Business expenditure on R&D (BERD) increased for the eighth consecutive year in 2006/07, to a total of $12,036 million, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

R&D expenditure in 2006/07 was up 16% in current prices and 11% in real terms on 2005/6.

[Update from Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS)]

Public Hearing 16 October 2008

Representatives from the CSIRO, the Australian Academy of Science and the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies will appear before the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Training in Canberra on Thursday (16 October). The committee is examining claims of declining enrolments in the enabling sciences at Australian universities.

[From the Minister's media release]

The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, today announced the appointment of Professor Penny Sackett as Australia’s new, full-time, Chief Scientist.

"Professor Sackett will provide high-level advice to Government, foster relationships with science organisations and industry groups and stimulate community thinking on the big scientific issues of our time.

"Boosting the role from part-time to full-time demonstrates the store the Rudd Government places in high-calibre, independent, scientific advice.

[From media release by Australasian Science]
Funding for scientific research in Australia “puts an excessive emphasis on guaranteed results at the expense of adventurous ideas and major breakthroughs,” according to Prof Bryan Gaensler.

Draft ERA Pilot Submission Guidelines available - Physical, Chemical and Earth Science disciplines. This pilot program for the ERA will run from October 1 through to November 14. Guidelines are available below.

[From the DEEWR website]

The Higher Education Endowment Fund will provide funding to Australian higher education institutions for capital expenditure and research facilities. From 2009, the HEEF program will become part of the Education Investment Fund (EIF) announced in the 2008-09 Budget.

More information on the EIF can be found on the EIF page.

2009 Funding Round

The Endeavour Research Fellowships provide financial support for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows from Australia to undertake short-term research (4-6 months), in any field of study. The research is to be undertaken in participating countries within the Asia/Pacific region and the Middle East.

The Endeavour Research Fellowships aim to:

-enable high achieving scholars from Australia to undertake research within the Asia/Pacific region and the Middle East

-further develop Award Holders’ knowledge and skills in their field of research

Each year the Australian Academy of Science rewards scientific excellence. Honorific awards are made to early-career researchers under 40 and to career reseachers for life-long achievements. Some awards are offered biennially.

In addition to honorific awards, the Academy supports research through the sponsorship of conferences that focus on rapidly developing fields of research and the award of travelling fellowships.

Nominations close 30 August 2008.

Early Career Research Awards
Anton Hales Medal (Earth sciences)

The Anton Hales Medal recognises research in the earth sciences and honours the contributions to the earth sciences by the late Professor Anton L Hales FAA. Professor Hales was the founding director of the Research School of Earth Sciences in the Australian National University.

The inaugural NSW Scientist of the Year
Awards will recognise and reward the State’s leading researchers for cutting edge work that
generates economic, health, environmental or technological benefits for NSW.

Nine awards of $5,000 each will be granted to individuals in the following
categories:

1. Environment, water and climate change sciences
2. Mathematical sciences
3. Physics & astronomy
4. Biomedical sciences
5. Plant & animal sciences

We are restructuring the office arrangements at FASTS and will be creating a new position for a communications and research officer. Please forward this position description to anyone who you think may be interested.

Regards