INTRODUCING our new President! Epilepsy genetics pioneer Laureate Professor Sam Berkovic has been elected the 21st President of the Australian Academy of Science, Australia's leading independent voice for science.
Berkovic, who discovered the first gene for epilepsy in 1995 and revolutionised our understanding of the disease, takes office at a time when investment in research and development is at a historic low. He says bringing science to the service of the nation so that everyone can benefit from it will be paramount during his presidency.
Berkovic won the Prime Minister's Prize for Science in 2014 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. He takes office in May 2026.
ALT Laureate Professor Sam Berkovic, a global epilepsy pioneer and the 21st President of the Australian Academy of Science, smiling in front of an artistic structure.