Trailblazing Aboriginal doctor and health researcher Professor Alex Brown has been made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) in recognition of his leadership in ensuring Indigenous peoples are at the forefront of genomics efforts nationally and internationally.
Professor Brown, a Yuin man with family connections on the far south coast of New South Wales, is Professor of Indigenous Genomics at The Kids Research Institute Australia and Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics at The Australian National University.
He has spent his entire career in Aboriginal health, with a specific focus on chronic diseases in vulnerable communities and identifying and overcoming health disparities.
The first Indigenous scientist appointed to the board of CSIRO, Professor Brown has made significant and wide-ranging contributions to national policy in Indigenous health and is a pioneer in the field of Indigenous Genomics, using the power of genomic and data sciences to improve health outcomes for Indigenous people, families and communities.
He provides scientific and operational leadership within the Australian Alliance for Indigenous Genomics (ALIGN), a national network that aims to deliver equity and benefit to Indigenous Australians through genomics.
A former member of The Kids Research Institute Australia’s Board and the Institute’s 2018 Scientific Review Panel, Professor Brown is also playing a critical role in shaping and sustaining the future of The Kids’ Indigenous research, leadership, partnerships and engagement with Indigenous communities, and training the next generation of Indigenous researchers.
Professor Brown – already a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences – is one of 32 new Fellows of the ATSE, with ATSE President Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO describing them as the thinkers and doers at the forefront of Australian discoveries, technological breakthroughs, and future industries.
“Australia faces a challenging constellation of threats: extreme weather and climate change, the power and peril of AI and digital technologies, crafting sustainable food systems to nourish people and the planet, shocking disparities in Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander health outcomes,” Dr Woodthorpe said.
“This diverse group of Australia’s brightest stars in technology and engineering embodies progress, hope and unparalleled innovation in the face of these challenges.
“Our Fellows are bridging from discovery to shaping new industries in the ultimate service of better living for all Australians and the world.”
The new Fellows will be publicly celebrated at the ATSE’s New Fellows Showcase in Melbourne on 17 October. To see the full list of new ATSE Fellows for 2024, see here, and to read more about the Institute’s Indigenous Genomics work, see here.