Presentation to the Environmental Health Conference. Chief Scientist of Western Australia Professor Peter Klinken September 1st, 2016

Transcription

1 Presentation to the Environmental Health Conference Professor Peter Klinken September 1st, 2016

2 Report directly to Premier as Minister for Science Provide independent advice on: Science and innovation Broadening the economy Promoting science Work closely with the Office of Science to: Enhance collaboration Attract investment Build leading-edge capacity Promote science policies Raise public awareness

3 Importance of Science Science affects virtually every part of our lives from: Communication computers, mobile phones Health medicines, treatments Travel Cars, planes, boats Housing lights, water, heating Food and drink quality, quantity Etc, etc.

4 Science / Industry Continuum Invention Innovation Development Product Fundamental research Applied R&D/ Translational Industrial/ Commercial Universities / Government agencies / SMEs Industry Research organisations Technology Innovation Centres / Start-ups CSIRO/ CRC s Industry Growth Centres

5 Importance of Science Lord Alec Broers The technological revolution has been swift and the pace relentless. Nations that fail to keep up are doomed to become part of a second world (UWA Alumni presentation, London 2014)

6 Australia as a knowledge nation Australia s science base is strong, as shown by its high public-sector expenditure on R&D, the high international ranking of its Universities and publication rates in top scientific journals (OECD Science, Technology Industry Outlook 2012)

7 Australia as a knowledge nation Produces ~3-4% world s new knowledge annually ~0.3% world s population Rankings OECD #9 Nature #11 Scientific American #12 6 Universities in top 100 globally (ARWU) 16 Universities in top 100 (under 50 years old)

8 Australian Nobel Prize Winners Medicine Baron Howard Florey Sir Macfarlane Burnet Sir John Eccles Sir Joseph Katz Peter Doherty Physics Sirs Lawrence and Henry Bragg Brian Schmidt Chemistry Sir John Cornforth Barry Marshall / Robin Warren Elizabeth Blackburn

9 Rankings for Innovation Bloomberg #20 OECD #19 Global Innovation Index #19 - Institutions #11 - Human capital and research #7 - Infrastructure #7

10 Translation / Commercialisation Global Innovation Index Innovation efficiency #81 Knowledge diffusion #78 Science and Engineering graduates #73 High/ medium tech manufacturing #54 OECD Firms collaborating with academia 34/34 Firms collaborating globally 26/34

11 Conclusions Very good a research and innovation Poor research transfer to economic benefit Poor collaboration - industry and academia Insufficient STEM graduates PhD graduates -> academia not industry

12 STEM education Underpins a capable and adaptable economy Core Competencies : critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, innovative approaches Curriculum content can crush creativity and curiosity Science, mathematics - compulsory in Yrs Crucial for jobs of the future Important for an informed community that values science, innovation and creativity STEAM / esteam arts, entreprenuership

13 Future job predictions CEDA 40% of current jobs will not exist in years Australian Chief Scientist 75% of fastest growing occupations require STEM CSIRO Job creation will outpace job destruction, despite automation New jobs will involve creativity, complexity, judgment Need agile, flexible, nimble workforce

14 Australian Exports Diversified domestic industrial base Lowest export complexity in the OECD Figure: Economic Complexity index (2010) in OECD Countries (Source: Harvard University)

15 Science priorities in WA Mining and Energy Agriculture and Food Medicine and Health Biodiversity and Marine Science Radio astronomy (Science Statement for Western Australia, 2015) Alignment with National Science Priorities Alignment with Industry Growth Centres

16 Invest in Science Science investment for the future NOT a black hole for money with no returns NOT cheaper to import all new technology New solutions, cures, treatments don t fall magically from the sky. Research enables understanding of the challenges / opportunities -> develop informed responses

17 Government Agencies Play a vital role in applied science Often unglamorous/ unrecognised Crucial for the State Examples: DMP (Geological Survey Resource sector) DoF (Crayfish, prawn monitoring MSC sustainable accreditation) DAFWA (3x increased grain productivity with 30% decrease in rainfall) DoH - Pathwest (Tough, expensive tests)

18 Major Scientific Institutions University of Western Australia Curtin University Murdoch University Edith Cowan University Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

19 Mining and energy Co-ordinating scientific bodies Minerals Research Institute of WA WA Energy Research Alliance Major innovations in mining and energy Numerous R&D initiatives: BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto Chevron, Shell, Woodside Driverless trucks / autonomous rail system 60% of the world s mining software Opportunities FLNG Precision mining / integrated data analysis Renewable energy (wave, wind, solar) - Carnegie, Bombora, Protean

20 Agriculture and Food World leader in dry land, broad acre farming Priorities: - Productivity - Biosecurity - Changing environment - Water Opportunities: - Precision farming / big data analytics - Aquaculture - Northern WA

21 Agriculture and Food Other food sectors: High quality, sustainable wild-catch seafood - Marine Stewardship Council recognition Sheep - high quality meat and wool Cattle high quality meat

22 Medicine and Health Co-ordinating scientific body Western Australian Health Translation Network $8b dollar investment in new infrastructure New health precincts established

23 Medicine and Health Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology (2005) Professors Barry Marshall and Robin Warren Long-term health records / data linkage Numerous well curated patient cohorts Longitudinal studies - Busselton Health Study (1966) - Raine Study (1990) Opportunities - Precision medicine - Data linkage / OMICs - Clinical trials

24 Biodiversity and Marine Science Co-ordinating scientific bodies WA Biodiversity Science Institute WA Marine Science Institution Unique biota South West 1 of 34 global biodiversity hotspots 8 of 15 Australian biodiversity hotspots 3 marine bio-diverse regions 2 marine World Heritage Areas Opportunities: Natural products (eg pharmaceuticals) Indigenous knowledge

25 Biodiversity and Marine Science 20,000 km pristine coastline 70% Australia s Blue Economy Blueprint for Marine Science 2050 Opportunities: Deep water environment / infrastructure Ecosystem based fisheries

26 Radio astronomy Co-ordinating scientific body International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research Murchison extreme radio quiet Thriving radio astronomy developed in 10 years Square Kilometre Array (SKA) - international consortium - 12 nations (possibly 20) - 2b Euro project

27 Radio astronomy SKA: largest, most sensitive radio telescope fine map the universe understand origins of the universe Current instruments Australian SKA Pathfinder Murchison Widefield Array Spin-offs in supercomputing and data science

28 Supercomputing and Big data Massive amounts of data collected every day Increasing continuously New technologies, skills and workforce needed to create value from data Pawsey Supercomputing Centre Magnus research computer (1.5 petaflops) Future SKA data processor (100 petaflops ) DownUnder Geosolutions (6 petaflops) Opportunities: Big data analytics / cybersecurity Government Open data policy / data linkage Cisco - Innovation Centre (Curtin University, Woodside)

29 Key Underpinning Factors Supercomputing - data analytics / data linkage Imaging/ Visualization/ Characterization OMICs (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) STEM education Water Collaboration

30 Thank you