Australia’s top scientists elected as Fellows of the Academy

25 May 2020

An Australian scientist who identified the cause of mass frog extinctions across the globe is among a group of scientists being acknowledged today for their outstanding contributions to science.

Associate Professor Lee Berger’s research into the frog chytrid fungus, described as the worst disease ever to impact global biodiversity, has changed wildlife conservation practices around the world.

Associate Professor Berger is one of 24 scientists elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

The new Fellows also include Professor Lidia Morawska, whose work on airborne particulate matter has aided air quality research around the world, and Professor Justin Marshall, whose pioneering research into the colour vision of animals has improved the performance of digital cameras.

Other new Fellows’ contributions include being the first to commercialise quantum communication, describing how climate change impacts the frequency of El Niño events and developing new treatments for antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’.

Australian Academy of Science President, Professor John Shine AC, congratulated the new Fellows for making significant and lasting impacts in their scientific disciplines.

“These scientists were elected by their Academy peers following a rigorous evaluation process,” said Professor Shine.

Women make up 42% of this year’s new Fellows.

“The number of women in this year’s elected Fellows reflects the Academy’s work to apply best practice in our nomination and election processes.

“We encourage the STEM sector to continue to nurture diversity in all its forms, so that the STEM workforce reflects the composition of our society,” Professor Shine said.

Over the past five years, 34% of the Fellows elected have been women. Following this year’s election, the Fellowship stands at 559 Fellows, 90 of whom are women.

The new Fellows for 2020 are:

ACT

1. Professor Ping Koy Lam FAA – Quantum physicist, Australian National University

WA

1. Professor Ryan Lister FAA – Epigeneticist, University of Western Australia
2. Professor Harvey Millar FAA – Plant biochemist, University of Western Australia
3. Professor Robyn Anne Owens FAA FTSE – Mathematician (computer vision), University of Western Australia

QLD

1. Professor Adèle Green AC FAA FAHMS – Epidemiologist, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
2. Professor Justin Marshall FAA – Marine biologist, University of Queensland
3. Professor Lidia Morawska FAA – Aerosol physicist, Queensland University of Technology
4. Professor Alan Rowan FAA – Physical organic chemist, University of Queensland

VIC

1. Associate Professor Lee Berger FAA – Biologist, University of Melbourne
2. Professor Linda Blackall FAA – Microbiologist, University of Melbourne
3. Dr Wenju Cai FAA – Climatologist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
4. Professor Peter Currie FAA – Stem cell biologist, Monash University
5. Professor Andrew Cuthbertson AO FAA FTSE FAHMS – Chief Scientific Officer and Director, CSL Limited (Special Election)
6. Professor Aurore Delaigle FAA – Statistician, University of Melbourne
7. Professor Andrew Roberts FAA FAHMS – Clinical haematologist, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

NSW

1. Professor Tim Bedding FAA – Astrophysicist, University of Sydney
2. Dr Annabelle Bennett AC FAA – Chancellor, Bond University (Special Election)
3. Dr Cathy Foley FAA FTSE – Chief Scientist, CSIRO (Special Election)
4. Professor Gary Froyland FAA – Mathematician (dynamical systems and optimization), UNSW Sydney
5. Professor Kevin Galvin FAA FTSE – Chemical engineer, University of Newcastle
6. Professor Kate Jolliffe FAA – Organic chemist, University of Sydney
7. Professor Ian Paulsen FAA – Microbiologist, Macquarie University
8. Dr Simon Poole AO FAA FTSE – Director of Business Development, Cylite Pty Ltd (Special Election)
9. Dr Jenny Stauber FAA FTSE – Ecotoxicologist, CSIRO Land and Water

Read the full media release via the Australian Academy of Science.

Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science are among the Nation’s most distinguished scientists, elected by their peers for ground-breaking research and contributions that have had clear impact. Each year the Academy elects up to 20 new Fellows by ‘Ordinary Election’ and up to four additional Fellows by ‘Special Election’. From 1954 to 2019, there have been 824 Fellows elected to the Academy.