Anna Maria Arabia

And from that moment, a very catalytic moment, was born the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, FAST.

FAST today, to your audience, that is Science and Technology Australia.

I was once the CEO there and I started as the CEO of Fasts and we did a fairly significant rebranding exercise to call it Science and Technology Australia.

And that was around rebirthing it in some ways so that it's very broad membership of scientists who work across disciplines and who are at the coalface of scientific research and endeavour could have a voice, could organise.

and so that STA could be the peak body for science and technology in Australia.

And indeed it holds that position today.

How do we make sure that they continue to have a voice?

Unity is important.

Strategy is important.

Having a collective voice and knowing what we're asking for.

I think a real risk to our sector is fragmentation.

We should avoid that at all costs.

So organisations that enable us to come together

are important and not just come together as scientists.

I think we would do well to create allies in other non-scientific areas.

Of course, scientists would say that we need to improve their conditions, their funding, their resources.

It's much better when other sectors say we need science so that our world, our workforce, our industries can thrive and they recognise the value science brings to all of us.

Congratulations and good luck with the future.

It's been an extraordinary journey.

Thank you for being part of it too, Robin.