DEADLINE FOR THE ASB CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS IS AUGUST 18

Items in this bulletin are:

(1) Is time up for ANSAAS? I need a volunteer in Canberra ON AUG 8

(2) Summer Scholarships for mobile sciences honours students

(3) World Intectual Property Organization

(4) Information from FASTS

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

(1) Is time up for ANSAAS? I need a volunteer in Canberra to attend a new
National Forum on August 8. Australian Science Communicators (ASC) have
proposed a new national Forum for Science, with a clear role for the
Scientific Societies in Australia. It is to be discussed at a meeting in
Canberra on August 8, at the National Press Club.

If anyone is interested in representing the ASB at this meeting, please let
me know ASAP and I will put you in touch with the organiser ASC President
Alison Leigh

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

(2) Progress with Summer Scholarships for mobile sciences honours students.
At the last meeting of the AAS National Committee for Biophysics, the Ctee
resolved to explore the possibility of generating summer scholarships for
science honours students who might like to spend an 8 week period in
another university. It was proposed that the ARC fund 50% of each
scholarship (about 50 of them)and that the host institution fund the other
50%. Each scholarship should be worth $2500 (tax free).

I have been encouraged by the positive response from the Vice-Chancellor of
The University of Sydney and I will begin negotiating with the
administration over the feasibility and funding of the scheme. I will then
contact each university and seek their participation. I would like to hear
your comments on this idea.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
 

(3) World Intectual Property Organization. An alarming new treaty threatens
full and open access to databases has been proposed. The Presidnet of the
AAS (Professor Nossal) has written to the Federal Attorney General and
Minister for Justice about his concerns. I Would like to hear from ASB
members on this issue. We have until  the end of the month to make
submissions on this development.

For further information consult:

www.codata.org/codata/data_access

Check this document and register your support.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
 

(4) FASTS circular for June follows. At least one member of the ASB
Executive will attend the Nov 20 FASTS Council . Tell me what you thknk are
the main issues which FASTS might address and I will distill them and
transmit them to  FASTS Council.

1. The Stocker Review
Minister McGauran has not yet set a time frame for responding to John
Stocker's Review of the way S&T is organised in Australia, but certainly
"Priority Matters" has given him (and Cabinet) plenty of food for thought.

Stocker picked up a number of FASTS' issues, such as the lack of vision
within Australia for science and technology, and the need to offer industry
greater incentives to undertake R&D. I gave the Review and its 30
recommendations eight out of ten, given the time-frame and the constraints
of its terms of reference.

The Review also provided a welcome re-affirmation of the CRC Program, at a
time when Government seems to be walking away from election commitments to
maintain funding.

There are sensible recommendations (the substance of which may need some
refinement) on how scientific advice should feed into the Government
decision-making process, and on restructuring PMSEC and ASTEC. This would
clear up a lot of the confusion which has clouded these two bodies, and how
an inter-Departmental coordinating committee (the CCST) should link with
them.

Stocker recommends a chief science adviser should be appointed in all
Portfolios with significant S&T responsibilities, and this too seems a
sensible coordinating device. Currently only the Department of the
Environment has such a position.

How will the Government react? FASTS has urged it to adopt some of the
low-cost, non-controversial ideas immediately. These would include new
arrangements for a streamlined PMSEC and ASTEC, and the CCST coordination.

We would like other measures adopted too, but some of these cost money and
Government has shown little enthusiasm for others.

For instance, Stocker joins the chorus of criticism levelled at Government
by industry and science groups about its lack of vision. FASTS would
welcome any steps towards articulating a preferred vision for what
Australia will develop to in the 21st century. Then S&T can analyse how to
support that vision.

The Review urges the Government to review its overall assistance to
industry for innovation, and this must involve decisions made in accord
with an agreed vision of Australia's sustainable development.

FASTS will formulate a formal response in the next month, and we would
welcome comment on the Review from all Presidents by July 21. The Stocker
Review is available on the web at
dist.gov.au/science/cs/index.html
or in hard copy by phoning DIST on (06) 213 6483

2. FASTS' Board meeting in June
The Board raised a number of  concerns, all in the context of a sharp
downward trend in the Government forward budget estimates for S&T (for
instance, in health research current spending of $174 million is projected
to be cut to $131 million in 2000-2001).

