UNE > News and Events > Browse by article > Chief Scientist focuses on education, industry links

Next 91-year-old receives law degree October 9, 2006  

Previous Ingrid Moses portrait unveiled October 6, 2006 

Chief Scientist focuses on education, industry links

October 06, 2006

PeacockSedgley.thumb.jpgAustralia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Peacock, has emphasised the need for the nation’s education system to engage students in science and technology throughout their school years, and for improvements in the delivery of scientific research results for the benefit of society.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at The University of New England today, Dr Peacock said both these aspects of scientific development were vital in a nation that had to make rational decisions about energy and climate change, water policy, and the distribution of skills.

Today’s ceremony at UNE was for people graduating in the Sciences, and in Education, Health and Professional Studies. Dr Peacock said he hoped many of the graduands would enter a teaching career, which was “of critical importance for Australia”. He spoke of measures already under way to improve school students’ “engagement” with science.

He went on to talk about the increasing need for “connectivity” between research and its applications in society, and the role of universities in fostering a creative approach to that process.

In introducing Dr Peacock, the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, pointed out that he was recognised internationally not only for his award-winning research in plant molecular biology, but also for his work in applying those research results in agriculture.

“In 2000 he was a co-recipient of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Science Prize,” Professor Pettigrew said. “This was for his co-discovery of the ‘flowering switch gene’ – a key gene that determines when plants end their vegetative growth phase and begin flowering. This discovery will help boost the productivity of the world’s crops by billions of dollars each year and could also help increase the nutritional value of crops eaten by billions of the world’s poorest people.”

“Dr Peacock has gained valuable experience working in industry,” he continued, “having founded the Gene Shears biotechnology company and instituted the GrainGene initiative and the HRZ Wheat Company – linking research with the production of new wheat varieties for Australia. He played a key role in the establishment of cotton as Australia’s first highly successful biotech crop.”

During today’s graduation ceremony, the Chancellor of UNE, Mr John Cassidy, presented testamurs to about 230 successful candidates for degrees and diplomas. About 260 graduands will attend tomorrow’s ceremony for people graduating in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Economics, Business and Law. Altogether – including those unable to attend the ceremonies – 1,129 people are graduating from UNE this spring.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Dr Jim Peacock with the Executive Dean of the Faculty of The Sciences at UNE, Professor Margaret Sedgley.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at October 6, 2006 04:21 PM