Observations on Australia’s Scientific Future

Observations on Australia’s Scientific Future – Shine Dome 2025

I thank the Australian Academy of Science for inviting me to the Science at the Shine Dome 2025, a 4 day event celebrating the shining stars of Australian Science. 26 new fellows were elected to the academy in 2025 during the event and I offer heartiest congratulations to all of them.

In the last few decades the Australian scientific community has carved out a niche for itself on the world stage and created an ecosystem that now attracts some of the best talent in the world.

Nevertheless the academy, on the 4th day of the event,released a report evaluating AU's preparedness to meet scientific and technological challenges of the future. Materials science was identified as one of the key areas where shortages need to be addressed.

In the short-term AU govt can meet the demand by allowing easier immigration especially as many talented scientists are facing challenges in immigrating to the USA. But in the long term AU will have to cultivate its own talent.

Minerals play a big role in AU's economy and many of the research initiatives are focussed around improving the efficiency of its mining industries. Which is great but policy makers need to think ahead. Exporting raw materials is not enough. There must be more industries that can turn them into finished goods and satisfy ,at the very least, local demand.

In the renewable energy industry AU has limited ability to manufacture wind turbines,magnets or silicon — critical components used in wind and solar energy.

Similarly while research is strong in semiconductors the ability to produce electronics is limited. The situation is much the same in the automotive industry.

It doesn't have to be this way. Asian nations— Japan,South Korea and Singapore provide an example that it is indeed possible to have both a strong research and manufacturing ecosystem. Being a part of the 5 eyes AU needs to leverage its alliance with the USA to bring more key industries ,manufacturing critical technologies closer to home.

This means more industry partnerships. Stronger alliances with manufacturers and industry bodies that can propel Australian manufacturing and make it self reliant — step by step.

But what's going to be most important during this transition is for Australia to discover its own identity and work on technologies that are relevant to them. The AAS needs to strike a careful balance between keeping up with the world and still differentiating itself.

Akshat Jiwan Sharma

Strategy Consultant--Innovation/ Materials science/International relations/Telecommunications/Digital Transformation/Partnerships Mobile/whatsapp:+919654119771 email:getellobed@gmail.com

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Notes by Akshat Jiwan Sharma

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