Visionary ‘connector of commercialisation’ and research rockstar Professor Sharath Sriram has become Science & Technology Australia’s new President – with a bold plan to draw together the disparate parts of Australia’s innovation system to truly “power up Australian prosperity”.
A dynamic next-generation leader, Professor Sriram has an unrivalled understanding of the breadth of Australia’s STEM strengths and capabilities – and the major policy levers that can drive stronger commercialisation success and diversify Australia’s economy.
“Science & Technology Australia is a highly influential policy voice for the brilliant talent across Australia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors – I am deeply honoured to lead it,” he said.
“I plan to draw together the full breadth of Australia’s STEM sector – industry, research, professional societies, academia, start-ups, and innovation – to truly power up Australian prosperity.”
“To be a nation of creators and not just consumers, Australia needs robust investment to support the full pipeline of STEM programs from ideas, through to research, validation, prototyping, and deployment.”
“We also need to secure the stability and career development of early- and mid-career researchers – and drive transformative changes in STEM education from the very earliest years of learning.”
Professor Sriram began his two-year term as President of STA at today’s Annual General Meeting. He succeeds Professor Mark Hutchinson – who will co-chair a new STA Bench-to-Boardroom initiative committee along with STA Governance Chair Jas Chambers under Professor Sriram’s leadership.
Professor Sriram has achieved extraordinary success connecting industry and researchers – creating more than $6 million in commercial partnerships for his university RMIT over the past five years.
He has driven this success through close collaboration with industry partners and by becoming a trusted contact for small and large businesses looking to reach into the university system to find solutions to challenges.
His remarkable track record with his team of nearly 50 staff includes smart bedding products for aged-care support, a wearable for continuous molecular monitoring, and miniature biosensors for monitoring respiratory illnesses.
He congratulated and thanked outgoing President Mark Hutchinson for his stellar work in leading the organisation – and looked forward to building on Professor Hutchinson’s remarkable legacy.
“Mark has been a truly outstanding and vibrant leader for STA and a powerful advocate for the sector. Under his deeply influential leadership, STA’s advocacy has forged transformative changes to our research and commercialisation ecosystem and been a catalyst for change for the country.”
