Three Sydney researchers elected Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science

Oncologist Professor Georgina Long AO, soil scientist Professor Budiman Minasny FAA and computer scientist Professor Willy Zwaenepoel FAA FTSE have been recognised for their work.

Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science are among the nation’s most distinguished scientists, elected by their peers for ground-breaking research and contributions that have had clear impact.

President of the Academy Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC said it is a privilege to welcome new Fellows to the Academy each year. 

“Despite my election to the Academy some 19 years ago, I still recall the deep satisfaction of being recognised for my contributions to science, and I know that our 24 Fellows are sure to be feeling the same.  

“Nominated by their peers, Fellows of the Academy are recognised as leaders in their fields, having all made exceptional contributions to science throughout their careers.

“The Academy brings the expertise of our Fellows together, to build a nation that embraces scientific knowledge, and benefits from it every day.” 

Professor Emma Johnston, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney said: “The research produced by Professors Long, Minasny and Zwaenepoel in their respective fields of melanoma, soil sciences and experimental computer science is indeed game changing. The University of Sydney is proud of the impact their research has had and we congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”

New Fellow and Australian of the Year Professor Long said she looks forward to collaborating with colleagues and being a member of an Academy that makes a difference, not only locally in Australia but also internationally.

“In these times where there is an enormous level of data information shared across multiple platforms, it is important that we put science and the truth at the centre of our work,” she said.

Professor Zwaenepoel said, “Being named a Fellow by the Academy was a profound honour that highlights the significance of research into experimental software systems. I would like to thank all my students and collaborators, without whom I could not have achieved this recognition.” 

“It is an honour to be elected as a Fellow in recognition of my contributions to soil science at the University of Sydney,” said Professor Minasny. “This reaffirms the importance of soil research in addressing global existential challenges.”

Fellows from the University of Sydney 

Professor Georgina Long AO FAA FAHMS

Georgina Long is a medical oncologist and scientist specialising in melanoma at the University of Sydney and Melanoma Institute Australia. She has led an extensive program of clinical trials, revolutionising the way melanoma is treated worldwide and leading to Australian government funding of ten new melanoma drugs which significantly increase survival. Long published the first research to show a survival improvement in patients with melanoma brain metastasis and led efforts to introduce the first new checkpoint inhibitor drug into clinical oncology in over a decade. Her recent groundbreaking work on the neoadjuvant platform is now revolutionising how operable cancers (melanoma and beyond) are treated. In recognition of the contribution of her outstanding research and work, Professor Long was awarded 2024 Australian of the Year (jointly with colleague Professor Richard Scolyer).

Professor Budiman Minasny FAA 
Budiman Minasnyis a soil scientist who has used breakthrough soil mapping and modelling techniques to unlock fundamental new knowledge urgently needed to protect and enhance soil carbon stocks and to sustain agriculture and ecosystems, worldwide. His foundational contribution is underpinned by his cost-effective digital techniques that enable soil organic carbon and other properties to be rapidly and precisely measured and mapped, from the surface down to the profile at any scale, from the paddock to across the globe. Minasny’s research underpins numerous critical real-world applications from soil carbon benchmarking to a global movement to increase soil carbon, established during the Paris COP21 talks. Professor Minasny is part of the University of Sydney’s Institute of Agriculture and its School of Life and Environmental Sciences.  

Professor Willy Zwaenepoel FAA FTSE 

Willy Zwaenepoel is a world leader in experimental software systems. He is well known for his ground-breaking work on distributed shared memory and has made fundamental contributions to a variety of subjects, including multicast communication, fault tolerance, Internet servers, graph processing, virtualisation, and storage systems. The influence of his work is evidenced by its large number of citations and its translation into production systems. He has received numerous awards for his teaching and research and has mentored young researchers who went to renowned institutions, or who started successful companies.

The Academy's new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy on 9 September 2024 and present their science on 11 September at Science at the Shine Dome.