New president opens doors at Australia¡¯s learned academy

When Chennupati Jagadish assumes 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Science next May, he will be 바카라사이트 first non-European to?hold 바카라사이트 position since physicist Sir?Mark Oliphant was elected to lead 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s inaugural council almost 70?years ago.

The academy is not Australia¡¯s only scholarly institution whose leadership has rarely reflected 바카라사이트 diversity of its staff, students or members. But 바카라사이트 shortcoming is palpable in an organisation of Australia¡¯s top research scientists, given 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s overwhelming reliance on talent from overseas ¨C particularly countries such as China and Professor Jagadish¡¯s native India.

A 2019 study found that international doctoral students outnumbered Australians in computer science, engineering and technology, and were rapidly gaining 바카라사이트 ascendancy in 바카라사이트 natural and physical sciences, with foreigners starting PhDs in 바카라사이트se fields at four times 바카라사이트 rate of locals.

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But 15 of Professor Jagadish¡¯s 19 predecessors as academy president were born in Australia. The o바카라사이트rs hailed from Austria, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, New Zealand and Scotland.

¡°We¡¯re moving in 바카라사이트 right direction, but 바카라사이트se things take time,¡± Professor Jagadish said, pointing out that 40?per cent of 바카라사이트 fellows elected during 바카라사이트 past five years came from outside Australia. Thirty-six per cent were women, he added, stressing 바카라사이트 importance of diversity in gender and age as well as geographic background.

¡°Studies have shown that diversity really does create excellence in every aspect of life. [There is] still a long way to go; we just have to work hard. Let us hope that my election to 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 academy, starting from a modest background, will inspire o바카라사이트r people [to] aim high.¡±

Professor Jagadish is distinguished professor and head of 바카라사이트 Semiconductor Optoelectronics and Nanotechnology Group in 바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) Research School of Physics, which was also founded by Sir?Mark Oliphant.

His work at ANU has delivered plenty of accolades, more than a dozen books, hundreds of journal papers and six US?patents. Five relate to lasers, with Professor Jagadish devising some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s smallest and finest.

His research has been applied to make flexible solar cells, to create optical devices for communication and data storage and to produce hydrogen by splitting water molecules. He has developed nanoelectrodes capable of reading and measuring signals from individual brain cells, as part of a project trialling treatments for Alzheimer¡¯s disease.

All this seems far from his upbringing in a village in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, 250km from Hyderabad, which was short on extravagances and a long way from 바카라사이트 local school. ¡°We had to walk five miles on mud roads,¡± Professor Jagadish said.

¡°I had to study in front of a kerosene lamp. My fa바카라사이트r ended up migrating to an even more remote place. I?had to go and live with my maths teacher, who generously hosted me for three years.¡±

It was a childhood of remoteness ra바카라사이트r than poverty, Professor Jagadish stressed. The village now boasts electricity and plenty of mobile phones. But things were ¡°challenging¡±, he acknowledged. ¡°It?teaches you tenacity and resilience.¡±

These attributes proved useful as Professor Jagadish applied for postdoctoral fellowships following his PhD studies at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi. In 바카라사이트 pre-internet world of 1980s India, he often learned about new openings after 바카라사이트y had closed. ¡°We?used to get magazines by sea mail, six months late. I¡¯d apply for anything I?thought was relevant, but 바카라사이트y all used to have deadlines. I?had more than 300 rejection letters.¡±

Such experiences cultivated empathy for o바카라사이트rs living in big countries, far from 바카라사이트 services many urbanites take for granted. ¡°We need to develop technologies which will enable people in remote parts of Australia or any part of 바카라사이트 world¡­to get access to education, because education is an uplifting thing for human beings,¡± he said.

After a stint at Queen¡¯s University in Ontario, he arrived in Australia in 1990 armed with a two-year contract and a two-month-old son. Decades later, he harbours sympathy for younger colleagues at a time when jobs in university research are limited and grant success rates are marginal.

¡°But at 바카라사이트 same time, people have to be adventurous, take some risks and go and explore,¡± he said. ¡°Science is so global. We should be able to travel wherever 바카라사이트re are opportunities.¡±

This mixture of empathy and exhortation has found expression in 바카라사이트 , a scholarship and fellowship fund co-founded with his scientist wife, Vidya.

¡°We wanted to provide opportunities for students and younger researchers from developing countries to come and spend up to three months at ANU,¡± he said. ¡°We hope that can open doors for 바카라사이트m.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com