Ralph Owen Slatyer AC FAA (16 April 1929 – 26 July 2012)[1] was an Australian ecologist, and the first Chief Scientist of Australia from 1989 to 1992.
[3] In March 1975 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society[5] In 1977, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser offered the position of Australia's Ambassador to UNESCO to Dr. Slatyer.
In Slatyer's five years as chair, ASTEC was instrumental in lobbying for tax concessions for research and development in Australia, and conducting a review of the CSIRO.
In 1989, Slatyer was made the first Chief Scientist of Australia, advising the Prime Minister of the day on matters relating to science and technology.
[2][6] Slatyer was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982[7] and in 1993 was promoted to Companion for "service to science and technology and its application to industry development".