Hudson Institute CEO joins international science advisory council

Australia’s role in international science leadership has been reconfirmed with the appointment of Hudson Institute Director and CEO, Professor Elizabeth Hartland AM FAHMS, to the Human Frontier Science Program’s Council of Scientists.

The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) provides funding for frontier research in the life sciences.  It promotes international collaboration in basic research focused on the elucidation of the sophisticated and complex mechanisms of living organisms.

Prof Hartland said HFSP is a very special funding agency that supports interdisciplinary and international blue sky discovery research. 

“It is quite unlike any other research funding organisation in the world where wild creativity and originality are essential and feasibility is barely considered,” she said. 

Her appointment, representing Australia for the next 3 years, will see her in an advisory role contributing to HFSP policy, advising on the agency’s grant schemes, contributing to HFSP workshops and scientific meetings and raising awareness of the work of the HFSP in Australia.

Quality of Australian science

“The quality and excellence of Australian discovery science is well recognised by the HFSP and we are frequent recipients of funding,” Prof Hartland said.

“At a time when there is so much emphasis on funding the applied end of the research pipeline, it’s important for us to engage with the HFSP, as applicants, reviewers and advisors, to support funding for transformational out-of-the-box ideas.”

She is delighted to be joining such an esteemed collective: “The Council  plays a key role as an advisory body to the Board, ensuring that the HFSP Organization fulfills its mission to promote fundamental frontier life science research,” she said.

Among other roles, the Council monitors the quality and scope of the science funded on the recommendations of the review committees. It is also responsible for reviewing nominations for the HFSP Nakasone Award and for making a recommendation to the Board on the annual winner of the award. 

Prof Hartland was officially welcomed to the Council of Scientists at its meeting in Rome this week.