Graduate Careers

In spite of its relatively small population, Australia has produced a number of eminent scientific researchers who have brought international acclaim in a range of different scientific endeavours: Graeme Clark developed the bionic ear; David Warren invented the black-box recorder used so often in identifying causes of plane crashes; and, in 1860, James Harrison invented a refrigerating system for a brewery. Australia also enjoys its share of Nobel Laureates: in physics (Bragg and Bragg, 1915), chemistry (Cornforth, 1975), and physiology or medicine (Florey, co-discoverer of penicillin, 1945; Burnet, 1960; Eccles, 1963; Doherty, 1996; and Marshall and Warren, 2005).

Clearly, Australian researchers have impacted on the world at large, and are continuing to do so on a variety of issues including climate change, identifying cleaner energy sources, and on health matters ranging from stem cell research to meeting the demands of an ageing population. For instance, the CSIRO facilitates scientific research in a number of programmes that will tackle issues like energy and climate change and seek solutions to enhance our quality of life.

At a social level, the DYNOPTA project is seeking to determine the medical, psychological and social health of older Australians. The project is a large federally funded collaboration of nine Australian longitudinal studies on ageing involving a range of science and health professionals from around Australia.

The outcomes of projects like these will have considerable impact on federal and state government policy on these issues as climate change continues to impact on all aspects of Australian life, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics forecasts the percentage of Australians aged 65+ will rise from 13% in 2004 to 28% in 2051.

Growth in Australia’s expenditure on research funding has remained constant at around 5% of GDP. Although far below China (15%), it is still higher than the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 3.5%. And in line with patterns of other OECD Nations, funding for research and development (R&D) has increasingly been appropriated from industrial sources.

Whilst government investment accounted for over 75% of R&D funding in the mid 1970s, industry currently accounts for 46% of funding sources, the Commonwealth Government 38%, state and territory governments 7%, and the rest from alternative sources including non-profit organisations. Still, the Australian Government does provide a number of funding initiatives that include provision of financial aid for developing Australia’s research capacity through the following research and training provisions, including:

• The Research Training Scheme (RTS) provides grants to masters and doctoral candidates totalling $545 million per year.
• Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) provide high-calibre research students with an annual stipend totalling $95 million in 2007.
• The Higher Education Loans Programme (HELP).
• The Backing Australia’s Ability portfolio of programmes totalling $8.3 billion over 10 years to 2010–11, which includes:

— The Commercial Ready programme aimed at supporting industrial innovation
— R&D tax concessions
— Science Connections Programme (SCOPE)
— International Science Linkages (ISL) Programme
— Cooperative Research Centres.

Importantly, future funding procurement will be undertaken through a new Research Quality Framework (RQF), which will ensure accountability for public-funded research, and provide a transparent and competitive assessment process on which the decision of future funding grants can be based.
In spite of recent claims about the ailing state of Australia’s scientific research and prowess, with supposed declining numbers of young Australians embarking on SET courses, the scientific community is actively promoting Australia as a vibrant nation with the ability to create ingenious solutions to the many complex problems faced here and overseas in a range of theoretical and applied contexts. Given recent claims about shortfalls in the number of skilled SET-educated employees in the workforce, there is perhaps no better time than now to consider a SET career.

Back to top