Our deepest thanks to all of you who have engaged over the past week on the ARC pre-prints matter. We have had a lot of conversations - and we are especially grateful for your generosity in sharing key insights across the disciplines as we’ve worked on your behalf. It has been terrific to see our STA member professional societies respond to this issue with deep thought and care - with the important message of support to our early career researcher community. We’ll continue to do our part of this work in the days ahead.

As we head into a federal election year, STA will convene the leadership of our member organisations at our annual President and CEO Forum. We hope you can join us for this key STEM sector leadership conversation on our shared priorities and STA’s further growth and development. Registration is essential. Please join us via Zoom on Monday October 11 at 1pm AEDT.

We are thrilled to welcome powerhouse STEM innovator Western Sydney University and two of its world-leading STEM institutes - the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development and the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment into the STA community this week. We’re inspired by the brilliant work you are doing - and by their impressive STEM talent led by PVC-STEM and MARCS Institute Director Professor Kate Stevens and HIE Director Professor Ian Anderson. A warm welcome to you all.

In the first week of October, STA will farewell Peter Derbyshire after three fabulous years when he heads to his next role as Director of Policy at ATSE. We will miss him greatly. I know you have deeply appreciated Peter’s skilled work on policy issues in his tenure here, his grasp of policy and the political landscape, support and excellent humour. We thank him for it all!

STA has begun our search for our next Director of Policy & Engagement. This senior strategic role is key to our influential advocacy - we need a skilled policy developer, writer and networker with a deep understanding of the STEM sector. Please send any great candidates from your networks our way.

Finally, Happy Wear It Purple Day. This day was created to help foster environments that are safe, supportive and inclusive every day for LGBTQIA+ young people. So, to all our rainbow young people, today and every day, we say: we see you, we value you, and we celebrate who you are.

Until next time, 

Misha Schubert 
CEO, Science & Technology Australia 

SAVE THE DATE: STA PRESIDENT & CEO FORUM

As the nation heads into an election year, STA invites the leadership of our member organisations to join us at our annual STA President and CEO Forum. We will discuss shared policy advocacy priorities for the STA community, and the approach to the next year of policy engagement. We will also seek the input of our member leadership as we consider the next stage of STA’s growth and development as an organisation, and a process to review our legal structure and governing documents. Join us via Zoom on Monday 11 October at 1pm AEDT. Registration is essential.

2021 ANNUAL MEMBER SURVEY

Our annual membership survey is used to collect ways to improve STA's activities, programs and the advocacy support we provide. We endeavour to ensure our programs and initiatives are effectively supporting your organisation goals, while also supporting your members, staff, and stakeholders. Please do the survey if you can – it will only take around 10 minutes, and will provide enormously valuable input for STA. Complete the survey now.

NEW REPORTS AND POLICY CHANGES OF INTEREST TO STA MEMBERS

• CSIRO has released a synthetic biology roadmap which indicates Australia could develop an industry worth $27 billion and 44,000 jobs by 2040.
• The report intoMitochondrial donation legislation has been released, as an issue of conscience there were no recommendations.
• Australia’s health tracker by socioeconomic status was released by the Mitchell Institute.
• A study intoAustralian burden of disease in 2018 was released.
• The Centre for International Governance Innovation released a report on how to agree on WTO rules for digital trade.
• The Productivity Commission released a study on vulnerable supply chains.
• The OECD released a policy paper on thefuture of robots and making our life easier.
• The Grattan Institute released a report into reducing industry emissions.
• An article has been published on funder suppression of health behaviour intervention trial findings.
• The Australian Research Data Commons released a report on Data-Driven Research Impact.
• The Perth USAsia Centre released a report on the Indo-Pacific hydrogen transformation.

Opportunities for submissions:

There are three opportunities to provide feedback on the National Research Infrastructure Roadmap:

• Discussion paper: Precision Measurement Scoping Study;
• Discussion paper: National Environmental Prediction System (NEPS) Scoping Study;
• Ideas Jam Issues Paper: Industry Engagement.
• A Senate inquiry into the Australian Manufacturing Industry has begun - submissions close 10 September.
• The Australian National Audit Office is auditing the management of threatened species and ecological communities - due 31 October.

Further information: Peter Derbyshire, STA Policy Manager - peter.derbyshire@sta.org.au

STA MEMBER EVENTS OF INTEREST

• Join a community of impact-focused researchers atCruxes Innovation’s Impact Pathfinders event. This community will gather to inspire, support, and encourage one another on their journeys to impact, and to hear from leaders in the field. Cruxes are offering free tickets to this event to the first 10 STA members who sign up to attend the event. Please click here to sign up to the event, and use discount code HISTA to get your free tickets.
• Join the Australian Psychological Society for a two-day event ‘Unpacking trauma’ to learn about the latest research and best-practice approaches in the treatment of trauma. All health professionals are welcome to register.
• Register now for the 11th National AeRO Forum Identifying the gaps - Digital Research Infrastructure on Tuesday 14 September.
• Thursday 9 September is ruokday. This year, the theme is #aretheyreallyOK? Exciton Science will host a panel discussion on understanding mental health and the important role of conversations and positive approaches. Register here.
• AMOS, with the NZ MetSoc, are holding an international conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography in February 2022. Submit your abstracts by 19 September.

To add a conference or event: contact STA Events & Membership Manager Lucy Guest – lucy.guest@sta.org.au

GRANTS, FUNDING AND OPPORTUNITIES 

• ANSTO FutureNow and FutureNow Plus Scholarships – open to graduates or early career researchers working on industry-focused research projects that support developments in health, defence, aerospace engineering and nuclear technologies.
• Entrepreneurs' Programme - Accelerating Commercialisation – Ongoing.
• The Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellowships support breakthrough solutions to Australia’s most pressing challenges. Fellows are funded to take 12 months away from their current role to pursue big ideas that have the potential to achieve positive outcomes in the areas of poverty and disadvantage, sustainability and environment, human, civil and legal rights. EOIs are open until 5 September.
• The Volvo Environment Prize is open for nominations for the 2022 Laureate. The prize covers all fields of environmental and sustainability studies and initiatives.
• Women & Leadership Australia is offering partial scholarships to women in STEM areas wanting to undertake leadership training.

STA MEMBER STORIES 

Do you know of a terrific STEM idea, technology, innovation, product or program that has been successfully commercialised? Then we want to hear from you. STA is launching a new project where we’ll aim to highlight research translation and commercialisation success stories. Get in contact with our Communications Manager, Martyn Pearce.

Get in the picture: Are you following STA on Instagram? If you’re a member organisation using Insta as one of your communication channels, please follow us and we’ll follow you back!