Australian Academy of Science
[From the Academy website]
The Academy was founded in 1954 by Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London with the distinguished physicist Sir Mark Oliphant as founding President. It was granted a Royal Charter establishing the Academy as an independent body but with government endorsement.
The Academy's Constitution was modelled on that of the Royal Society of London. It receives government grants towards its activities but has no statutory obligation to government.
The objectives of the Academy are to promote science through a range of activities. It has defined four major program areas:
- recognition of outstanding contributions to science
- education and public awareness
- science policy
- international relations.
The Fellowship of the Academy is made up of over 400 of Australia's top scientists, distinguished in the physical and biological sciences and their applications. Each year sixteen scientists, judged by their peers to have made an exceptional contribution to knowledge in their field, are elected to Fellowship of the Academy. Election is subject to a searching appraisal of the candidate's published works, including reference to leading scientific researchers around the world. Fellows are employed by universities, CSIRO, government and private research organisations.
They contribute to the Academy in an honorary capacity by serving on Council, committees and as advisers.
No more than two Fellows may be elected every three years on the basis of distinguished contributions to science by means other than personal research. A small number of distinguished foreign scientists with substantial connections to Australian science are elected as Corresponding Members.
The Fellows of the Academy elect the Council which manages the business of the Academy. The decisions of the Council are carried out by the secretariat in Canberra, supervised by the Executive Committee.
The Academy has published many reports on public issues such as national research policy setting, stem cell research, human cloning, pesticides, ecological reserves, food quality, genetic engineering, space science and climate change.
The Academy also makes submissions to government ministers and parliamentary inquiries. The President of the Academy is, by virtue of that position, a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council. The Council advises the Prime Minister on important scientific issues.
The role of the 22 National Committees of the Academy is to foster a designated branch of natural science in Australia, to serve as an effective link between Australian scientists and overseas scientists in the same field, and to advise Council on relevant matters.
National Committees are frequently called on to advise on science policy matters, on proposals for Academy sponsorship of scientific conferences and on proposals for grants from special purpose funds. They are also encouraged to prepare occasional reports and other documents on the state and outlook of their respective disciplines. National Committees maintain active links with relevant scientific societies and international organisations.