The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science are annual

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n awards for outstanding achievements in scientific research, innovation, and teaching. The prizes have been awarded since 2000, when they replaced the Australia Prize for science. The major awards are the Prime Minister's Prize for Science, regarded as the national award for the advancement of knowledge through science, and the Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation (created in 2015), as the national award for translation of science into commercial outcomes. In 2016, an additional Prize for New Innovators was also created. The Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year (previously known as the Science Minister's Prize for Science) and the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year were also created in 2000. Prizes for excellence in science teaching at primary and secondary schools were added in 2002.

Awards

Prime Minister's Prize for Science

The recipient(s) of this prize can be an individual or jointly up to four individuals, if the achievement is the result of a collaborative team effort. The recipient receives AUD 250,000, an embossed solid gold medallion and lapel pin. ;Prizewinners Sourc
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
*2024 - Matthew Bailes ''For his discovery of

Fast Radio Bursts In radio astronomy, a fast radio burst (FRB) is a transient radio wave of length ranging from a fraction of a millisecond, for an ultra-fast radio burst, to 3 seconds, caused by a high-energy astrophysical process as yet not understood. Astronome ...

.'' *2023 – Michelle Simmons ''For creating the new field of atomic electronics'' *2022 –

Trevor McDougall Trevor John McDougall is an Australian physical oceanographer specialising in ocean mixing and the thermodynamics of seawater. He is Emeritus Scientia Professor of Ocean Physics in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of ...

''For his discovery of four new ocean mixing processes and his work to define the thermodynamic properties of seawater'' *2021 – Edward C. Holmes ''For his transformative role in the scientific response to COVID-19'' *2020 –

David McClelland David Clarence McClelland (May 20, 1917 – March 27, 1998) was an American psychologist, noted for his work on motivation need theory. He published a number of works between the 1950s and the 1990s and developed new scoring systems for the ...

, Susan Scott, Peter Veitch and David Blair (OzGrav collaboration) ''For critical contributions to the first direct detection of gravitational waves'' *2019 –

Cheryl Praeger Cheryl Elisabeth Praeger (born 7 September 1948, Toowoomba, Queensland) is an Australian mathematician. Praeger received BSc (1969) and MSc degrees from the University of Queensland (1974), and a doctorate from the University of Oxford in 197 ...

''For her fundamental work in group theory and combinatorics'' *2018 – Kurt Lambeck ''For transforming our understanding of our living planet'' *2017 –

Jenny Graves Jennifer Ann Marshall Graves (born 24 November 1941) is an Australian geneticist. She is Distinguished Professor within the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Australia and Professor Emeritus of the Australian Nation ...

''For her pioneering investigations of the genetics of sex'' *2016 –

Richard Shine Richard "Rick" Shine is an Australian evolutionary biologist and ecologist; he has conducted extensive research on reptiles and amphibians, and proposed a novel mechanism for evolutionary change. He is currently a Professor of Biology at Ma ...

''For his work using evolutionary principles to address conservation challenges'' *2015 –

Graham Farquhar Graham Douglas Farquhar, (born 8 December 1947) is an Australian biophysicist, Distinguished Professor at Australian National University, and leader of the Farquhar Lab. In 2018 Farquhar was named Senior Australian of the Year. Life Farquhar a ...

''For modelling photosynthesis, the world’s most important biological reaction'' *2014 – Sam Berkovic and Ingrid Scheffer jointly ''For their contribution to the study of epilepsy, its diagnosis, management and treatment'' *2013 –

Terry Speed Terence Paul "Terry" Speed (born 14 March 1943 in Victor Harbor, South Australia), FAA FRS is an Australian statistician. A senior principal research scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, he is known for his c ...

''For his contribution to making sense of genomics and related technologies (using statistics)'' *2012 – Ken Freeman ''For his founding of ..galactic archaeology'' *2011 – Dr. Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomon ''For their role in revolutionizing polymer science'' *2010 –

John Shine John Shine (born 3 July 1946) is an Australian biochemist and molecular biologist. Shine and Lynn Dalgarno discovered a nucleotide sequence, called the Shine–Dalgarno sequence, necessary for the initiation of protein synthesis. He directe ...

''For his scientific research and research leadership'' *2009 – John O'Sullivan ''For his achievements in astronomy and wireless technologies'' *2008 –

Ian Frazer Ian Hector Frazer (born 6 January 1953) is a Scottish-born Australian immunologist, the founding Chief Executive Officer, CEO and Executive Director, Director of Research of the Translational Research Institute (Australia). Frazer and Jian Zh ...

