– By Professor Robyn Murphy, La Trobe University

Australia’s prosperity depends on a strong, steady flow of world-class science, to translate it into economic, environmental and social value. The Australian Academy of Science’s Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035 report identifies looming capability gaps that limit this progress.

We need to train more graduates in biotechnology, climate science, data science, agricultural science, geoscience and materials science – fields that are the lifeblood of national resilience and productivity. However, the current pipeline of science graduates is built largely on the study choices of students, rather than being aligned with the needs of our future workforce or the broader system it sustains. 

We must commit to attracting and training a future workforce that can sustain and strengthen this system and meet the aspirations of the country.

The heart of the process: from research to jobs

Research translation is a practical necessity for Australia’s economy. Turning discovery into new technologies, improved policy, and industry partnerships turns scientific expertise into jobs and provides public benefit. 

Universities sit at the heart of this process. They circulate fundamental research, training talent, and translation pathways – through industry collaboration, including co-design of curricula and work-integrated learning.

Vital workforce development

Universities function at the intersection of research and workforce development. Research-led education trains graduates for today, but also with deep disciplinary understanding and critical thinking for translation across vast problems. 

Science is advancing at a tremendous rate. Students’ resiliencies and adaptabilities are essential capabilities as fields of education and research are shaped by artificial intelligence, climate transition and advanced technologies. Technical skills matter, but without strong scientific foundations, they date quickly. 

By embedding translation of science into training, students are provided with experiences to see themselves as contributors to solutions.

Multiple, connected pathways

A future-ready system needs multiple, connected pathways – partnering education with industry, and exposing students to the complexity of science applicable beyond the laboratory. 

We need to enable students to learn to define problems in messy, real-world systems; to work across disciplines; to communicate with non-specialists; and to balance scientific rigour with practical constraints. These are precisely the capabilities industry consistently seeks and that future scientific roles will increasingly demand. 

Getting the future scientific workforce right is crucial to keeping this system strong. It is needed to strengthen the connections between discovery, education and industry, allowing Australia to generate knowledge and apply it at scale. This will develop and sustain the scientific workforce our future demands.

Professor Robyn Murphy
Dean, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia