Scientists react to 80 years of history at ANU

A rare glimpse into an extraordinary 80 years of science and medicine captured on film. Our community takes us reflects on to where it all began as we celebrate #ANU80. 

Canberra has long been a place where the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples came together to share stories and culture.

In 1946, The Australian National University was founded to help rebuild a changing world. With a strong emphasis on research, scientific ideas and technologies flourished. 

“What ANU has achieved, the contributions it's made to the nation and in the context of the sciences, has been quite extraordinary,” reflects Professor Kiaran Kirk, Dean of the ANU College of Science and Medicine. 

“Much of what we do today you can trace the origin of that going back decades.” 

Generations of staff and students have created a world-leading center for learning, with archival footage capturing enduring through bushfires, adapting to new eras, and building a more inclusive future. 

Today, ANU continues to transform knowledge into impact from the heart of Australia’s capital and create influence that reaches far beyond Black Mountain. 

Our anniversary is the perfect moment to reflect on how far we’ve come while celebrating our incredible scientific and medical research. 

“It’s great to be in a place that has a history that is so illustrious, and I think it’s motivating for people who come to the school, they see these great things that have been done,” adds Professor David Tscharke, Interim Director of the ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research.  

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised this segment contains images of people who have died.