Doing different to be different – Addressing our pressing challenges with innovation
The ACT 2025 Oration by Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM FTSE FAA
Date
Thursday 5 June 2025
Time
12:00 PM - 1:00 PMImportant information
Oration (In-person and Online): 12:00pm – 1:00pm AEST
2025 ACT Division Annual Meeting: 1:10pm - 2:00pm AEST
Australia is at a critical juncture where evidence-based policy and technological advancement are essential ingredients to address our most pressing challenges. Drawing from experience, Dr Foley will consider our innovation system and why we are not "zinging" when we have some of the best research in the world. We are in the top 4 countries for research as reported by the MIT Economic Complexity Observatory yet we are very lowly ranked for economic complexity - currently at 99th - according to the Harvard Economic Complexity ranking. This puts us just below Algeria, Botswana and Morocco and just about Laos and Pakistan. What do we really need to do if we are going to make the changes we need and what is ATSE's role in helping government and society achieve change?
This event is open to all.
Speaker
AO PSM FTSE FAA
Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM was Australia’s ninth Chief Scientist from January 2021 until 2024. Prior to this Dr Foley had a long career at Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, including as the agency’s Chief Scientist. Dr Foley is an internationally recognised physicist with major research achievements in superconductors and sensors which lead to the development of the LANDTEM sensor system to locate valuable deposits of minerals deep underground.
Dr Foley’s scientific excellence and influential leadership have been recognised with numerous awards and fellowships, an Order of Australia for service to research science and to the advancement of women in physics. She is a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (2008) and is an inspiration to women in STEM across the globe, with her tireless championship for equality and diversity in the STEM sector.
Dr Foley’s scientific excellence and influential leadership have been recognised with numerous awards and fellowships, an Order of Australia for service to research science and to the advancement of women in physics. She is a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (2008) and is an inspiration to women in STEM across the globe, with her tireless championship for equality and diversity in the STEM sector.
