❓ Mr. Miles asks the Minister for Science and Innovation to update the house on the Western Australian Science Awards 2012 and its significance for science in WA. The Minister provides a detailed overview of the awards, investment in research, and key areas of scientific leadership.
AnsweredQoN 606Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN
AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE AWARDS 2012
606. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Science and Innovation:
Just prior to asking the question, I acknowledge the presence
in the gallery of the year 11 Penrhos College students from the member for
South Perth's electorate, and the Ocean Reef Senior High School
students from the member for Ocean Reef's electorate.
I understand that the Western
Australian Science Awards were held this week. Could the minister please update
the house on this important event and what it means for science in our state?
AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE AWARDS 2012
606. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Science and Innovation:
Just prior to asking the question, I acknowledge the presence
in the gallery of the year 11 Penrhos College students from the member for
South Perth's electorate, and the Ocean Reef Senior High School
students from the member for Ocean Reef's electorate.
I understand that the Western
Australian Science Awards were held this week. Could the minister please update
the house on this important event and what it means for science in our state?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. As implied in his
question, it is essential for the economic and social development of the state
that scientific research and endeavour are facilitated and encouraged in
Western Australia, and in that context I was very pleased to attend, together
with the Premier, last Thursday evening the 2012 Western Australian Science
Awards, which play the role of recognising and honouring the outstanding
scientific discoveries, technological innovations and science education that
are undertaken each year in Western Australia. Since 2002, 60 outstanding
Western Australians have received awards in the WA Science Awards, recognising
their contribution and efforts. The amount of research that is undertaken in
Western Australia each year is, in fact, a very large figure. In 2010–11,
Western Australian businesses invested $3.2 billion in research, which, of
course, underlines how important all of this activity is for the development of
our economy. That equates to about 1.7 per cent of gross state product, which
is a higher rate of investment in research than is the case in any other state
of Australia. In spite of the global financial turmoil that has been underway
for the last three of four years or so, businesses in this state increased
their expenditure on research by $292 million during 2010–11. The state
government directly invests between $180 million and $200 million each year
towards science research, and that is across a range of portfolios, of course,
including health, forestry, environment, fisheries and mining, as well as
through the science portfolio. Of course, each dollar that is invested by the
state government helps to attract other funding from the federal government and
also from the private sector.
We are leading in many important areas of scientific investigation
and research, including high-performance computing, water management, land
conservation, mining activities, biomedical research, radio astronomy, and
clean and renewable technologies. This year the WA Science Awards recognised
outstanding excellence in the fields of plant biology, ecology, agriculture,
radio astronomy, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, clean energy,
medicine, public health, botany, engineering, marine research and science
teaching—a very diverse range of activities indeed.
I am pleased to say that this year the Scientist of the Year
is Professor Peter Quinn, who is well known as the director of the
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. He has played a major role
in establishing Western Australia as one of the top 20 radio astronomy centres
in the world, and also in securing a major component of the Square Kilometre
Array project in Western Australia. Professor Stephen Hopper, AC, was inducted
into the Science Hall of Fame. That is another acknowledgement of his
substantial contribution in his service as a global science leader in the field
of plant conservation biology. I also commend and congratulate the other
winners in the 2012 Science Awards, including Associate Professor Ajmal Mian,
the Early Career Scientist of the Year; Mr David Erceg-Hurn, the Student
Scientist of the Year—the member for Eyre made reference to him earlier
today as a former resident of Esperance—and Professor Steven Tingay,
Science Ambassador of the Year. Engineers without Borders were acknowledged for
the Science Engagement Initiative of the Year, and Mrs Mady Colquhoun was
acknowledged as the Educator of the Year—from memory, she is a primary
school science teacher at Armadale Primary School, so she has been making a
significant contribution to the education of young people in our state in
science areas.
question, it is essential for the economic and social development of the state
that scientific research and endeavour are facilitated and encouraged in
Western Australia, and in that context I was very pleased to attend, together
with the Premier, last Thursday evening the 2012 Western Australian Science
Awards, which play the role of recognising and honouring the outstanding
scientific discoveries, technological innovations and science education that
are undertaken each year in Western Australia. Since 2002, 60 outstanding
Western Australians have received awards in the WA Science Awards, recognising
their contribution and efforts. The amount of research that is undertaken in
Western Australia each year is, in fact, a very large figure. In 2010–11,
Western Australian businesses invested $3.2 billion in research, which, of
course, underlines how important all of this activity is for the development of
our economy. That equates to about 1.7 per cent of gross state product, which
is a higher rate of investment in research than is the case in any other state
of Australia. In spite of the global financial turmoil that has been underway
for the last three of four years or so, businesses in this state increased
their expenditure on research by $292 million during 2010–11. The state
government directly invests between $180 million and $200 million each year
towards science research, and that is across a range of portfolios, of course,
including health, forestry, environment, fisheries and mining, as well as
through the science portfolio. Of course, each dollar that is invested by the
state government helps to attract other funding from the federal government and
also from the private sector.
We are leading in many important areas of scientific investigation
and research, including high-performance computing, water management, land
conservation, mining activities, biomedical research, radio astronomy, and
clean and renewable technologies. This year the WA Science Awards recognised
outstanding excellence in the fields of plant biology, ecology, agriculture,
radio astronomy, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, clean energy,
medicine, public health, botany, engineering, marine research and science
teaching—a very diverse range of activities indeed.
I am pleased to say that this year the Scientist of the Year
is Professor Peter Quinn, who is well known as the director of the
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. He has played a major role
in establishing Western Australia as one of the top 20 radio astronomy centres
in the world, and also in securing a major component of the Square Kilometre
Array project in Western Australia. Professor Stephen Hopper, AC, was inducted
into the Science Hall of Fame. That is another acknowledgement of his
substantial contribution in his service as a global science leader in the field
of plant conservation biology. I also commend and congratulate the other
winners in the 2012 Science Awards, including Associate Professor Ajmal Mian,
the Early Career Scientist of the Year; Mr David Erceg-Hurn, the Student
Scientist of the Year—the member for Eyre made reference to him earlier
today as a former resident of Esperance—and Professor Steven Tingay,
Science Ambassador of the Year. Engineers without Borders were acknowledged for
the Science Engagement Initiative of the Year, and Mrs Mady Colquhoun was
acknowledged as the Educator of the Year—from memory, she is a primary
school science teacher at Armadale Primary School, so she has been making a
significant contribution to the education of young people in our state in
science areas.
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