William James Peacock, (born 14 December 1937) is an Australian
molecular biologist who was
Chief Scientist of Australia (2006–2008), President of the
Australian Academy of Science (2002–2006) and Chief of
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentar ...
Plant Industry (1978–2003).
[Virginia Gewin]
Jim Peacock, chief scientist, Canberra, Australia
'' Nature'
Vol 442, No 7099
pg 220, 12 July 2006. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
Peacock was born in
Leura, New South Wales and educated at the
University of Sydney, 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'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 ...
) 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 (ASTEC) and the Academy of Science's Committee on Recombinant DNA Molecules (ASCORD). In 2000, Dr Peacock was joint recipient of the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for Science.
Peacock was appointed Chief Scientist of Australia 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 laurea ...
in 1989 and made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1994.
Peacock was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in March 1982,Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is a learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. It was founded in 1975 as one of Australia's then four learned academies (now five) ...
and the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science, a Foreign Associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, and a Foundation Member Academia Bibliotheca Alexandrinae.
References
External links
The Chief Scientist
Office of the Chief Scientist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peacock, Jim
1937 births
Living people
People from 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