Lyndon Llewellyn, John Gunn, and Rebecca Zitoun

National Marine Science Committee

Australian marine science benefited greatly from Australia’s first National Marine Science Strategy 2015-25, motivating the dozens of institutions that currently constitute the National Marine Science Committee (NMSC) to develop a new decadal strategy commencing in 2024.  This development was guided by senior representatives of NMSC members (Commonwealth and State Departments and Agencies, research organisations and universities) prioritising key “Societal Benefit Areas” and 21 knowledge and capability areas they could draw upon.  Some of these areas extended beyond traditional STEM disciplines (ocean literacy, social sciences, ocean accounting, integrated marine management, traditional knowledge) and are promising emergent fields (robotics, AI, omics, synthetic biology).  Australia’s mature, diverse, and skilled marine research community was then asked to explore these areas and how they could benefit for Australia, so that the NMSC could develop a sector-wide Strategy to increase investment and impact.  The resulting 21 “white papers”, divided into Challenges and Enablers, also provide more specific guidance to the Australian marine science community for the next decade

A national symposium, bringing together white paper authors, other science leaders, and stakeholder representatives, then identified gaps and opportunities both within and between areas.  The NMSC has since integrated across these areas to draft the Strategy, which is now being tested with key stakeholders, contributors, and across the NMSC membership.  The final Strategy will be launched at Parliament House in the first Quarter of 2026, alongside the publication of the white papers.  The NMSC will then implement the Strategy, leveraging the power of collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and innovation.

Biography:

Lyndon Llewellyn is a multidisciplinary scientist who has been a biologist, pharmacologist, biotechnologist and data scientist during his career, conceiving and leading numerous multi-organizational (government, industry) projects on e-research, biotechnology and marine ecotoxicology. Various science leadership and research management roles the Australian Institute of Marine Science have given him deep experience in the business of doing marine science from the field to the laboratory, and involvement in commercialisation projects has honed his IP skills. He has a strong interest in the conversion of science into real world impact and maximizing the benefits of marine science to its many stakeholders. This is achieved through understanding the socioeconomic value of marine industries and ecosystems and how research informs their sustainable development. He is currently Deputy Chair of the National Marine Science Committee and Chair of the Science and Technology Advisory Committee for the Integrated Marine Observing System.