Are you an early-career statistician with a compelling data story to tell? Think you can take the jargon out of your stats chat? Keen to put your writing skills to the test? “Yes!”, I hear you cry! Well, I’m delighted to hear you say that: it sounds like the Significance 2022 writing competition is for you! The Significance magazine, a partnership between the Royal Statistical Society, American Statistical Association and the Statistical Society of Australia, is seeking applications for the ‘Statistical Excellence Award for Early-Career Writing’. As the SSA began its partnership with Significance mid-2021, we are particularly keen to encourage contributions from our members so get your thinking caps on to come up with some exciting content. 

Eligibility:

• Students currently studying for a first degree, master’s or PhD in statistics, data science or related subjects;
• Graduates whose last qualification in statistics, data science or related subjects (whether first degree, master’s or PhD) was not more than five years ago.
• Note that you do not have to be a member of the SSA (or the other partner organisations) to enter.

Rules:

• Submit your best statistical writing in the form of a magazine article (1,500 to 2,500 words) on any subject you like as a .docx, .odt or .rtf file to significance@rss.org.uk, making sure to include the competition entry form.
• Writing style must be accessible and engaging: you are not writing for a technical audience.

 

Prizes:

• Articles will be reviewed by a judging panel with the winning entry (and up to two runners-up) published in Significance later this year.
• Up to three finalists will win a full registration to the 2022 Royal Statistical Society International Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Still not sure? Check out the 2021 winning entry for inspiration. The closing date is 31^st May 2022; further details can be found here.

What a hectic fortnight it has been.

It began with the Prime Minister’s announcement at the National Press Club of a $2.2 billion investment in research commercialisation. This includes a $1.6 billion fund - Australia’s Economic Accelerator – to offer grants up to $500,000 and $5 million to enable researchers to take their science and technology to proof-of-concept, prototype and market. Science & Technology Australia’s long-term leadership has advocated for just such a scheme. Further details on the package can be found on the DESE website. We were particularly delighted that two of STA’s key leadership figures and commercialisation trailblazers – STA President Mark Hutchinson and STA Policy Chair Sharath Sriram – featured as successful case studies in the action plan. You can also find FAQs on elements of the plan here and here. STA warmly welcomed the investment.

And the fortnight closes today with excellent news for women in STEM. Today, the Australian Government and Science Minister Melissa Price have announced a $2 million investment in our game-changing Superstars of STEM program. This will extend the opportunities of the program to another 120 women over the next four years. We thank the Government and Minister Price for this powerful investment in the talent of Australia’s women in STEM. This unique program - created by STA in 2017 - works powerfully to boost the public and media profiles of diverse women in STEM and fast-track their careers. By building this critical mass of visible role models, and through skilled outreach into the nation’s schools, this program is inspiring the next generations of girls and young women into STEM. Its success is documented in a detailed evaluation report that STA has launched today. It shares data, case studies and clear evidence of its success. We publish it to share knowledge of how to spur gains in pursuit of gender equity. 

The Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018  was this week referred to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for an inquiry and rapid report by 15 March. We expect a call for submissions will be made soon. STA continues to engage on these and related matters.

STA’s Board met this week for our first full Board of the new year. STA’s cluster representatives expertly relay information from your cluster reports and meetings to the full Board to inform our whole-of-sector advocacy. We also held a strategic planning session to set STA’s strategic framework and approve the annual work plan for 2022. It’s going to be a very busy year!

Finally, it’s now just over two weeks until Science Meets Parliament! If you haven’t already, please register your delegates ASAP and encourage your members to apply for one of our coveted scholarships - open until Monday. It’s a powerful program of skills development.

