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Shorten and Carr speak out on CRCs
The Opposition has lashed the Government for delays in announcing the outcomes of the CRC Review and the last two funding rounds. Over recent weeks, Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Industry, Senator Kim Carr, has made a number of calls for Minister Macfarlane to finalise the Miles Review and announce the outcomes of the 16th and 17th funding rounds. Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, called for urgent resolution.
David Miles AM is understood to have completed his review of the CRC Programme. His review was announced on Budget night 2014, when $50 million was cut from the CRC Programme and the 17th funding round was stopped for all but existing CRCs. The 16th funding round, commenced in 2013, was still in play and also remains unresolved. No announcements have been made about the 18th funding round, which would normally have opened in late 2014 for a mid 2015 closing date.
Tony Peacock, CEO of the CRC Association, said this morning, 'Yes, it is frustrating. But in fairness to the government, there are a lot of other things happening. The CRC Programme Review needs to ensure that CRCs make the maximum contribution to wider industry and science policy. Both these areas are undergoing change with a set of national priorities and a more strategic approach getting put in place in science. The Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda announced late last year is a means of bringing science and industry closer together, which is something CRCs are very keen on'.
Dr Peacock pointed out that all the outstanding issues should be resolved over the next few weeks. 'The Budget is less than a fortnight away and Minister Ian Macfarlane will give the Opening Address at the Australia 2040 Forum on 26 May. I would expect we will find out all the details by then, if not before'.
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Global Megatrends and the Innovation Imperative
Megatrends are gradual yet powerful trajectories of change that have the potential to throw companies, individuals and societies into freefall. In his new book Global Megatrends author Stefan Hajkowicz - Principal Scientist in Strategy and Foresight at CSIRO - identifies seven megatrends reshaping our world and taking companies and societies to the brink of freefall over the coming twenty years.
The book will take you on a whirlwind tour of the future. It covers the scarcity of natural resources; the challenge to protect biodiversity and the global climate; rapid economic growth and urbanisation in Asia and the developing world; changing demographics and an ageing population; the impact of new digital technologies; consumer expectations for services and experiences; and an imperative to innovate.
Stefan will be presenting this work at the Cooperative Research Centres Association upcoming Australia 2040 Summit at Parliament House in Canberra on 26 May. Stefan’s talk is titled Riding the waves of innovation and globalisation for the next twenty years (and avoiding a wipeout). He’ll be covering all the megatrends but will be focusing on the last one – the innovation imperative.
Stefan will argue that Australia stands on the cusp of a rapidly changing, globally connected and digitally enabled world economy. As emerging economies on our doorstep transition into advanced service sector economies, Australia needs to leapfrog into an advanced-advanced services sector economy capable of selling a diverse range of commodities, knowledge and high-tech products and services. For this we need to breathe new life into our innovation system and experiment with bold new ideas.
'In the history of nations, in the history of corporations and in the lives of individuals there are moments when the foundations of existence are vaporised. In a moment of freefall the fundamentals which guided our choices and actions no longer apply. Our knowledge base fails to provide obvious anchor points for reasoning and decision-making. To prevail, we must construct and implement a new conceptual model. For this we need foresight – the ability to think ahead'. Stefan Hajkowicz, Global Megatrends, CSIRO Publishing May 2015
To learn more about megatrends and buy the book please visit: www.publish.csiro.au/megatrends
To register for the conference please visit: http://australia2040.com.au/.
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Registrations close next week
The Australia 2040 Forum is rapidly approaching and registrations for the event must close next week, Friday 8 May.
Great speakers now include John Pollaers, Chairman, of the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council, joining our panel on Making it in Australia. Join highly interactive sessions with Cabinet Ministers.
Outstanding networking opportunities. The Welcoming Function in the Australian War Memorial followed by networking dinners and the Excellence in Innovation Awards Dinner are all included.
Excellent array of workshops. Choose up to three workshops of the 12 opportunities available. Register today to make sure you get first choice. Some workshops are at or near capacity.
Enjoy Canberra's iconic War Memorial and Parliament House. A private tour of the new WWI exhibits is included. A Showcase of CRC outcomes will be on display in the spectacular Great Hall ahead of the Excellence in Innovation Awards Dinner.
