The WA Government has awarded the first of five Premier’s Fellowships to encourage internationally prominent scientists to pursue ground-breaking research in Western Australia.
Speaking at the Premier’s Science Awards this week, the Premier and Science Minister Colin Barnett said the fellowships would be awarded to scientists working in the five priority areas identified in the 2015 WA Science Statement.
First of 5 Premiers' Fellows announced
The first of the Premier’s Fellows would be Dr Simon Cook, who would undertake research in the area of agriculture and food.
Mr Barnett said Dr Cook would work with researchers at Curtin and Murdoch universities and focus on the developing the State's capabilities in big data and agriculture.
The other priority areas targeted in the 2015 WA Science Statement are mining and energy; medicine and health; biodiversity and marine; and radio astronomy.
Mr Barnett said the intention is to award future Premier’s Fellowships in each of these fields. The Premier’s Fellowship scheme has been running since 2003 but the last fellowship was awarded in 2013.
New home for Scitech in the early 2020's
Mr Barnett also announced that Scitech would be moving to its new home sometime after 2021. He said Scitech would relocate to the Perth Cultural Centre, basically alongside the proposed $428 million museum complex.
“It will bring huge exposure to science, just because of the numbers going through the museum and the art gallery,” he told the awards audience.
Scitech has been based at City West in West Perth since it was established in 1988.
The Chair of Scitech, Mr Tony Joyner, said Scitech was delighted its new home would be at the Perth Cultural Centre.