''For his creation of the first vaccine designed to protect against a cancer'' *2007 – Peter Waterhouse and Ming-Bo Wang ''For their discovery of how to silence genes in plants'' *2006 – Mandyam Veerambudi Srinivasan ''For research that has revealed the working of the insect mind, and helped redefine robotics research'' *2005 – David Boger ''For a lifetime of pioneering work in fluid mechanics'' *2004 – Graeme Clark ''For the discoveries which led to the bionic ear'' *2003 – Jacques Miller ''For discovery of the role of the thymus in the immune system; and discovery that mammals have two types of white bloods cells'' *2002 –

Frank Fenner Frank John Fenner (21 December 1914 – 22 November 2010) was an Australian scientist with a distinguished career in the field of virology. His two greatest achievements are cited as overseeing the eradication of smallpox, and the attempted cont ...

(deceased) ''For eradication of smallpox, and the trialling and release of the rabbit myxoma virus'' *2001 –

Donald Metcalf Donald Metcalf AC FRS FAA (26 February 1929 – 15 December 2014) was an Australian medical researcher who spent most of his career at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. In 1954 he received the Carden F ...

''For discovery and development of hormones called “colony stimulating factors” which stimulate the formation of white blood cells'' *2000 – Jim Peacock and

Liz Dennis Elizabeth Salisbury Dennis (born 10 December 1943) is an Australian scientist working mainly in the area of plant molecular biology. She is currently a chief scientist at the plant division of CSIRO Canberra. She was elected a Fellow of the Au ...

''For discovery of the Flowering Switch Gene, a key gene in determining when plants end their vegetative growth phase and begin flowering''

Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation

The recipient(s) of this prize can be an individual or jointly up to four individuals, if the commercialisation is the result of a collaborative team effort. The recipient receives AUD 250,000, an embossed solid gold medallion and lapel pin. ;Prizewinners Sourc
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
*2023 – Glenn King *2022 – Alison Todd and Elisa Mokany *2022 – Nick Cutmore, James Tickner and Dirk Treasure at Chrysos Corporation and CSIRO ''For'' ''the commercialisation of PhotonAssay'' *2021 – Anthony Steven Weiss ''For his pioneering research and commercialisation of synthetic tropoelastin-based biomaterials, which can accelerate and improve the repair of human tissue'' *2020 –

Thomas Maschmeyer Thomas Maschmeyer (born 1966) is a German chemist and a professor of chemistry at the University of Sydney. He is the Founding Director of the Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis for Sustai ...

– ''His work on translating fundamental research into two pioneering technologies'' *2019 – The

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute WEHI (), previously known as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, is Australia's oldest medical research research institute, institute. Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who won the Nobe ...

team ''For the development of the leukemia drug venetoclax'' *2018 – Dr Simon Poole, Andrew Bartos, Dr Glenn Baxter and Dr Steven Frisken ''For creating and commercialising technologies that underpin the global internet'' *2017 – Eric Reynolds ''For inventing and commercialising Recaldent'' *2016 – Michael Aitken ''For creating and commercialising tools that are making markets fair and efficient'' *2015 – Graeme Jameson ''For his development of floatation technologies that have added billions of dollars to the value of Australia’s mineral and energy industries''

Prize for New Innovators

This prize is awarded only to an individual and the recipient receives AUD 50 000, a silver medallion and lapel pin. ;Prizewinners Sourc
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
*2023 – Lara Herrero *2022 – Brett Hallam *2022 – Pip Karoly *2021 – Michael Bowen ''For his work in the discovery and development of KNX100'' *2020 – Justin Chalker ''For inventing a new class of polymers'' *2019 – Dr Luke Campbell ''For inventing the nuraphone, headphones that adapt to an individual's unique sense of hearing'' *2018 – Dr Geoff Rogers ''For creating and commercialising his pioneering biomedical engineering'' *2016 – Colin Hall ''For his contribution to a new manufacturing technology''

Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year

This award is for early to mid-career scientists, not more than ten years or full-time equivalent past the award of their highest degree (e.g. Master's or PhD), working in the life sciences. The recipient receives $50,000, a medal and a lapel pin. ;Prizewinners *2025 - Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg *2023 –

Chris Greening Chris Greening is a biochemist, microbiologist, academic, and journalist. He is a professor of microbiology and leads the One Health Microbiology group and Global Change Research Program of the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University ...

