By Rebecca Skinner and Megan Munsie, M.R.S., Ph.D.

Australia is a small continent, a long way from the rest of this world. While it is rich in resources and natural beauty, it has long been recognized that there is an imperative to invest and develop our intellectual capital. Living off the returns from mining and tourism will not be enough to sustain Australia in the long term. What is, and continues to be, required is investment in big ideas.