CANBERRA, Nov 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Leading physicist, Cathy Foley, has been appointed as Australia’s next chief scientist.
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, announced today that Foley, currently the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s chief scientist, will take over from Alan Finkel, whose tenure ends in Dec.
“As we recover from COVID-19, and to rebuild a brighter future, the role of the chief scientist has never been more important,” Morrison said.
“Dr Foley has a big task ahead, to drive collaboration between industry and the science and research community, as we look to create jobs for the COVID-19 recovery and for the future.”
Foley, whose work focused on solid-state physics and its applications, will be the second woman to serve as Australia’s chief scientist, after Penny Sackett, who held the role between 2008 and 2011.
Her appointment was welcomed by the Australian Academy of Science, which elected Foley as a Fellow in May, for her outstanding contribution to science.– NNN-AGENCIES
