High profile Science and Technology Australia (STA) chief executive Misha Schubert has resigned from the STEM sector professional association to take up another CEO role elsewhere from February next year.
After four years pushing for research funding and greater recognition for science in Australia, Ms Schubert on Monday advised staff and the STA board that she is moving on.
STA is the peak professional body representing more than 115,000 scientists and technologists, with membership numbers and revenue doubling under Ms Schubert’s watch.
As well as advocating for members in policy proposals and consultations, the group runs programs that include Science Meets Parliament, Superstars of STEM, and STEM Ambassadors.
“Australia’s remarkable scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians are crucial to our country’s future, its prosperity and social cohesion – and it has been such a privilege to serve them and our nation in this role,” Ms Schubert said.
“I am so grateful to our staff, members, board and the STEM community for what we have built together – and the shared legacy we have forged over these four years – and am so looking forward to seeing the next chapter of success for STA as a continuing champion of the organisation.”
Under Ms Schubert, STA has pushed hard for significant increases to research funding and policy reform, but was met with stubbornly low levels of government investment in R&D for years.
She has also championed Indigenous knowledge and more STEM diversity in Australia’s science and research systems.
“In her four years as CEO, Misha has taken STA to new heights as an influential policy advocacy voice that is highly respected across the breadth of the Parliament and policymaking,” STA president professor Mark Hutchinson said.
“She has doubled STA’s membership and revenue, diversified its income streams and strengthened its financial security, developed crucial Indigenous partnerships with deep trust and reciprocity, and built and nurtured an inspiring staff team of talented, hard-working stars.”
“We are deeply grateful to her for all she has done to take STA to its next scale of success – and are excited for her personally as she takes this next step in her career.”
A formal recruitment process to appoint the next CEO will begin in the coming weeks.
