IMPACT #214

Activating a tech-powered, human-driven future

This issue of IMPACT considers how Australia might activate a tech-powered, human-driven future as we reflect of ACTIVATE 2022 and the insights offered by the huge range of presenters. President Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE FAICD provides an introduction and outlines her priorities for her term. CEO Kylie Walker reinforces the shared desire of scientists, engineers and innovators to do things better and make things better. We reflect on the six-year term of President Hugh Bradlow FTSE and his impact on the growth in capacity of the Academy.

International engagement has returned with in-person events offering reflections on shared priorities and opportunities for future collaborations. Both CAETS 2022 in Versailles, France, and the Australia-Korea TechBridge in Sydney were examples of the potential that can be unlocked through cross-country discussions. Elevate Advisory Group Co-Chairs Dr Marlene Kanga AO FTSE and Dr Adi Paterson FTSE reflect on the first year of the Elevate program and celebrate the launch event at Parliament House and welcome the first cohort of scholars. We celebrate some of Australia’s leading engineers and inventors for building a better Australia through technological innovation as ATSE Award winners in 2022. Solving sustainability problems, protecting healthcare providers from COVID-19, and using technology to train next-gen pilots are among the achievements of these award-winning STEM innovators.

We welcome the 2022 New Fellows – 27 incredible innovators, exceptional engineers, and change-making scientists shaping the future of our nation. We hear reflections from their panel discussions at ACTIVATE on the topics of climate change mitigation and adaptation, the skills needed for the future, and the shape of research translation. Professor Tisha Morrell discusses Our STEM skilled future – an education roadmap for an innovative workforce and the steps that can be taken to meet the skills gap. Professor the Hon. Kim Carr FTSE discusses the task of ATSE Fellows to influence policy and the directions of the country during these unsettling times – the opportunities to help reshape nation, help rebuild its economy and help restore public trust by being agile and effective in our communications with leaders and the public at large.

Sample articles are shown below.