John Rice – The Conversation

The Australian Federal Police will receive $321.4 million over four years for a range of measures. AAP/Lukas Coch

May 9, 2017

Budget 2017‑18 brings welfare crackdown and increased defence and security funding: experts respond

Ben Spies-Butcher, Macquarie University; Andrew Carr, Australian National University; Andrew Dodd, Swinburne University of Technology; John Rice, University of Adelaide; Les Field, UNSW , and Robin Davies, Australian National University

The Conversation’s political experts react to the 2017-18 budget’s key measures in the areas of welfare, foreign aid, defence spending and more.

The new Science Minister, Senator Arthur Sinodinos. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

January 19, 2017

Australian science making some progress amid the march of ministers

John Rice, University of Adelaide

What challenges will Arthur Sinodinos face as he becomes the latest to take up the science portfolio?

Many university degrees require a high level of maths skill. Shutterstock

March 18, 2016

Universities should require science, engineering and commerce students to know their maths

Deborah King, The University of Melbourne and John Rice, University of Sydney

Lowering maths prerequisites to study science, engineering and commerce at university has led to students playing catch up for years. This should be fixed.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced the winners and losers of his ministerial reshuffle. Lukas Coch/AAP

September 20, 2015

Turnbull unveils cabinet line‑up: experts respond

Jeff Borland, The University of Melbourne; Dean Ashenden, The University of Melbourne; Gwilym Croucher, The University of Melbourne; Joanna Mendelssohn, UNSW ; John Blaxland, Australian National University; John Rice, University of Sydney; Peter Whiteford, Australian National University, and Thas Ampalavanapillai Nirmalathas, The University of Melbourne

What are the key challenges for ministers entering new portfolios in Malcolm Turnbull’s first cabinet? The Conversation asked experts in key policy areas to respond.

Who’ll use the equipment if funding for researchers is cut back? Flickr/Steven Lilley

May 18, 2015

Australian science is no better off after the 2015 budget

John Rice, University of Sydney

The federal government’s 2015 budget has done little to restore confidence in the government’s support for science in Australia.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, seen here with the Anglo Australian Telescope at Sidings Springs, is known to have a deep interest in science. So what should expect now the word science is added to his ministerial title? AAP/Alan Porritt

February 3, 2015

Shaping 2015: The challenge for Australia’s new science minister

John Rice, University of Sydney and Elizabeth Johnson, Deakin University

“What’s in a name?” was essentially the Australian government’s response when concerns were first expressed about dropping “Science” from the ministerial portfolio titles back in 2013. That same response…

Mathematics is everywhere, from national security and genetics to public transport scheduling. Bonita Club/Flickr (cropped)

March 11, 2014

Optimising the future with mathematics

Geoff Prince, Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute; John Rice, University of Sydney, and Nalini Joshi, University of Sydney

AUSTRALIA 2025: How will science address the challenges of the future? In collaboration with Australia’s chief scientist Ian Chubb, we’re asking how each science discipline will contribute to Australia…

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