Until next time, 

Misha Schubert 
CEO, Science & Technology Australia 

Media Release Science & Technology Australia

FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2022 The Australian Government has today announced a further $2 million investment to advance women in STEM through Science & Technology Australia’s game-changing Superstars of STEM program. This powerful investment in Australia’s STEM leadership talent will enable 120 more brilliant and diverse women in STEM to turbo-charge their media profiles and career success over the next four years, helping to inspire the next generations of girls and young women into these crucial fields.   STA thanks the Australian Government and Science Minister Melissa Price for the announcement of this crucial investment in Australia’s science, technology, engineering and maths talent. Since 2017, this world-leading program has fast-tracked the profile and careers of 150 brilliant Australian female scientists, smashed gender stereotypes about what a scientist looks like, and inspired tens of thousands of school children to consider studying STEM. An evaluation report highlighting the astronomical success of the program is being launched today. Science & Technology Australia CEO Misha Schubert said the Superstars of STEM program was “starting to powerfully ‘shift the dial’ on women’s under-representation in STEM and deliver more equity and diversity of scientists in public life.” “We know it’s hard to be what you can’t see. By nurturing these diverse visible role models of women in STEM - in the media, in public leadership and in our schools - this program powerfully shows girls and young women that STEM is for them.”  “At its heart, the Superstars of STEM program is about brilliant women scientists lifting each other up to be visible public role models and inspire our next generations into these crucial careers.” The evaluation report was launched today by twin events with Science Minister Melissa Price at Western Australia’s Pawsey Supercomputer facility, and an online national event with the Australian Government’s Ambassador for Women and Girls in STEM Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith. The evaluation report of the program’s impact from 2019 to 2021 shows more than 21,000 Australian school students have been inspired by school visits and talks by the Superstars of STEM. The program has stratospherically elevated the profile and fast-tracked the careers of Superstars, reaching cumulative media audiences of 83 million people through more than 4000 media appearances from July 2020 to June 2021. The Superstars of STEM program is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, and is an initiative of Science & Technology Australia.  Science & Technology Australia is the not-for-profit peak body for the sectors, representing more than 90,000 scientists and technologists across Australia.  STA CEO Misha Schubert and several Superstars of STEM are available for interviews. Read the Hon Melissa Price MP’s media release here. Media contact: Martyn Pearce, STA: 0432 606 828

Jointly with related societies, the SSA recently sent an open letter to the Education Minister regarding the use of the National Interest Test to block research proposals recommended for funding by the Australian Research Council. The view of these societies is that such veto powers severely erode public trust in the ARC process. You can read the open letter here.

The Scientific Programming Committee for the 2023 Australian Statistical Conference, co-Chaired by Dr Nicole White (QUT) and Dr Karen Lamb (University of Melbourne), is seeking new members to help plan the program for the conference taking place in December 2023. The conference theme is ‘Statisticians in society’, focussing on the key role statisticians play in communication across diverse areas that are key to our society.

Interested? Please email Nicole White (nm.white@qut.edu.au) by 25^th February to tell us a little more about yourself, including brief details of i) the statistical section you align most with (e.g., biostatistics, environmental, official), ii) employment sector (e.g., academic, industry, government), iii) how long you have been working as a statistician, iv) what prior experience you have in conference or event organisation, and v) what you will bring to the committee. Please note that no prior experience in conference organisation is required. We would love to hear from people keen to get more involved in the SSA and strongly encourage people who may not have participated in SSA activities before to reach out (including early career statisticians). We look forward to hearing from you!

RESEARCH COMMERCIALISATION FUND COULD BE A GAME-CHANGER

TUESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2022 Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister of a $2.2 billion investment in a research commercialisation fund, venture capital and new industry scholarships and fellowships could turbo-charge Australia’s research commercialisation success. In recent years, Science & Technology Australia has made a powerful case for Australia to create a new Research Translation Fund to deliver strong returns on investment to the nation. Its role would be to turn more great Australian science and technology into products, jobs, start-ups and new income streams for Australia. STA President Professor Mark Hutchinson is one of a new generation of ‘bench-to-boardroom’ scientists - an entrepreneur, innovator and neuroscientist at the ARC Centre for Excellence in Nanoscale Biophotonics.  Under his high-energy leadership, the centre has forged more than 30 industry partnerships and seeded 15 startup and spinoff companies from its discovery research. “This new research commercialisation fund is an exciting development. We see vast potential for it to ‘level-up’ Australia research commercialisation success, and generate stronger returns on investment for the nation from our world-leading research,” said Professor Hutchinson. “Australia has a wealth of talent, ideas, and expertise in research breakthroughs. But for too long, the country has lacked the support and infrastructure for more of our research to bridge the ‘valley of death’ between research and commercialisation.” “This announcement has the potential to be a game-changer.” “Australia’s Economic Accelerator will offer seed capital for more research to be taken to proof of concept and prototype to attract further capital from the private sector, and enable more products to be made in Australia." “It offers the possibility of turbo-charging Australia’s research commercialisation, by giving researchers support to ‘lean in’ to business, and helping business ‘lean in’ to the brilliant talent pool of scientists in this country.” “This funding can kickstart the next-generation science capabilities we need to face the next set of complex challenges that will confront our country.” “Science & Technology Australia has been the leading voice for a Research Translation Fund for several years. We are excited by this development and the potential it offers Australia to create the products, services, and jobs of the future,” he said. Science & Technology Australia is the peak body representing more than 90,000 scientists and technologists in Australia. Media contact: Martyn Pearce, STA: 0432 606 828

