2025 Norton Jackson New Fellows Forum
Join us for the opportunity to celebrate the election of the 2024 new South Australia Fellows from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and Australian Academy of Science (AAS).
Presented by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and Australian Academy of Science (AAS)
Date
Tuesday 11 March 2025
Time
4:30 PM - 8:00 PMCost
$55 pp
Join us in Adelaide at a wonderful venue with vistas over the Adelaide Plains and the picturesque Mount Osmond Golf Course for the opportunity to celebrate the election of the 2024 new South Australia and Northern Territory Fellows from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and the new South Australia Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science (AAS).
These five individuals have made very significant contributions to their respective fields and have been recognised by ATSE and the AAS for their outstanding work.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from some of the brightest minds in the industry and to network with like-minded individuals. Relatives and friends of Fellows are welcome to attend.
This function commemorates Dr Norton Jackson's long and distinguished career in the Australian industrial chemistry, minerals and resources industries. He helped to secure South Australia’s success in mining as the Chief Metallurgist of the State after World War II and is also renowned for providing inspirational mentorship of young chemists and chemical engineers.
Speakers
Professor in Structural Engineering, The University of South Australia
Professor Yan Zhuge is a structural engineer with an impressive track record developing innovative green materials.
In particular, she converts industrial waste into high-value construction products. She has repurposed old tyres into safe and sustainable concrete and developed world-first self-healing concrete from water treatment sludge. She has also led research investigating how sawmill waste can be transformed into steel-timber beams. Commercialisation of these inventions is underway.
Professor Zhuge has forged impactful industry collaborations both in Australia and internationally. She is also an active advocate for women in STEM, and a mentor for young engineers from diverse backgrounds.
In particular, she converts industrial waste into high-value construction products. She has repurposed old tyres into safe and sustainable concrete and developed world-first self-healing concrete from water treatment sludge. She has also led research investigating how sawmill waste can be transformed into steel-timber beams. Commercialisation of these inventions is underway.
Professor Zhuge has forged impactful industry collaborations both in Australia and internationally. She is also an active advocate for women in STEM, and a mentor for young engineers from diverse backgrounds.
Chief Executive Officer, Chrysos Corporation
Dr James Tickner has achieved global impact through his research, inventions and leadership. As co-founder and chief technology officer of Chrysos Corporation, he oversaw the successful commercialisation ofthe PhotonAssay technology that he initially developed whilst working at the CSIRO. PhotonAssay provides a faster, cleaner, safer and more accurate way of measuring gold, silver and other elements in mineral ores, and is transforming the global mining industry.
He also contributed to the invention and commercialisation of numerous X-ray and nuclear-based instruments for mining and security applications, including the Eureka-prizewinning CSIRO air cargo scanner.
Dr Tickner holds more than 90 patents and has won multiple awards, including the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation and the ATSE Clunies Ross Technology Innovation Award. An advocate for the role of early-career researchers, he helped found the Global Young Academy, an international collaboration giving young scientists a voice in policy and education.
He also contributed to the invention and commercialisation of numerous X-ray and nuclear-based instruments for mining and security applications, including the Eureka-prizewinning CSIRO air cargo scanner.
Dr Tickner holds more than 90 patents and has won multiple awards, including the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation and the ATSE Clunies Ross Technology Innovation Award. An advocate for the role of early-career researchers, he helped found the Global Young Academy, an international collaboration giving young scientists a voice in policy and education.
FTSE
Professor of Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute and The Australian National University
Professor of Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute and The Australian National University
Professor Alex Brown is a trailblazing Indigenous medical doctor and genomics researcher. He is Professor of Indigenous genomics and Director of the National Centre of Indigenous Genomics at the Australian National University and The Kids Research Institute Australia. He provides scientific and operational leadership with the Australian Alliance for Indigenous Genomics, a national network established to ensure that Indigenous peoples are at the forefront of genomics efforts nationally and internationally.
His research achievements span diverse fields – from genomic medicine to epidemiology to health services – with a focus on empowering Indigenous Australians, identifying and overcoming health disparities, and addressing chronic disease in vulnerable communities. The programs he leads have actively grown the next generation of Indigenous researchers.
He was the first Indigenous scientist appointed to the board of CSIRO and has made significant and wide-ranging contributions to national policy in Indigenous health. From the Yuin nation, he has family connections to the far south coast of New South Wales.
His research achievements span diverse fields – from genomic medicine to epidemiology to health services – with a focus on empowering Indigenous Australians, identifying and overcoming health disparities, and addressing chronic disease in vulnerable communities. The programs he leads have actively grown the next generation of Indigenous researchers.
He was the first Indigenous scientist appointed to the board of CSIRO and has made significant and wide-ranging contributions to national policy in Indigenous health. From the Yuin nation, he has family connections to the far south coast of New South Wales.
Founder and Director, The NeuroTech Institute
Dr Fiona Kerr is at the forefront of shaping a future that is technology powered and human centred. As founder of The Neurotech Institute, she combines unique expertise across cognitive neuroscience, anthropology, psychology, engineering, and complex system dynamics to address how we use emerging technology, when not to technologise, and ethical practices.
Her trailblazing research debunked the assumption that humans exhibit the same level of complex and moral decision-making when interacting with trusted autonomous systems as they would with another human in close proximity. This critical discovery holds implications for defence personnel, doctors, surgeons, analysts, CEO’s and first responders and how they work with technology.
She is a trusted advisor on ethical use of artificial intelligence, serving a range of board and organisational roles. She is also a skilled science communicator, delivering numerous keynotes annually.
Her trailblazing research debunked the assumption that humans exhibit the same level of complex and moral decision-making when interacting with trusted autonomous systems as they would with another human in close proximity. This critical discovery holds implications for defence personnel, doctors, surgeons, analysts, CEO’s and first responders and how they work with technology.
She is a trusted advisor on ethical use of artificial intelligence, serving a range of board and organisational roles. She is also a skilled science communicator, delivering numerous keynotes annually.
Professor Jose Polo
FAA
Director of Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics, The University of Adelaide
Director of Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics, The University of Adelaide
Jose Maria Polo is a biochemist and stem cell biologist who has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the mechanism underpinning how cells can be changed into other cell types, known as cellular reprogramming. By developing and combining advanced cellular models and genomic techniques with sophisticated computational approaches, he has been a major force in innovating and advancing the reprogramming, embryo modelling and stem cell fields. Polo has led his field at the highest level internationally and nationally, and his integrated vision of science has driven the translation and expansion of reprogramming advances into additional research areas and industry.
