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“Meet the Chiefs” is an occasional series by Petra Stock. She previously played the following roles chief measurer.
Professor Bronwyn Fox loves science and studies science even in her free time.
Highlights of recent vacations include a trip to the World Materials Forum (to understand important mineral challenges) and a quantum computer site visit.
“We were thinking of setting up a science-based tourism business,” jokes the CSIRO’s chief scientist.
Her values, driven by learning and sharing, are evidenced by a career in pursuit of intellectual curiosity, from chemistry to materials engineering, robotics and automation.
As principal investigator at Australia’s national research agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (better known by its acronym CSIRO), Mr Fox’s duties are enormous.
With more than 6,300 employees at 49 locations nationwide (two worldwide), the agency focuses its scientific research and technology development on six key issues: health and well-being, food security and quality; A safe Australia and region, a resilient and valued environment, sustainable energy and resources and the industries of the future.
Her passion and interest in, in her words, “everything” is critical to her role as principal scientist. While the organization’s CEO, Dr Doug Hilton, is tackling systemic challenges, Fox’s role will be to champion the ongoing ‘science’ and measure the impact of CSIRO’s research and development. The emphasis is on doing.
Whatever we do now will be very important in 20 years.
Professor Bronwyn Fox
It’s not an easy job. CSIRO’s scientists, engineers and researchers work on everything from quantum computing. Energy transition. “Circularity” of battery manufacturing and recycling. About how humans can collaborate with artificial intelligence, food security, space exploration, and targeted drug delivery.
The Principal Scientist has four main areas of responsibility: Ethics and Integrity, Accountability and Metrics, Strategic Focus, and Developing the Next Generation of Emerging Researchers.
Fox is now focused on updating the organization’s future science and technology plans, which were first announced in 2019.
This is a process she learned from spending time visiting a number of CSIRO companies and spin-off companies during her first year in the role.
“I find quiet scientists in the back of the room and ask them when they started working on the technology. And they always say, ’20 years ago.’ So I started thinking, whatever we’re doing now is going to be very important 20 years from now, so how do we make decisions? ”
This update is designed to highlight the next big ideas, challenges and opportunities on the horizon, and hears from CSIRO’s brightest minds and global experts on the direction of science in 20 years’ time. We are summarizing what we are doing.
I have a real passion for encouraging anyone to pursue a career in science. It’s very enriching and rewarding.
Professor Bronwyn Fox
And Fox is already thinking about where future scientists and engineers will come from.
Her face lights up when she describes the current efforts to build CSIRO’s capacity around Indigenous science and engagement. This includes practical measures such as increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and applying co-design approaches to research.
“We are now consciously implementing ways to partner more broadly, across universities and industry,” she says.
“Another really exciting thing we did was recruit 200 early- and mid-career scientists under our ‘Can’t Do It Without You’ campaign.”
Developing the next generation of scientists has special meaning to Fox.
For her, taking up the role of Chief Scientist at the National Science Agency in 2022 meant returning to the organization where she started her professional career as a chemistry graduate almost 30 years ago.
talk to universe In the cafe courtyard of CSIRO’s vast Creighton campus, Fox gestures to one of the buildings. “My first job after graduating from university was in a research lab there.”
“I’m really passionate about encouraging anyone to pursue a career in science. It’s so enriching and rewarding. […] It’s about finding creative solutions and solving big, seemingly impossible problems. ”
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