Person
Stocker, John Wilcox (1945 - )
AO FTSE FRACP
- Born
- 23 April 1945
London, United Kingdom - Occupation
- Chief Scientist, Immunologist and Medical scientist
Summary
John Stocker was Australia's Chief Scientist in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 1996 to 1999. His early career as an immunologist was spent in Switzerland investigating opportunities for scientific and commercial development of biotechnology-based vaccines. He was involved in research on monoclonal antibodies, human interferon and the discovery of the antibiotic Rocephin. In 1987 Stocker returned to Melbourne as the first Managing Director of AMRAD (Australian Medical Research and Development Corporation), a Victorian Government initiative to promote the commercialisation and industrial application of Australian biomedical discoveries. As Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation his priorities included improving teamwork across CSIRO through the Institute structure, identifying opportunities for returns on research expenditure especially in the minerals, electronics and water technology fields, and the establishment of leadership development program. When Chief Scientist for Australia, a part-time position, Stocker led landmark reviews into science priorities for Australia and the Co-operative Research Centre program. In recent years he has been involved with various research and development enterprises including as a founder of Foursight Associates, a company advising on R&D and science to companies, investment institutions, academics and government.
Details
Chronology
- 1969
- Education - BMedSc, University of Melbourne
- 1970
- Education - MB BS, University of Melbourne
- 1970 - 1972
- Career position - Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
- 1974 - 1976
- Career position - Research Scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- 1976
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Melbourne
- 1976 - 1979
- Career position - Scientist at the Basel Institute of Immunology, Switzerland
- 1979 - 1984
- Career position - Scientist at the Central Research Unit of Hoffman-La Roche & Co. in Basel
- 1986 - 1987
- Career position - Director of Pharmaceutical Research at Hoffman-La Roche & Co.
- 1987 - 1990
- Career position - Founding Managing Director of AMRAD (Australian Medical Research and Development Corporation)
- 1988 -
- Career position - Director of the Victorian Government Strategic Research Foundation
- 1989 -
- Career event - Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)
- 1990
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
- March 1990 - March 1995
- Career position - Chief Executive, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
- 1992 -
- Career position - Director of Gene Shears Pty Ltd
- 1992
- Award - Australian of the Year
- 1995 -
- Career position - Director of Research and Innovation at Pratt Industries
- 1996
- Career position - Foursight Associates established
- 1996 - 1997
- Career position - Chairman, Australian Science and Technology Council
- 1996 - 1999
- Career position - founding member, Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council
- 1996 - 1999
- Career position - Chief Scientist, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
- 1996 - 2003
- Career position - Chairman, Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
- 1996 - 2006
- Career position - Director, Cambridge Antibody Technology Plc
- 1997 - 1998
- Career position - Chairman, Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council
- 1999
- Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - For service to the advancement of Australian scientific and technological research and its application for economic, social and environmental benefit
- 2000 - 2006
- Career position - Board Member, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- 2001
- Award - Centenary Medal - for outstanding service to science policy, serving as Chief Scientist and Chair of ASTEC
- 2005 - 2010
- Career position - Chairman, Sigma Pharmaceuticals
- June 2007 - June 2010
- Career position - Chairman of the Board, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- 2013 -
- Career position - Chairman, Science and Engineering Advisory Committee, Environment Protection Authority of Victoria
- 2015 -
- Career position - Director, Menzies Foundation
- 2015
- Award - Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc), honoris causa, University of Melbourne
Related entries
Archival resources
National Library of Australia Oral History Collection
- Interview with Dr John Stocker, scientist [sound recording] / interviewer, Diana Giese, 1 June 2000, TRC 4585; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
Published resources
Conference Papers
- Stocker, John W., 'CSIRO on the move', in National Science and Technology Advisory Group Conference Proceedings, October 1990 (Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation, 1990), p. 10.. https://eoas.info/bib-pdf/ASBS15630.pdf. Details
Newspaper Articles
- Grose, Simon, 'A scientist determined to have his voice heard', The Canberra Times (1996), 11. Details
Resources
- 'Stocker, John W (1945-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-535684. Details
- 'Awarded honorary DMedSc, 2015 [Citation provided]', Honorary degree holders, University of Melbourne, 2023, https://about.unimelb.edu.au/notable-alumni-staff/honorary-degree-holders. Details
Resource Sections
- Spurling, Tom; Healy, Terry; and Stocker, John, 'John Stocker, interviewed by Tom Spurling and Terry Healy, 25 May 2018', in CSIRO Oral History Project, video, text summary and transcript., CSIROpedia, 25 May 2018, https://csiropedia.csiro.au/interview-with-john-stocker/. Details
Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn
Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 27 June 2023