2022 marks 30 years since the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, now a General Assembly-endorsed global standard, were first developed and adopted at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Created by the Conference of European Statisticians, UNECE’s highest decision-making body made up of the national chief statisticians of member countries, these principles were devised at a time of immense change and upheaval across the region. As centrally-planned economies transitioned to market economies in many member States, statisticians realized more than ever that they needed a shared framework to define the principles that guide what they do. Such a framework helps to secure the trust and credibility upon which effective statistics depend. There are many differences across countries in how their statistical production is organized, what data they gather, what needs they fulfil, yet these central principles are universal.

The principles underlie everything that the producers of official statistics do: from the methods for collecting, processing and storing data to the ways that statistical offices disseminate statistics and communicate with those who use them. The principles ensure independence from political influence and the right and duty to publicly correct misuse or misinterpretation of statistics. They safeguard the trustworthiness of official statistics, enabling them to play a unique role as a public good that underpins sustainable development and democracy. 

By marking this 30th anniversary, statistical offices across the region are recognizing the continued and increasing importance of the principles in guiding what they do. As the sheer amount of data produced increases everywhere, those who rely on facts to shape their decisions are faced with a vast range of possible sources to which they can turn. At the same time, deliberately misleading uses of data, selective use of figures and incorrect interpretations abound.

With their collective manifesto for serving society with impartial, relevant and accurate information to guide decisions, the community of official statisticians will continue upholding and being led by the Fundamental Principles for 30 more years and beyond.

To celebrate this anniversary, starting on 31 January, selected CES member countries will lead a series of campaigns marking each of the principles in turn. The first principle relates to ‘relevance, impartiality and equal access’, which will be highlighted by Canada. Participating countries will take the lead in showcasing the ways in which they fulfil the principle, how this impacts everyday life, and why this matters to society.

The ten principles will be celebrated at two-week intervals from January to June, culminating in the 70th plenary session of the Conference of European Statisticians on 20-22 June.

In summary form, the principles are:

·         Principle 1: Relevance, impartiality and equal access

·         Principle 2: Professionalism

·         Principle 3: Accountability

·         Principle 4: Prevention of misuse

·         Principle 5: Cost-effectiveness

·         Principle 6: Confidentiality

·         Principle 7: Legislation

·         Principle 8: National coordination

·         Principle 9: International coordination

·         Principle 10: International statistical cooperation.

The campaign can be followed and joined on social media with the hashtags #FPOS30 and #cesUNECE, supported on Twitter by @unecestat and @UNECE.

If you wish to subscribe to the UNECE Weekly newsletter, please send an email to:  unece_info@un.org

Check out the UNECE's website here

The year is in full swing already. As we navigate the Omicron wave of the pandemic, the nation is preparing for a Budget and an election. 

In our pre-Budget submission, Science & Technology Australia makes a powerful case that science has shielded Australia’s economy from the pandemic – and science should be at the centre of this Budget. This is an urgent moment to secure the strategic science capabilities Australia will need to face the next set of complex challenges ahead. As STA President Mark Hutchinson and I see it: “We should fund science like our lives and our economy depend on it, because they do.”
 
Meanwhile the research community has come out strongly over the Ministerial veto of six ARC grants late last year. There’s an important principle at stake here. The independence of research is key in a liberal democracy. That independence is enshrined in the Haldane Principle dating back to 1918. STA’s statement is on our website. We are also concerned about fresh delays in two more grant rounds - the ARC LIEF and Discovery Projects 2023. We need an end to these delays once and for all, by shifting to fixed timetables for grant applications and announcements. We will continue to seek progress on this.

It was uplifting to see this week’s Australian honours recognise so many scientists. Former STA Vice-President Sue Barrell is now an AO, Superstar of STEM Kate Cole an OAM, and Australia’s former Chief Scientist Alan Finkel an AC. Our warmest congratulations to every scientist honoured.

The PM’s Prizes for Science nominations close soon - on 10 February. Diversity and representation matter. Please take time to nominate brilliant scientists of all backgrounds for these prestigious awards - and especially Indigenous scientists, women and people of colour. 