*2022 – Si Ming Man *2021 –

Sherene Loi Sherene Loi is an Australian Medical oncologist. She is the 2021 winner of the Australian Prime Ministers Prize for Science, in the category of Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year. Loi is Head of Translational Breast Cancer Resea ...

''For translating scientific findings into innovative treatments that can improve the survival of breast cancer patients in Australia and around the world'' *2020 –

Mark Dawson Mark Richard Dawson (born 4 February 1960) is a British-American entertainment manager and CEO of Dawson, Reeves and Zutaut Entertainment Group (otherwise known as DRZ Entertainment Group), based in Los Angeles. Life and career Dawson was bor ...

''For pioneering research in the field of epigenetics and its impact on human health and disease'' *2019 – Laura Mackay ''For her leadership in the field of immunological memory'' *2018 –

Lee Berger Lee Rogers Berger (born December 22, 1965) is an American-born South African paleoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. He is best known for his discovery of the ''Australopithecus sediba'' type site, Malapa; his leadersh ...

''For solving the global mystery of disappearing frogs and challenging paradigms about wildlife health'' *2017 – Jian Yang ''For creating ways to understand inherited traits and the human genome'' *2016 – Kerrie Wilson '' For optimising the global allocation of scarce conservation resources'' *2015 – Jane Elith ''For her contributions to environmental management worldwide'' *2014 – Ryan Lister ''For his contribution to the understanding of gene regulation and its potential ability to change agriculture and the treatment of disease and mental health'' *2013 – Angela Moles ''For transforming our understanding of the ecosystems and overturning some of the dogmas of ecology'' *2012 – Mark Shackleton ''For identifying and isolating stem cells in the female mammary gland to develop a fully functional breast'' *2011 – Min Chen ''For her contribution to our knowledge of chlorophyll and cyanobacteria'' *2010 – Benjamin Kile ''For his achievements in molecular genetics'' *2009 – Michael Cowley ''For his contribution to our understanding of metabolism and obesity'' *2008 –

Carola Vinuesa Carola Garcia de Vinuesa (born 1969) is a Spanish doctor, scientist, and professor. She is Royal Society Wolfson Fellow and Senior Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute in London, and at the John Curtin School of Medical Research in Canbe ...

''For her contributions to immunology'' *2007 – Elizabeth (Beth) Fulton ''For her leadership in mathematics and ecosystem modeling'' *2006 – James Whisstock ''For his discoveries of novel serpins, and his research leadership in protein biology'' *2005 – Harvey Millar ''For his leadership in plant biochemistry'' *2004 –

Jamie Rossjohn Jamie is a unisex name. Traditionally a masculine name, it can be diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names and is of Scottish English origin. It is also given as a name in its own right. Since the mid-20th century it has been used as ...

''For his leadership in structural biology and X-ray crystallography'' *2003 – Christopher Helliwell ''For isolating the genes that control the biosynthesis of gibberellin, a plant hormone that controls plant growth'' *2002 – Joel Mackay ''For his discovery of new methods of controlling DNA transcription to repair malfunctioning genes'' *2001 – Bostjan Kobe ''For research contributions that have increased our understanding of protein interaction and cellular processes'' *2000 – Una M. Ryan ''For DNA detection and characterisation methods for the parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia''

Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year

This award is for early to mid-career scientists, not more than ten years or full-time equivalent past the award of their highest degree (e.g. Master's or PhD), working in the physical sciences. The recipient receives $50,000, a medal and a lapel pin. ;Prizewinners *2023 – Yuerui (Larry) Lu *2022 – Adele Morrison *2021 – Keith Bannister ''For his pioneering research into fast radio bursts'' *2020 – Xiaojing Hao ''For her research into solar cells made from 'sulphide kesterite *2019 – Elizabeth New ''For pioneering new chemical imaging tools to observe healthy and diseased cells'' *2018 – Jack Clegg ''For creating flexible crystals and new separation technologies'' *2017 – Dayong Jin ''For creating new technologies to image the processes of life'' *2016 – Richard Payne ''For his revolutionary drug development technologies'' *2015 – Cyrille Boyer ''For his contribution to polymer science, nanotechnology and nanomedicine'' *2014 – Matthew Hill ''For his work in the development of metal-organic frameworks for practical industrial applications'' *2013 – Andrea Morello ''For intellectual leadership in developing a trillion-dollar global industry, the building blocks of a quantum computer, a working prototype silicon component to make quantum computing possible'' *2012 – Eric May ''For significant research in the field of natural gas processing'' *2011 – Stuart Wyithe ''For his work on the physics of the formation of the Universe'' *2010 – Katherine Trinajstic ''For her early career achievements in palaeontology'' *2009 – Amanda Barnard ''For her achievements in modelling nanoparticles'' *2008 –

