This week marks the peak of National Science Week, an annual nationwide collection of festivals, activities and events geared towards celebrating all things science and technology, especially when it comes to contributions from Australian scientists.
According to the organisers, the public will have more than 1500 events to choose from this week, with over one million attendees expected across the country.
While many have their attention diverted by the Rio Olympic Games, Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, has issued a challenge - for everyone to name at least five living Australian scientists.
“We can all name at least five current athletes, particularly during the Olympic games. We can all name at least five actors. These days, we can probably even name at least five celebrity chefs,” says Finkel.
“If we all knew of at least five of our nation’s scientists, and the stories of their achievements, we would think of our country with a re-doubled sense of pride.”
Calling this the "five scientist pledge" (with a matching hashtag to boot), Dr Finkel encourages everyone to learn more about Australian scientists and their achievements - and, if you are coming up short with your list of five, to ask around or do a web search.
At SBS Science we are obviously here to help you with this task. Below you will find a collection of stories on Australian science achievements, starting with these six profiles of Indigenous scientists.
If you just want the quickest cheat sheet, here’s a handy list of six Australian women scientists.
And if you want more stories about amazing Australian science, here are just a few more select stories highlighting those achievements.