetic origins of epilepsy, climate change and extinction, quantum optics and more.

The academy welcomed its 18th president, with Professor Andrew Holmes formally taking over from Professor Suzanne Cory. Professor Holmes is a pioneer in organic electronics who has been recognised for his groundbreaking work on light-emitting polymers. These polymers play an important role in the newly emerging field of flexible electronics and have applications in flat-screen televisions and solar cells.

The academy also received two new secretaries. Botanist Professor Pauline Ladiges took over from Professor Jenny Graves as secretary of education and public awareness and mathematician Professor Cheryl Praeger assumed the role of foreign secretary.

The symposium concluded with a series of presentations to celebrate Australia’s science successes and look to the future. Presenters included Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Schmidt, medical researcher Gus Nossal and director of the Climate Change Institute Michael Raupach, among others.