William James Peacock (born 14 December 1937) is an Australian

molecular biologist Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...

who was

Chief Scientist of Australia The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) is part of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Its primary responsibilities are to enable growth and productivity for globally competitive industries. To help realise this vision, the depart ...

(2006–2008), President of the

Australian Academy of Science The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...

(2002–2006) and Chief of

CSIRO The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency that is responsible for scientific research and its commercial and industrial applications. CSIRO works with leading organisations arou ...

Plant Industry (1978–2003).Virginia Gewin
Jim Peacock, chief scientist, Canberra, Australia
''

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

'
Vol 442, No 7099
pg 220, 12 July 2006. Retrieved 2009-11-04. Peacock was born in

Leura, New South Wales Leura (postcode: 2780) is a suburb in the City of Blue Mountains local government area that is located west of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the series of small towns stretched along the Main W ...

and educated at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

, where he studied botany and zoology and gained a PhD in genetics. He followed this with post-doctoral positions in genetics at the University of Oregon in Eugene and molecular biology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, before returning to Australia to work with the CSIRO. Peacock is a Member of the

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (

PMSEIC The Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) is the Australian government's principal source of advice on science, engineering and innovation issues, as well as relevant aspects of education and training. When PMSEIC wa ...

) and the National Innovation Council and has served on the

Australian Research Council The Australian Research Council (ARC) is the primary non-medical research funding agency of the Australian Government, distributing more than in grants each year. The Council was established by the ''Australian Research Council Act 2001'', ...

(ARC) Grants Committee, the

Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council The Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council (ASTEC) was an Australian government agency. ASTEC was established in April 1977 as the Australian Science and Technology Council to advise the Australian government on matters relating to ...

(ASTEC) and the Academy of Science's Committee on

Recombinant DNA Recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecules are DNA molecules formed by laboratory methods of genetic recombination (such as molecular cloning) that bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be fo ...

Molecules (ASCORD). In 2000, Dr Peacock was joint recipient of the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for Science. Peacock was appointed

on a part-time basis in March 2006, and his term concluded on 31 August 2008.

Penny Sackett Penny Diane Sackett (born 28 February 1956) 19 pages. is an American-born Australian astronomer and former director of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) at the Australian National University (ANU). Professor Sackett was the ...

was appointed as his replacement, to take up the position on a full-time basis in November 2008.

Honours and awards

Peacock has had a distinguished career in science and has received many honours. He was awarded the

Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture The Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture is a biennial award given by the Australian Academy of Science to recognise outstanding scientific research in the biological sciences. It was established in 1971 and honours the memory of the Nobel laureat ...

in 1989 and made a

Companion of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

in 1994. Peacock was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

of London in March 1982, a Fellow of the

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. History The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences was foun ...

and the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science, a Foreign Associate of the

United States National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

, Foreign Fellow of the

Indian National Science Academy The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) is a national academy in New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three b ...

, and a Foundation Member Academia Bibliotheca Alexandrinae. He was awarded the

Lemberg Medal The Lemberg Medal, named after Max Rudolf Lemberg, the first president of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), is awarded annually to a scientist who has been a member for five or more years and who has "demonstr ...

by the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1978.

References

External links

The Chief Scientist

Office of the Chief Scientist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peacock, Jim 1937 births Living people People from the Blue Mountains (New South Wales) Fellows of the Royal Society Companions of the Order of Australia Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science Chief Scientists of Australia Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Foreign fellows of the Indian National Science Academy Farrer Medal recipients Presidents of the Australian Academy of Science