Chief Scientist Ian Chubb knows many students don't see maths and science as the coolest subjects in the world.
''One of the reasons why there aren't more students doing it is because they think it's boring,'' he said.
It is an affliction that is increasingly affecting the sector, just when demand for maths and science-literate graduates is outstripping supply.
In 1995, 14 per cent of Year 12 maths students were studying advanced mathematics, while 37 per cent were studying elementary maths.
Fifteen years later, the trends are slowly reversing; 10 per cent were studying advanced maths, while 50 per cent took the easiest option.
A report prepared by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute said while basic maths was growing in popularity among students, there had been a long-term decline in intermediate or advanced maths in Year 12.
This has resulted in fewer universities offering higher maths courses and reduced graduation rates in this field. There have also been reduced teacher intakes and in many low-income and regional areas the higher-level maths and science courses are unavailable.
Meanwhile, the institute estimates that industry demand for PhD graduates in mathematics and statistics will rise by 55 per cent on 2008 levels by 2020.
Professor Chubb, the former vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, told a forum hosted by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute yesterday that the sector's challenge was to make the fields more attractive for students - without dumbing it down.
''Making it attractive doesn't mean making it easier ... if you make it interesting and relevant, you're basically going to make it easier,'' he said.
In December, Prime Minister Julia Gillard set Professor Chubb the task of identifying ways to increase mathematics and science enrolments.
He will deliver his report to the Government in a fortnight, but Professor Chubb said it would primarily recommend educating future generations ''from a national interest perspective''.
''There is a national interest embedded through all of this,'' he said. ''[Maths, science and technology] need to be elevated so people who live in this country can understand that these are critical areas for our future. The better we do it now, the better our future.''
Rather than overhauling the curriculum, Professor Chubb would have teachers make teaching of maths and science more relevant to students' lives.
''For example, you don't explain the quadratic equations on the whiteboard without referring to where they might appear in their everyday lives. Your mobile phone - without maths you wouldn't have it ... It's all maths.''
But he warned against simply importing the skills Australia needs.
''As the world sucks up the supply we can't simply expect we can import what we want and when we want it ... you've got to be a contributor to the pool to take from the pool.''
This reporter is on Twitter: @_biancah
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