Support women in science at Burnet Institute
Donate today to support women in science at Burnet and their work to unlock the vaginal microbiome and reduce risk of HIV infection and preterm birth for women around the world.
Donate today to support women in science at Burnet and their work to unlock the vaginal microbiome and reduce risk of HIV infection and preterm birth for women around the world.
25 May, 2021
Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC is among 22 scientists acknowledged for their outstanding contributions to science with election as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science (AAS).
The Director and CEO of Burnet Institute since 2008, Professor Crabb is a past-President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI), the peak body for independent medical research Institutes in Australia, and current Chair of the Victorian Chapter, VicAAMRI.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS) and of the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM) and serves on the governing Council of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.
“I feel a great sense of honour to be elected to The Australian Academy of Science,” Professor Crabb said.
“Just to be elected is wonderful and a privilege, but I’m even more excited by the opportunity to join a group of champions for science – a group that serve the community through communicating just how crucial science and its application has been, is now, and will be for the success of our society.
“To face our biggest challenges, and to take the biggest opportunities, Australia needs a deeply embedded science culture; and there is no greater torch bearer for this than the AAS."
An infectious disease researcher with a special interest in malaria, Professor Crabb’s research group develops and exploits genetic approaches to better understand malaria parasite biology, principally to help prioritise vaccine and drug targets.
In 2015, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia’s highest civilian honour, for contributions to better understanding infectious diseases and their impact on poor and vulnerable communities, and for fostering medical research as an advocate, mentor and administrator.
Other new Fellows’ contributions include developing statistical theories to improve weather forecasting, growing ‘qubits’ which form the architecture of quantum computers, and revealing how plant cells communicate with each other about changes in their environment.
Australian Academy of Science President, Professor John Shine, congratulated the new Fellows for their achievements on the international stage.
“These researchers have not only been at the forefront of Australia’s scientific community, but have also been leaders in global science,” said Professor Shine.
“The 2021 Fellows were elected by their Academy peers after a rigorous evaluation. I warmly congratulate and welcome each Fellow on their election and for their extraordinary contribution to science and society.”
This year’s cohort is made up of 41 percent women and 59 percent men. Over the past five years, 35 percent of the Fellows elected have been women.
Find out more about AAS 2021 Fellows.
For more information in relation to this news article, please contact:
Director and CEO; Co-Head Malaria Research Laboratory; Chair, Victorian Chapter of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI)