Compiled by Diana Temple
Professor Sue Serjeantson, President of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), says the brain drain is an indication that research science is tottering on a see-saw in Australia, and scientists are voting with their feet to escape to a better world.
"Our 'Ten Top Issues' for 2000 is a wish-list for scientists," she says. "If these issues were rectified, we'd have booming new high-technology industries, and top-level scientists and technologists from overseas clamouring to join Australia's vigorous research effort. The 'Ten Top Issues' should also be a wish list for every Australian. Unless we change our complacent attitude to science as an investment, Australia will continue its gentle slide into mediocrity."
She says the issues boil down to three key factors:
"Anecdotal evidence about the draining away of talented Australian scientists is mounting. Every Australian scientist has farewelled friends and colleagues to better jobs overseas," she says. "Conditions are better, research funds are more available, job security is better. Australian scientists working overseas say they'd love to be able to return, but they can't afford the career insecurity, difficulty gaining research funds and the crumbling infrastructure. We want Australians to go overseas to broaden their experience and gain new contacts. But we need a way to encourage them to bring their new skills back to Australia, so they return at least for extended periods of research."
Professor Serjeantson says there is no evidence to support claims the brain drain is being matched by a flow of talent into Australia.
"There is a suspicion that Australia is losing potential Einsteins, but gaining tradespeople in return," she says. "The statistics available to the public are very unreliable, and may well cover up the true picture. There is a natural tendency by people wishing to move to Australia to inflate their qualifications."
Professor Serjeantson says she is calling on the Government to undertake an analysis of highly qualified people moving into and out of the country. This should include a close examination of the confidential records of immigrants, including a careful assessment of their qualifications.
Australian scientists are starved of research money, and the Government's White Paper contains no new funding. Government funding for research should be increased in the same way funding for medical research was boosted in 1999.
Coordinate Australian science to create jobs, improve existing industries, solve environmental problems and improve digital communication in regional and rural Australia.
Science and mathematics teachers take home less money than other teachers because they have a higher HECS debt to repay. Removing the inequity would help overcome the shortfall of qualified science and mathematics teachers.
Job insecurity, lack of career paths and low salaries are driving good young scientists away from jobs in research. Australia is in danger of losing a generation of scientists and technologists, to jobs overseas or to other professions.
Australia is losing touch with international science as the price of scientific journals rise and libraries cancel subscriptions. We need a national arrangement to buy electronic academic publications, to enable all Australian researchers access to the latest scientific ideas.
Cooperative Research Centres help industry and researchers work more closely on key national issues. The CRC Program should be on a regular footing, with an annual schedule to consider proposals for funding new centres.
Introduce a scheme of fellowships and stipends to enable Australian scientists working overseas to return for short and medium-term research activities, to bring their knowledge back and take Australian ideas overseas.
Does Australia know where it is going in a rapidly-changing world? Setting national goals and national priorities, and identifying where S&T fit in is a key job for the Prime Minister's Science Council. Mechanisms to coordinate science and promote a whole-of-Government approach need strengthening.
Industry investment in research continues to slump. Australia needs a range of incentives to encourage investment in R&D, including tax deductibility at internationally-competitive rates and a tax credit system. The Ralph Review reforms are just a start.
Australians are proud of their science, but know little about its value. A vigorous program of science and mathematics awareness targeted at the business community would help the nation appreciate the central role S&T play in invigourating existing businesses and generating new industries.
There are two ways we can increase our resource base. We can and should seek to increase our membership. This will provide revenue. It will also provide energy and ideas if we can organise ourselves to utilise the skills and talents within our Member Societies.
In communicating outwards to our membership we need to assess the relative importance of:
We are re-thinking our different classes of membership and what each group gets in return for their subscription. How much in the loop should we keep groups that have similar interests, but choose not to pay any subscriptions to FASTS? We also need to increase our subscription rate, and you will have the opportunity to comment on the Board's decision on that matter in the meeting. I believe we need an annual income of around $150,000 a year to do the things we need to have done.
The issuing of occasional papers on matters of importance is a new step for FASTS. Our biotechnology paper by Peter French helped build the pressures for a successful budget outcome in this area. The second occasional paper by Toss and Jenny Metcalfe ("Scientists commercialising their Research") has been well received and I will have the opportunity next week to present it to the PMSEIC. It will be a useful building block to the Innovation Summit early next year. Other sectors of FASTS should think about developing Occasional Papers on matters of concern to them.
During the year we have made a number of submissions. These include:
At midnight on November 23, Peter Cullen's two year term as President of FASTS concluded. The success of "Science meets Parliament" Day was a fitting conclusion to his splendid term as President, and our office is still coping with requests for follow-up information. FASTS' Board has decided to run a similar event in 2000, and this will clearly be a priority for me as I begin my two year term as President.
As previously advised, membership subscription rates to FASTS will increase from July 2000. Our level of services has gone up, and we need to add to our capacity to analyse data and respond to requests for information quickly. The Board is determined to increase membership of FASTS so the cost of providing a better service can be spread over more Members. We would like the opportunity to meet with as many Member Societies as possible, and invitations to your meetings and conferences would be most welcome.
The Innovation Summit has come and gone, and worked better than most people expected. I attended as President of FASTS, along with Past-President Peter Cullen, FASTS' Executive Director Toss Gascoigne and Board Member John Pilbrow. There WAS a positive mood during the three days, despite the absence of any hard announcements. It was a big plus to have the attention of Australia's politicians focussed on research and innovation, if only for a week. The Summit was addressed by Cabinet Ministers Minchin, Alston and Kemp, as well the Prime Minister.
In addressing the dinner, the Prime Minister said that people interested in innovation would be entitled to judge the Government by its actions. Given that the Government has presided over a period of plummeting rates of business expenditure on R&D and a university sector facing varying degrees of crisis, it is hardly in a position to stand on its record. Its strategy of trying to starve the universities into innovation has been a failure. In fairness to the Government, some of these problems were inherited from the previous administration. The Prime Minister's statement has been widely interpreted as a strong hint of good things in the air. Certainly he succeeded in raising expectations across the sector.
The Summit opens up new possibilities for Australia. If it is to be judged a success, the Summit must lead to:
Further information on the Summit is available on the ISR web site.
ScienceNOW! is seeking 16 youngish scientists to talk about their research to the media and the general public at ScienceNOW! in Melbourne from May 4 to 7. They want good peer-reviewed research by scientists without a public profile but with the ability to tell a good story. Research must have been conducted in Australia or by an Australian, must have been released since 1 January 1999, must have gained peer recognition, and must NOT have had significant media coverage. The selected researchers will be flown to Melbourne and provided with training and media support. The event last year attracted over 150 media mentions. For further information: www.sciencenow.org.au or contact Niall Byrne: 03 5253 1391, fax 03 9923 6008, e-mail: niall@byc.com.au .