Starting anew: Kim Carr, Australia's Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, with the country's new Chief Scientist, Penny Sackett.

Credit: Michael Jones/AUSPIC

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SYDNEY: An American-born theoretical physicist and astronomer, Penny Sackett, has been appointed Australia's new Chief Scientist. The first woman to hold the position, Sackett will take up the role in November, replacing plant geneticist Jim Peacock whose term ended on August 31.

Sackett, who will serve as the Australian government's advisor on science and technology, will act in the role full-time. The move brought praise from the scientific community, who had criticised the downgrading of the position to a part-time role during the previous government of Liberal Prime Minister John Howard.

"Evidence-based decision making"

She is a theoretical physicist who has worked on dark matter and helped pioneer the development of micro-lensing as a technique to hunt for extrasolar planets. She is a past director of the Australian National University's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Mount Stromlo Observatory, in Canberra.

"I believe that science has a unique and critical role in our nation's future," Sackett told reporters on Tuesday. "Scientists can and should engage with government to inform national policy while effectively communicating with the people of Australia about the scientific issues that affect their lives.

"No individual scientist could pretend to be an expert in all of these issues ... so I will have many hats to wear, as a commissioner of expert studies, facilitator for innovation, a bellwether for the nation's most important scientific issues, a communicator and an ambassador and, perhaps most importantly, the Chief Scientist must be a strong and continuous advocate of evidence-based decision making."

Sackett promised to provide independent advice based on the best available evidence. "In conversations that I have had with the Minister [for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr] and with the Prime Minister [Kevin Rudd], I'm confident that we have the same understanding about the necessity for independent advice.

Well respected

"It is also true that that advice only forms one piece of policy-making, but I have no doubt that this government and I have the same view about the need for that advice to be independent," she added.

The Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS) described her as a well respected and internationally recognised scientist who had a wealth of experience in managing complex, international science projects. "That perspective will be invaluable as Australian science, innovation and research policy and funding must become more focused on global collaboration and mobility," said Bradley Smith the executive director.