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Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Professor Brian Schmidt is a Laureate Fellow at The Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory. He is leader of the The Southern Sky Survey Project at National Computational Infrastructure and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2011.
Alan Finkel is worthy successor to Ian Chubb. His experience as scholar, innovator, businessman, and University chancellor covers the whole gambit of science-related activities, and is underpinned by a great personal enthusiasm for the betterment of Australia. I look forward to work with Alan in the years to come.
Professor Tanya Monro is Australia's Chief Defence Scientist
It's wonderful to have a Chief Scientist who is an entrepreneur and who understands on a personal level what it takes to create value from pioneering science and engineering.
Having worked with Alan on the board of ATSE I can attest that he brings to this role a rare combination of energy, strategic thinking and humanity.
I am really excited about how Alan can build on the foundations laid by Ian Chubb, particularly in shifting Australia towards focus on national research priorities and key challenges associated with these areas.
Professor Andrew Holmes is President of the Australian Academy of Science
Professor Finkel is an excellent choice for this position and I’m confident he will speak strongly and passionately on behalf of Australian science, particularly in his advice to government.
The AAS and ATSE have never been closer; we have worked together well on important issues facing Australia’s research community, including our recent partnership on the Science in Australia Gender Equity initiative.
And on outgoing Chief Scientist Ian Chubb:
Since his appointment Professor Chubb has been a tireless advocate of the fundamental importance of science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills as the key to the country’s future prosperity, and a driving force behind the identification of strategic research priorities for the nation.
Professor Peter Doherty is a Laureate Professor from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. Professor Doherty won a Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1996
Alan is a successful science entrepreneur, a philanthropist and a dedicated supporter of public science communication. His appointment as Chief Scientist is to be greatly welcomed, and it is a measure of the man that he is prepared to take on this complex task. With Canberra's new spirit of openness to innovation and thinking in terms of the future, at least in the parliament, there is a good possibility that his voice will be heard and we will again see Australia moving forward.
Dr Ross Smith is President of Science & Technology Australia
Dr Finkel has a profound understanding of the place of science in a flourishing modern economy, as a scientist, entrepreneur and science publisher of real note.
We look forward to working closely with Dr Finkel, as we jointly pursue better links between STEM and industry. Speaking at STA's inaugural Science meets Business event this week Dr Finkel urged Australia to celebrate the great examples of engagement between science and business that exist and build on them, rather than focussing on the negative.
We also pay tribute to Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb who had been a magnificent and relentless advocate for STEM as a central part of the nation's future.
He has provided sage advice to Labor and Coalition governments, through times of critical global economic change and has laid the foundations for a consistent, long term approach to policy making that is so important to ensuring good jobs and national prosperity.
Professor Emeritus Sir Gustav Nossal is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Melbourne.
This is truly the most fantastic news.
Finkel is an extraordinary leader. He has proven himself in personal scientific research. He has succeeded in business in competitive fields. He has worked for the public good, most notably in his Presidency of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
He has been unbelievably generous in philanthropy, supporting exciting causes. He has shown leadership in the University world. He is a scientific publisher of note. Beyond all this, he is a person of the highest intelligence, integrity and imagination.
It is difficult to think of anyone who would do this important job with greater distinction.
As an aside, Australia may be ‘getting 2 for the price of one’ as his wife, Elizabeth Finkel, is a distinguished science journalist and author.
This news has made my day, my week, my month and my year.
Dr Susannah Eliott is Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Science Media Centre
We are delighted that our patron has been appointed as Chief Scientist. Alan Finkel brings a wealth of experience and highly relevant skills to this job. He has been an engineer, a scientist, an entrepreneur, a chancellor and a magazine publisher, which means he has an understanding of research, industry, academia and the media. What more could you want?