The STA staff team is expanding to help support our strong membership growth. We are delighted to welcome Emma Hibbert from 1 February in the new role of Membership Engagement Officer. She’ll work to our Director of Membership and Events Lucy Guest and with our Membership Officer Shannon Wong. Emma is a science student at ANU and is passionate about diversity in STEM. You’ll be able to reach her at members@sta.org.au

Finally, it’s now just a month until Science Meets Parliament! If you haven’t already, register your delegates now and encourage your members to apply for one of our coveted scholarships.

Until next time, 

Misha Schubert 
CEO, Science & Technology Australia 

BUDGET 2022: TIME TO ‘DOUBLE DOWN’ ON OUR SCIENCE INVESTMENT

WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 2022  The 2022 Budget should “double down” on Australia’s return-generating investments in science to prepare for new complex challenges after this pandemic, fast-track our economic recovery and smooth the nation’s climate transition. This would start with boosting direct R&D investments to shift Australia closer to the top-ten OECD countries to seize economic opportunities for our nation. The first major stride towards that goal would be a $2.4 billion Research Translation Fund to secure Australia’s science future and generate strong returns on investment. In its pre-Budget submission, Science & Technology Australia proposes the fund and other strategic investments to safeguard our economy, build on the country’s outstanding science capability, respond to threats, and seize new income-generating opportunities. “Australia should use the next federal Budget to fund science like our lives and our economy depend on it - because they do,” said Science & Technology Australia CEO Misha Schubert. “We should heed the lessons of the pandemic and ‘double down’ on our investments in science to see off major threats and seize new economic opportunities for Australia.” “As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s never been clearer that Australia needs the deep expertise of scientists to navigate this historic challenge - and many others.” “Science has given us diagnostic testing, respirators, medical equipment, epidemiological expertise, and – crucially – life-saving vaccines.” “Those vaccines have saved lives from COVID-19, and could open the door to a host of potential new vaccines against cancers - and create tens of thousands of Australian jobs.” Science & Technology Australia President Professor Mark Hutchinson urged the Government to use the 2022 Budget to safeguard the future of our science talent, institutions, and infrastructure. “The lessons of the past few years are clear. We must invest deeply in science and scientists. The success of science is crucial to our safety.” “Now is the time to secure the next-generation science capabilities we need to face the next set of complex challenges that will confront our country.” The pre-Budget submission sets out fiscally responsible initiatives to deliver strong returns on investment to both tax revenue and the economy. They include: Boost direct R&D investment to shift Australia closer towards investment levels in the top ten OECD countries; Create a new $2.4 billion Research Translation Fund to turn more of Australia’s science into applications that will generate returns on investment; Safeguard the next wave of science breakthroughs by lifting ARC and NHMRC research grants budgets to $1 billion/year for each agency; Secure the future of science and research infrastructure with long-term funding certainty for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy; Deepen investment in climate science and low-emission technologies, including extending the proposed Patent Box initiative to include clean energy tech; Avert a disastrous exodus of science talent by shifting to longer-term grants, employing researchers on longer-term contracts, adopting fixed timelines for grant applications and announcements, and slashing red tape in grant applications; Invest $3 million in an STA Bench to Boardroom program to turbo charge training for scientists to pursue commercialisation; Access Australia’s full STEM talent pool by investing $2.3 million to advance women in STEM through STA’s groundbreaking Superstars of STEM program; and $4 million to establish an Indigenous STEM Network; A $2.3 million endowment to secure Science meets Parliament for the decade; and Resource the promised review of the Job-Ready Graduates legislation and top up funding for STEM degrees if they have fallen under the new model. Science & Technology Australia is the peak body for the nation’s STEM sector, representing more than 90,000 scientists and technologists.  Read Science & Technology Australia’s pre-budget submission here.  Media contact: Martyn Pearce, STA: 0432 606 828

The SSA Mentoring Committee has spent the first couple of weeks of January busily pairing mentees and mentors for the 2022 mentoring program. Excitingly, we had an overwhelming number of applications, with more than 60 SSA members applying for one of the coveted 20 spots in the program. With a bit of juggling and thanks to a larger number of mentor applications than anticipated, we have been able to expand the 2022 program to just over 30 pairs and will be introducing mentees to their mentors in early February.

Although disappointing for mentees who missed out this year, these applicants will be prioritised for future mentoring programs and will have the opportunity to participate in supported peer group mentoring to help build greater connections and support across the Australian statistical community.

The committee would like to say a huge thank you to all members who expressed an interest in the mentoring program, particularly those supporting as mentors. We are excited to work with you all in 2022 and look forward to hearing how you all get on. For members interested in participating in future (particularly mentors!), further details about the mentoring program can be found on the SSA mentoring webpage.