Tech and science academies unite experts in COVID fight

Australia’s learned academies have joined forces to build a new platform to showcase how their combined 3000 researchers, technologists and other experts can help government, industry and academia combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Chief executive of the AUstralian Academy of Science, Anna-Maria Arabia, said the COVID-19 Expert Database was created to provide a mechanism for decision makers to easily access expertise from a range of fields, including business management and digital technologies.

Along with support from Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the public platform has the backing of Australia’s chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel.

The academies are seeking for experts to register on the platform to contribute to the national effort, Arabia said.

“All fields of expertise including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health, humanities, arts, and social science are needed.”

Other fields in which experts are being sought include data protection, digital technology, ICT, modelling and data analysis, surveillance, telehealth/eHealth, social media and online platforms.

“Australia and the world will benefit from quick access to expertise that provides insights into the COVID-19 pandemic and its scientific, health, social, cultural and economic implications,” Arabia said.

“By gathering the extraordinary expertise across our nation in one place, Australian academies offer governments and others an opportunity to consult experts and take actions that are evidence-informed and targeted.”

Kylie Walker, CEO of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, urged experts who could contribute to the effort to register on the database.

“This is a complex issue affecting all facets of society, so it’s important that our response is an interdisciplinary one,” she said.