The Australian Academy of Science Chief Executive Ms Anna-Maria Arabia, an Academy of Mary Immaculate alumnus, was recognised for her service to science in the 2025 Australia Day Honours List.
Ms Arabia began her career as a neuroscientist and has worked nationally and globally in scientific research, policy development, politics and science advocacy.
Her leadership has led to significant reform at the science–policy interface and she has established novel mechanisms to facilitate evidence-informed decision-making in parliaments and the justice system. She has spearheaded new approaches to science communication and implemented global initiatives to make underrepresented scientists more visible.
Ms Arabia graduated from the Academy of Mary Immaculate in 1991 and since then has had a diverse and exciting career in medical research, policy development and politics. Beginning her tertiary studies with a Bachelor of Science with Honours from Melbourne University, Ms Arabia started her professional career in medical research.
Her passion for STEM began at the Academy, where she studied year 12 Maths, Physics and Chemistry (as well as Italian). Ms Arabia regards her science teachers as pivotal to supporting her aspirations, and her time in their classrooms continues to be one of her fondest memories from school. This together with the nurturing environment and culture of the Academy is what Ms Arabia attributes to her drive and the strong academic foundation she had leaving school.
Today, Ms Arabia’s work at the Australian Academy of Science continues her passion for influencing decision making with evidence, where she provides informative and accessible advice across science disciplines to both the public and policymakers.
The Australian Academy of Science is an independent not-for-profit organisation which draws on Australia’s most distinguished scientists to brings science to the service of the nation. It provides easily digestible scientific advice to a range of audiences, and champions science so that everyone can benefit from it.
One of Ms Arabia’s proudest accomplishments at the Australian Academy of Science was her work in establishing an independent scientific advisory mechanism during the Covid-19 pandemic. The new capability was able to give succinct policy advice rapidly to Government Ministers about the new virus during a time of uncertainty, when fake news and misinformation were rampant, and when people were struggling for answers on what to do.
Ms Arabia’s advice to Academy students who are interested in STEM is “Do it!” and suggests to “follow your passions and identify what gets you up in the morning.” She encourages students to recognise that STEM skills are transferrable across professions and that a background in science can open more opportunities than you may think, referring to STEM skills as “your secret super power” that gives you a systematic way of thinking about the world – “it can be applied to many professions and can be very powerful”.
When she graduated from university, she recalls being told that science would only enable her work in research or the pharmaceutical industry. This could not have been further from the truth, and she encourages students to explore their passions and walk through the many doors that a career in STEM enables, “my transferrable science skills have enabled a diverse and fulfilling career with opportunities in Australia and overseas”.