But as Minister McGauran has said, forward estimates are just that -
estimates. They can be changed upwards or downwards depending on
circumstances. The onus is on the S&T community to demonstrate repeatedly
its value to Government.

Specific Board issues included a DEETYA report indicating a 3.5% decrease
in undergraduate science enrolments. This decrease has been compounded
because a number of universities lowered their TER entry scores.

Concern was also expressed over the lack of action on school issues, with
the suggestion that the emphasis was on testing rather than maintaining
standards. And the Board decided that FASTS needed to build better links
with industry.

I would be interested to hear from Members with strong industry links, and
to know how you developed them.

3. New Vice-President
Dr Geoff Hudson, President of the Australian Geoscience Council, has been
elected Vice-President. He takes over from Richard Arculus, whose
commitments overseas have made it difficult to contribute the way he would
have liked. Geoff's appointment is until the AGM in November.

4. Popular science
A recent AGB McNair survey showed that twice as many Australians want to
read about science rather than sport or politics, and that science beats
crime and unemployment as a popular media topic.

In the FASTS media release on the survey, I said: "The batting performance
of Mark Taylor and the political agenda of Pauline Hanson have come under
the most intense media scrutiny. But where is the equivalent scrutiny of
S&T?"

I have written to the editors of Australia's top media outlets urging them
to give greater coverage to science, and have already made an appointment
to discuss the matter with one editor. I will also be writing to Presidents
of all Member Societies on this, urging them to be proactive.

5. Launch of Careers Forum proceedings
Minister for Science and Technology Peter McGauran has agreed to launch the
Proceedings from the Forum on Science Careers (which FASTS and the NTEU
organised jointly).

There will in fact be two launches, one in Canberra at 10.30 on Tuesday 22
July; and the other in Melbourne at 10.30 Thursday 31 July. Young research
scientists are invited to attend, and it will be an excellent opportunity
to discuss the issue with the Minister. He did not have time to answer
questions at the Forum, because he had to get back to Parliament (it was a
sitting day).

Contact Julie Wells at NTEU for invitations, on
jwells@nteu.org.au

6. Meeting with Democrat Senator Stott Despoja
FASTS' secretary Chris Easton, Toss Gascoigne and I met Senator Natasha
Stott Despoja, Democrat spokesperson on S&T matters, and her science
adviser Dr Charles Lawson. We had a good discussion on a number of matters:
the taxation of post-graduate scholarships, the West Review of Higher
Education, women in science, and differential HECS fees.

This maintains FASTS non-partisan approach to political groups. We have
established useful links with the three major groups in Parliament -
Government, the Labor Opposition, and the Democrats - and can discuss S&T
policy with all of them.

7. Council on November 20
Peter McGauran, Martyn Evans and Natasha Stott Despoja have all accepted
invitations to address FASTS Council in November. The dinner that night
will be at the National Press Club, and will be addressed by a leading
figure from S&T.

All Member Societies are invited to send representatives, and to contribute
to the makeup of FASTS "Top Ten Policies" for 1998. Formal information
about the meeting will be sent out to Member Societies shortly.

Please canvass your members for the appropriate "Top Policies" from your
Society's perspective.

8. How FASTS can help
FASTS works constantly with Ministers and the Opposition parties, and the
science media. Member Societies might like to make use of this expertise.

Executive Director Toss Gascoigne can help Members make contacts in
Canberra, and has worked with Member Societies on media releases, policy
launches and correspondence with Ministers. His contact details are: phone
(06) 257 2891, fax (06) 257 2897, email fasts@anu.edu.au

9. New web site address
Graham Johnston, former president of FASTS, ASCEPT and the RACI, does an
excellent job in keeping the FASTS' site right up to date. It has all the
basic information about FASTS, and provides links to our Member Societies.

Now we have a new address for the FASTS web site:

http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/fasts

10. Media
I have noticed articles in several Society newsletters which, if presented
in simple terms, would be of interest to the general media. One example is
a statistical survey of the way people choose Tattslotto numbers, which
appeared in the Statistical Society newsletter.

We need to get greater coverage of S&T in the media, and we know people are
interested in reading about it. Member Societies might consider putting out
a media release highlighting an interesting article in their newsletters
and journals. Toss Gascoigne can help with this.

Cris dos Remedios. DSc
Institute for Biomedical Research
The University of Sydney, F13
Sydney 2006 Australia
Phone +61 2 93513209;  Fax +61 2 93512813