New Chief Scientist announced

Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has announced the appointment of Professor Tony Haymet as Australia’s Chief Scientist, taking over from Dr Cathy Foley, who recently finished her term.

Haymet recently served as Chair of the Antarctic Science Foundation and Chair of the ATSE (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering) Climate Change Working Group.

He has researched and taught for many years in Australia and in the United States, including as Established Chair of Theoretical Chemistry at The University of Sydney. Formerly a Distinguished Professor, Director and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus at the University of California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Haymet says his appointment is “the role of a lifetime”.

His long and distinguished career includes roles as a scientist, administrator, CEO, board member, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

As a scientist and researcher, he has authored 177 peer-reviewed publications. As an entrepreneur, he has commercialised research into profitable products, co-founding MRV Systems LLC, which manufactures ocean robots. The company’s autonomous drones take chemical and physical measurements across the world’s oceans.

He is a Fellow of ATSE and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

As Australia’s Chief Scientist, Haymet will give independent, evidence-based advice to the Australian Government.

His term will be three years.