Tanya Monro Tanya Mary Monro (born 1973)
, science.org.au

''For her leadership in photonics'' *2007 – Mark Cassidy ''For his leadership in offshore civil engineering'' *2006 –

Naomi McClure-Griffiths Naomi McClure-Griffiths (born July 11, 1975) is an American-born Australian astrophysicist and radio astronomer. In 2004, she discovered a new spiral arm in the Milky Way galaxy. She was awarded the Prime Minister's Malcolm McIntosh Prize for ...

''For her insight into the structure of our galaxy, and her research leadership'' *2005 – Cameron Kepert ''For his leadership in chemistry and molecular nanoscience'' *2004 – Ben Eggleton ''For pioneering research in photonics and optical physics'' *2003 – Howard Wiseman ''For advancing our understanding of the physical effect of observations in quantum system monitoring and measurement'' *2002 –

Marcela Bilek Marcela Bilek (born Marcela Bílková 20 January 1968) is a professor of applied physics and surface engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia. Her research interests focus on the use of plasma related methods to synthesise thin film ...

''For the design and fabrication of plasma processing devices and new materials using thin film lamination technology'' *2001 – Peter Bartlett ''For his research into artificial intelligence and discoveries in the area of machine learning and information processing'' *2000 –

Brian Schmidt Brian Paul Schmidt (born 24 February 1967) is an American Australian astrophysics, astrophysicist at the Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory and Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He was the Vice-Chancellor o ...

''For his leadership of an international team that uncovered evidence that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate.''

Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools

This prize is awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to teaching science at a primary school level. The recipient is awarded $50,000,a medal and lapel pin
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
;Prizewinners *2023 – Judith Stutchbury (Qld) *2021 – Megan Hayes (Qld) *2020 – Sarah Fletcher (ACT) *2019 – Sarah Finney (SA) *2018 – Brett Crawford (Qld) *2017 – Neil Bramsen (NSW) *2016 – Gary Tilley (NSW) *2015 – Rebecca Johnson (Qld) *2014 – Brian Schiller (SA) *2013 – Richard Johnson (WA) *2012 – Michael van der Ploeg (Tas) *2011 – Brooke Topelberg (WA) *2010 – Matthew McCloskey (NSW) *2009 – Allan Whittome (WA) *2008 – Bronwyn Mart (SA) *2007 – Cheryl Capra (Qld) *2006 – Marjorie Colvill (Tas) *2005 – Mark Merritt (WA) *2004 – Alwyn Powell (Qld) *2003 – Sarah Tennant (NSW) *2002 – Marianne Nicholas (SA)

Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools

This prize is awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to teaching science at a secondary school level. The recipient is awarded $50,000, a medal and lapel pin
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
;Prizewinners *2022 – Donna Buckley (WA) *2021 – Scott Graham (NSW) *2020 – Darren Hamley (WA) *2019 – Samantha Moyle (SA) *2018 – Scott Sleap (NSW) *2017 – Brett McKay (NSW) *2016 – Suzy Urbaniak (WA) *2015 – Ken Silburn (NSW) *2014 – Geoff McNamara (ACT) *2013 – Sarah Chapman (Qld) *2012 – Anita Trenwith (SA) *2011 – Jane Wright (SA) *2010 – Debra Smith (Qld) *2009 – Len Altman (SA) *2008 – Clay Reid (SA) *2007 – Francesca Calati (Vic) *2006 – Anna Davis (NSW) *2005 – Mike Roach (SA) *2004 – Mark Butler (NSW) *2003 – Pam Garnett (WA) *2002 – Ruth Dircks (NSW)

