Chemistry for a better life

• To improve research efficiency, the Australian research
sector has to create mechanisms that enable it to develop
longer term research strategies, that are not solely reactive
to the government policies of the day.
• Australian research institutions and especially the academic
research sector need to abandon their focus on safe, run-ofthe-mill,
chemistry research projects in favour of high risk,
strategic research that can become the source of future
innovation. The prerequisite for this is a widening of the
range of funding opportunities that are available for
different purposes (fundamental, strategic, applied).
• Solutions must be developed for the problem of getting
a higher number of start-ups off the ground in the
chemistry space.
• More balanced reward and promotion mechanisms in
research organisations need to be developed that do not
disadvantage commercial activity, industrial collaboration
and the time spent on the creation of patentable IP.
Government research requirements
• New and better metrics for chemistry research efficiency
and effectiveness need to be developed for the
government research sector, that can provide a better
view of the research provider’s level of excellence in both
international and commercial contexts.
• Research sector outputs need to be regularly analysed in
a systematic manner to identify potential technologies that
could be translated more quickly into new products and
processes with appropriate support.
• There needs to be better demarcation of the remit and
strategic directions of government research organisations
from those of the academic research sector to avoid
research duplication and unnecessary competition. This
may help better define the ‘sense of purpose’ that concerns
workers in government research organisations.
• There is duplication of services amongst many of the
monitoring and registration focused government agencies,
which is negatively impacting on both research and
commercial productivity.
• The funding mechanisms for research funding to the
government and academic research sectors are inefficient
in terms of (1) the amount of time and effort required
to submit applications, (2) the length of time to assess
applications and (3) the quality of feedback to applicants
(improved feedback would improve the quality of
applications).
Large research infrastructure requirements
• The major requirement for large-scale national facilities is
to secure stable, ongoing maintenance of the current, large
infrastructure items. Strategic planning is also required
to ensure there is a predictable pathway for continuous
upgrading of facilities to maintain them at a world-class level.
• There are strong calls to ensure that there is maintenance
of skilled technical support in these large research
infrastructure facilities to ensure maximum productivity
and research efficiency.
Industry requirements
• New, affordable and efficient R&D collaboration
mechanisms are required that can foster links between
industry and research providers in Australia, in a cash-poor
environment.
• The capabilities of Australian research providers need to be
strengthened substantially to enable them to become the
preferred R&D partners for both Australian and international
companies who seek high-end innovation.
• Chemistry research translation mechanisms need to
be developed that are viable and advantageous for all
participants, in an environment of limited industry
profitability and limited government support.
• There need to be better, more flexible models for cost
recovery by industry companies and R&D providers,
to compensate for the large up-front costs of R&D into
new chemical product development. New Zealand has
a successful model in place. 3 Other established models
exist in Switzerland (Appendix 11).
• New higher education models are required that produce
chemistry graduates and postgraduates with the skill sets
needed by the industries of the future.
• Government agencies and industry need to develop
collaborative rather than adversarial modes of interaction,
in order to benefit from and exploit changing regulatory
outcomes.
• There needs to be early engagement with industry for
chemistry students, in order to build stronger awareness of
industry career pathways as an alternative to the traditional
academic career model.
• Industry, and in particular SMEs, need to find mechanisms
to improve process efficiencies.
Chemistry public image requirements
• The science literacy of the Australian general public needs
to be improved, in order to facilitate better public debate
on important global issues that require knowledge of
chemistry for effective solutions.
• The entire chemistry community needs to work together to
change the way chemistry is portrayed in the media and to
improve the public perception of chemistry in the public eye.
These requirements are the key inputs to the development of
the strategic directions, goals and recommendations made
from the decadal plan development process.
3 http://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/publications/2015-ris-arrdrm-bill/cashingout-research-and-development-tax-losses
Chapter V The key requirements for the chemistry discipline
THE DECADAL PLAN FOR AUSTRALIAN CHEMISTRY 2016–25 31