Associate Professor Susan Wilson of the University of New England will forge stronger ties between science and technology and public policymakers as one of Science & Technology Australia’s new intake of STEM Ambassadors.
Susan, an expert in environmental pollution, will be the STEM Ambassador to Ms Meryl Swanson MP, Member for Paterson, over the next two years.
Susan will meet regularly with the MP Swanson to deepen ties between Parliament and the STEM sector and help politicians access expert advice on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
A growing number of Parliamentarians seeking regular expert advice on complex science and technology issues saw Science & Technology Australia appoint a record-breaking 26 STEM Ambassadors in 2023.
Susan is among the Ambassadors chosen for this prestigious program, in which experts from a wide array of STEM fields are drawn from Science & Technology Australia’s member organisations.
Susan said she was excited to share her expertise with Parliamentarians and be a strong ambassador for science and technology in public policy.
This program is an important opportunity for scientists to directly inform Parliament for policy transformations that will protect Australia’s environment for future generations.
“I’m honoured to be part of this program and look forward to shaping discussions to tackle key issues for Australia today including environment, climate change, food security, regional resilience, and gender equity and diversity in STEM”.
“This program is an important opportunity for scientists to directly inform Parliament for policy transformations that will protect Australia’s environment for future generations.”
Science & Technology Australia Chief Executive Officer Misha Schubert said a record-breaking number of MPs and Senators joined the program in 2023 to deepen their access to expert insight on STEM capabilities.
“We’re at a remarkable point in history where an explosion of complex science and technology advances are about to dramatically reshape our economy, our lives and our jobs,” she said.
“And what we’re seeing in response is a strong surge in the need for expert advice as lawmakers seek to keep pace with those developments and learn more about new technologies and their implications.”
“Through this unique program, we match MPs and Senators with their own STA STEM Ambassador to give them regular access to a powerful network of Australian STEM experts to inform policy development.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Susan to the STA STEM Ambassador program and welcome our 2023 STA STEM Ambassadors and thank them in advance for sharing their expertise and developing a strong working relationship with their Parliamentarian.”
