Welcome to FASTS.

We represent the interests of some 60,000 Australian scientists and technologists.FASTS works to influence science and technology policy for the economic, environmental and social benefit of Australia.

What's New

FASTS announces new President and new Board Members

Dr Cathy Foley, an Australian leader in Applied Physics, commenced her two-year term as President at the FASTS AGM on 24 November, the third woman to be elected to this role in FASTS 24 year history.  Dr Foley was recently awarded the National Telstra Women’s Business Award fro Innovation and has been appointed to the Questacon Advisory Board. Dr Foley’s brief biography is available here .

FASTS had been further strengthened with the election of several new executive members:

Statement by FASTS Great Barrier Reef Climate Change Alliance on the impact of climate change on the GBR and implication for emissions reduction targets (17 November 2009)

download Alliance's statement

download media release

download audio recording of National Media Briefing

download FASTS climate change position statement

Discussion note: Ken Baldwin, When is Science Valid: A Short Guide on How Science Works and When to Believe It (October 2009)

A brief outline of how scientific ideas are tested and validated

download paper

This paper was recently cited by Margo O’Neill from ABC’s Lateline:  “Conspiracies and the IPCC”:

Policy Discussion Paper: Mark Matthews, Giving Preparedness a Central Role in Science and Innovation Policy (6 November 2009)

A paper that explores the difference between uncertainty and risk and sets out five principles for giving preparedness a central role in public policy.

download paper 

Research Report: Di Mazio Report, The Changing Nature of Scientific and Technological Based Work (6 November 2009)

A qualitative review into the changing nature of science-based work in industry within Australia over recent decades.

download paper

Slides of wide ranging presentation to EBP conference in Canberra. Argues Govts are a user, funder and producer of evidence for EBP and have an interest in ensuring robustness and plurality of evidence.

download slides 

FASTS Report: Women in Science in Australia: Maximising Productivity, Diversity and Innovation by Sharon Bell (19 October)

This new report shows the progress of women in senior positions has stalled over the past 15 years despite encouraging improvements in participation at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There are strong arguments for renewed focus on women in science in terms of productivity, innovation and social equity.

download report or download media release

Opinion: John Rice and Bradley Smith, Onus Falls On Industry To Put A New Face On Science, Australian Financial Review (7 September)

There is a real disconnect between the image of the research scientist and the working life of the 90% of scientifically and technologically trained graduates. Part of the problem is a poorly articulated sense of how the nature of the technical workforce has changed over the past 30 years in the face of globalisation and generalisation of ICT...

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Investment needs to encourage risk-aware not risk-averse research so as to provide the robustness and flexibility to meet future threats and opportunities.

download opinion piece

Submission: FASTS submission to NHMRC Fellowship Consultation Paper (July)

FASTS are broadly supportive of the NHMRC proposals and affirm need for fellowships to be part of a coherent career pathway for researchers.

download submission

Budget slides: FASTS budget workshops (9 June)

slides from FASTS budget workshops conducted in May and June are available here

Briefing note: Commonwealth expenditure on science and innovation estimated to rise to 0.73% of GDP (15 May)

FASTS analysis of Commonwealth budget estimates suggest science and innovation expenditure will lift from 0.57% to 0.73% of GDP in 2009/10: A function of real increases in spending and estimated contraction of GDP. 

Download data table and chart