NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Mary O'Kane suggests that we are focusing in least in part on the wrong issues when seeking to redress Australia's productivity growth problem.
Professor O'Kane delivered the 3rd Malcolm Chaikin Oration to the Australian Academy Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) NSW Division's Annual Dinner in Milsons Point in Sydney last night (Wednesday 24 September 2014).
She was also awarded the Chaikin Medal.
Her presentation, 'Not the Usual Suspects: Examining often overlooked innovation system factors in seeking the answer to the productivity growth problem', examined productivity growth through the lens of Australia's relative performance on two major international innovation indices.
About Malcolm Chaikin (Source: ATSE)
Professor Malcolm Chaikin AO OBE FTSE (1923-2012) led a long and remarkable career in textiles science, university leadership and philanthropic support.
Chaikin was a leading authority on textiles, former pro vice Chancellor of the University of NSW, former Chairman of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and well known for his support of science education and achievement through the Malcolm Chaikin Foundation at the University of New South Wales.
In 2009 – 62 years after Chaikin entered the University of Leeds – he was honoured with a Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from his alma mater.
He received many awards and prizes from universities and organisations during his career, held some 30 patents, and was an ATSE Fellow in 1977, a Carnegie Fellow (1966) and a Ben-Gurion Fellow (1986).