The Office of NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) has its eyes on the future, unveiling a 20-year research and development (R&D) vision for NSW to produce more world-leading new technologies, products and services.
NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, Hugh Durrant-Whyte said the Shaping the future of NSW in science and technology: 20-Year R&D Roadmap stemmed from deep analysis of the State’s competitive advantages based on credible data and wide stakeholder consultation.
“R&D plays a critical role in addressing many of the major challenges facing NSW and the world,” Professor Durrant-Whyte said.
“Over the next 20 years, issues such as automation, climate change, urbanisation, and demographic and economic power shifts are expected to have major impacts on the labour market, infrastructure, and industrial and economic capacity,” he said.
“R&D is important because it not only allows us to respond to these challenges but find opportunity in them through new science, engineering and knowledge.”
Professor Durrant-Whyte said the Roadmap identified NSW’s existing competitive advantages, as well as areas where there were strategic imperatives for the State to develop capability.
The Chief Scientist and Engineer said four technology themes had also been identified, Digital, Biotechnology, Energy, and Materials and Chemistry, along with 39 applications, “which illustrate the wide range of competitive advantages NSW holds”.
“We are in a strong position to strengthen and leverage these advantages to grow future industries in NSW,” he said.
“OCSE is already taking action in some of these areas, including semiconductors and synthetic biology.”
OCSE’s 67-page Roadmap can be accessed at this PS News link.