Speakers Include:
 The Hon. Ian Macfarlane MP
Minister for Industry and Science.
Minister Macfarlane will give the Opening Address at the Australia 2040 Forum.
 Professor Warwick McKibbin
The next 25 years: why uncertainty should be at the core of policy design.
 Associate Professor Jane Burns
Chief Executive, Young and Well CRC
The Future of Medical Research Session.
 Professor Michael Aitken AM
Chief Executive, Capital Markets CRC
Communication in the Future Session.
 Ms Alex Sloan
ABC radio presenter and MC for the Australia 2040 Forum.
Thank you to our sponsors !
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Join the Conversation
Last newsletter the CRC Association announced our partnership with MindHive, a new collaborative online policy platform out of the Eidos Institute - an independent public policy think-tank located in Brisbane.
The CRC Association is now asking that you get involved. We are seeking your input and expertise on a series of key policy issues.
The Industrial Research Institute commissioned a foresight project (IRI2038) to research how developments in technology, business processes, regulations and other spheres will impact the art and science of research and technology management over the next 25 years. This project’s objective was to develop a provocative yet plausible view of the next 25 years’ events, developments and other change forces impacting research and technology management, and explore how best to respond to these alternate futures. Out of this project came four scenarios.
The CRC Association is asking for your input on these scenarios as well as three other scenarios: the future of manufacturing in Australia, future of medical research and potential in the north.
We invite you to comment on the four scenarios developed through the IRI2038 project.
You can join the conversation by joining up for MindHive here and participating in the conversation here.
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The eResearch revolution
Intersect’s Ian Gibson and ANDS’ Ross Wilkinson will present a joint workshop at Australia 2040 on May 27. eResearch enhances existing research processes, making them more efficient and effective. It also enables new kinds of research processes and potentially makes data available to multiple users. Imagine a future where anyone in the world could analyse or reanalyse your data. Should we be excited or nervous?
Intersect is Australia's largest full-service eResearch support agency, working closely with the research sector, including universities and public and private sector agencies. Intersect issues a monthly newsletter.
To subscribe, click here.
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Nominations open for inaugural ACT science award
Nominations are now open for the inaugural ACT Scientist of the Year Award, which seeks to recognise the achievements of an ‘up-and-coming’ scientist who has significant potential to continue to achieve in their chosen field of research.
The award is an opportunity to showcase the contribution that Canberrans make to the world of science and innovation, both nationally and worldwide.
It will be presented for the first time in 2015, and will be open to individual scientists working in basic or applied research and science, in all fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). To be eligible scientists must also have finished their PhD within the last 10 years, and be in the ACT conducting research.
The winning scientist will receive a $30,000 (ex GST) prize, and will become a science ambassador for the ACT by encouraging and inspiring young people to consider a career in science and promoting the ACT as a centre of knowledge and scientific research and innovation.
The winner will be announced during National Science Week in August.
Nominations close 9 June 2015. For more information, including eligibility criteria, visit www.act.gov.au/scientistofyear.
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World Science Festival to be held at Queensland Museum
The Queensland Government has struck a $650,000 deal to bring the New York-based World Science Festival to Queensland Museum in Brisbane.
The agreement will bring the event to the museum for three years, with the option to extend for another three years.
Queensland Museum, CEO Professor Suzanne Miller, said the first event will take place between March 9 and 13 next year.
"It is an incredible celebration of science, arts, performing arts," she said.
"We will be bringing some of the greatest minds in science and arts to Brisbane to celebrate with everyone the wonder and awe that is science".
Click here to read more. |
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Social Media Tools for Researchers - Free Webinar
Do you want to be recognised and known for your work? Want to find collaborators and networks to share information with? Are you interested in how to get up to 20 times more citations on your peer reviewed publications? If you find social media overwhelming and you’re not sure which platforms you should use then you should join me for this 1 hour webinar on either 7th or 13th May. During this webinar you will find out: The platforms researchers are using, how they are using social media to benefit their research profile, why you should use social media professionally, and time saving tips for social media.
This webinar is proudly presented by Knowledge Translation Australia.
For further details and to register click here.
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