It's time to supercharge science and tech

Science & Technology Australia (STA) says the nation is facing a ‘sliding doors’ moment, where we can choose to supercharge our science and tech strengths or lag behind our economic competitors.

Analysis performed by the organisation in the lead-up to this week’s Jobs and Skills Summit shows how even a modest investment to train Australia’s first generation of bench-to-boardroom scientists could powerfully supercharge our national economic growth — to the tune of $52bn.

STA wants to recruit and train Australia’s first generation of bench-to-boardroom scientists with the skills, networks and commercial knowledge to bridge the ‘valley of death’ in science commercialisation.

Professor Mark Hutchinson is the STA President and one of Australia’s first generation of scientist-entrepreneurs. Under his leadership, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Nanoscale BioPhotonics has created 16 startups with a combined market capitalisation and market value of nearly $520 million.

“Imagine the potential of an Australian economy powered by up to 2000 more entrepreneurial bench-to-boardroom scientists,” said STA CEO Misha Schubert.

“If just 5% — a very conservative figure — of a new generation of bench-to-boardroom scientists achieve the level of success we’ve seen from some of our nation’s brightest commercialisation stars, it would generate a $52 billion return for the Australian economy.

“That conservative level of success would not just create a wealth of new jobs for Australians, it would kickstart whole new industries and create an economy powered by science,” Schubert said.

STA warns the nation’s economic competitors are rapidly scaling up their investments in science, technology, research and development. If Australia keeps pace, the country can seize huge opportunities for the economy including new jobs, national income, intellectual property and sovereign capability.

“Right now, the world is in a fierce science and technology race to rapidly advance societies and economies,” Schubert said.

“The stakes are high. If Australia doesn’t keep pace, we face the grave risk that the country will end up as a consumer, not a creator — eroding our sovereign capability and deepening our reliance on other countries.

“But with bold strategic investments now, Australia can keep ourselves in play.

“A few decisive steps now will get us on the train to a destination of an economy and society powered by science. Miss that opportunity, and we will be left stranded on the platform.”

This month the US passed the CHIPS and Science Act 2022 — a $52 billion boost for science and semiconductor research and development dubbed a “once-in-a-generation investment in America itself” by President Joe Biden.

The bold investment plan includes a $10 billion outlay in regional science and technology hubs and manufacturing, and vast new investment in STEM workforce development and STEM education from pre-school to university — with a focus on diverse communities.

“Australia should be every bit as ambitious for our science and technology ambitions,” Schubert said.

At the launch of National Science Week this month, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said “the most important piece of micro-economic reform which faces the nation today is infusing our economy with science and technology”.

STA participated in the science and commercialisation roundtable this month leading into the Jobs and Skills summit. The bench-to-boardroom plan is one of five policy fixes proposed by the organisation to advance the urgent imperative of creating the “future powered by science”, as outlined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his Science Vision Statement.

1. Setting a bold new ambition for Australia to become a global STEM superpower.
2. Training Australia’s first generation of ‘bench-to-boardroom’ scientists.
3. Fixing chronic job insecurity in science to end the brain drain.
4. Confirming the Budget funding for research commercialisation investments.
5. An urgent boost for breakthroughs in Australia’s discovery research grant budgets.

Image credit: iStock.com/ipopba