History of the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science

The Australia Prize was the predecessor award to the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science and was awarded annually from 1990 to 1999 (although no award was made in 1991). It was an international award, aimed at a worldwide audience for an outstanding specific achievement in a selected area of science and technology promoting human welfare. It achieved widespread recognition by individuals and organisations throughout the world, receiving nominations from 18 countries. The Government awarded the Australia Prize to both Australian and international scientists. Of the 28 recipients, 18 were Australian, demonstrating Australia's strong international standing in many scientific fields. The Australia Prize was replaced in 2000 by the current set of prizes.Australia Prize 1990–1999, Prime Minister's Prizes for Science

Australia Prize recipients

*1999 – Energy science and technology theme – Martin A. Green and Stuart R. Wenham *1998 – Molecular science theme –

Elizabeth Blackburn Elizabeth Helen Blackburn (born 26 November 1948) is an Australian-American Nobel laureate who is the former president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. In 1984, Blackburn co-discovered telomerase, the enzyme that replenishes the ...

Suzanne Cory Suzanne Cory (born 11 March 1942) is an Australian molecular biologist. She has worked on the genetics of the immune system and cancer and has lobbied her country to invest in science. She is married to fellow scientist Jerry Adams, also a WE ...

Alec Jeffreys Sir Alec John Jeffreys, (born 9 January 1950) is a British geneticist known for developing techniques for genetic fingerprinting and DNA profiling which are now used worldwide in forensic science to assist police detective work and to resolve ...

and

Grant Sutherland Grant Robert Sutherland (born 2 June 1945) is a retired Australian human geneticist and cytogeneticist. He was the Director, Department of Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics, Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital for 27 years (1975-2002), t ...

*1997 – Telecommunications theme-

Allan Snyder Allan Whitenack Snyder (born 1942) is the director of the Centre for the Mind at the University of Sydney, Australia where he also holds the 150th Anniversary Chair of Science and the Mind. He is a co-founder of Emotiv Systems and winner of t ...

, Rodney Tucker and

Gottfried Ungerboeck Gottfried Ungerboeck (born 15 March 1940, Vienna) is an Austrian communications engineer. Ungerboeck received an electrical engineering degree (with emphasis on telecommunications) from Vienna University of Technology in 1964, and a Ph.D. from t ...

*1996 – Pharmaceutical design theme –

Paul Janssen Paul Adriaan Jan, Baron Janssen (12 September 1926 – 11 November 2003) was a Belgian physician. He was the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company with over 20,000 employeesPaul Lewi, Obituary of Dr Paul Janssen (1926–20 ...

Graeme Laver Graham or Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan ...

Peter Colman Peter Malcolm Colman (born 1944) is the head of the structural biology division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. Education Colman was educated at the University of Adelaide, where he received a B ...

and Mark von Itzstein *1995 – Remote sensing theme – Kenneth G. McCracken, Andrew Green, Jonathon Huntington, Richard Moore *1994 –

Sustainable land management Land management is the process of managing the use and development of land resources. Those resources are used for a variety of purposes for example agriculture, forestry, water resource management, human settlements and tourism. One aim of l ...

theme –

Gene Likens Gene Elden Likens (born January 6, 1935) is an American limnologist and ecologist. He co-founded the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in 1963, and founded the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbro ...

*1993 – Sensory perception theme –

Horace Barlow Horace Basil Barlow FRS (8 December 1921 – 5 July 2020) was a British vision scientist. Early life Barlow was the son of the civil servant Sir Alan Barlow and his wife Lady Nora (granddaughter of the naturalist Charles Darwin). Barlow was ...

Peter Bishop Peter Bishop is a fictional character of the Fox television series ''Fringe''. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson. Fictional character biography Peter Bishop was born on September 18, 1978, in the alternate universe, to parents Walter Bishop, al ...

and

Vernon Mountcastle Vernon Benjamin Mountcastle (July 15, 1918 – January 11, 2015) was an American neurophysiologist and Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. He discovered and characterized the columnar organization of the cerebral co ...

*1992 – Mining or processing of mineral resources theme – John Watt, Brian Sowerby, Nicholas Cutmore and Jim Howarth *1991 – No Awards presented *1990 – Agriculture or the environment theme – Allen Kerr,

Eugene Nester Eugene Nester is an American plant microbiologist who has made significant contributions to the field of microbe-host interactions in plants and especially on ''Agrobacterium'' species. He has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences sin ...

and Jeff Schell

References

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External links

An overview of the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
Australian science and technology awards Teacher awards Awards established in 2000 Early career awards Prime Minister of Australia Science and technology in Australia