The national science awards recognise excellence in research and innovation, leadership, engagement and school science. See who won.
Researchers and scientists looking at everything from humane pest control to immune cell and development defects to regenerative medicine and StrepA outbreak prevention are among the winners of the 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
The winners were announced this week and feature remarkable scientific endeavour and achievement from across the country.
The awards recognise contributions to science across four categories: research and innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science, with 19 prizes and a total of $180,000 in prize money.
Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO said the awards offered an important opportunity to celebrate scientific courage and determination.
“Now in its 34th year, the AM Eureka Prizes finalists not only display a steadfast commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges but also demonstrate the importance of collaborative innovation and solution seeking,” she said in a statement.
“The Eureka Prizes show us the power of collective thinking and cross discipline partnership. It is a privilege to see what happens when some of Australia’s greatest scientific minds come together.”
A new prize for Sustainability Research was added this year to acknowledge ground-breaking work that addresses environmental challenges and promotes sustainable practices.
This year’s winners are:
Research and Innovation
The Eureka Prize for Environmental Research – the Sensory Conservation Team, University of Sydney. Olfactory misinformation is a new, humane approach to pest control. This team’s research focuses on sensory cues that attract animals – like the smell of wheat for mice or plants for wallabies – and distributes synthetic odours to confuse pest animals, effectively ‘hiding’ foods they damage. This approach has reduced pest damage by approximately 70%, without using poisons or traps.
The Australian Institute of Botanical Science Eureka Prize for Excellence in Botanical Science – Professor David Keith, UNSW. Professor Keith has developed the world’s first method to catalogue and describe all ecosystems on Earth. Adopted by the United Nations and already applied in Australia, the framework has been instrumental in formulating effective conservation strategies and is helping to maintain plant diversity in the face of increasing environmental change.
The Aspire Scholarship Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research – the ACRF Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis, University of Queensland. With more than 18,000 cases of melanoma diagnosed annually in Australia, the ACRF Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis leads efforts to improve early detection and build a national targeted melanoma screening program. Drawing from a multidisciplinary team, it utilises AI-assisted 3D imaging technologies to conduct the world’s largest preventive melanoma study.
The Australian Research Data Commons Eureka Prize for Excellence in Research Software – Professor Gordon Smyth, WEHI. Professor Smyth is the lead developer of the world’s most downloaded software package of its type – Limma – which has been used to make biomedical discoveries published in more than 70,000 scientific papers. Limma helps identify and interpret changes in DNA material, significantly improving the confidence in statistical information used in biomedical research.
The Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research – StrepA Outbreak Prevention Team, University of Queensland; University of Melbourne; CONACYT; and University of Wollongong. StrepA bacteria – responsible for common throat infections – are also a major cause of childhood diseases such as scarlet fever and septicaemia which contribute to child deaths globally. Responding to a post-covid infection surge, researchers from the StrepA Outbreak Prevention Team are tracking disease spread to mitigate clinical impact and leading efforts to develop a much-needed vaccine.
ANSTO Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology – Associate Professor Aaron McFadyen, Queensland University of Technology. Professor McFadyen has developed new world-leading drone management technologies. In collaboration with aviation authorities and industry, these technologies are now embedded in automated flight planning, assessment and approval processes for drone operations. This has enhanced safety, efficiency and utilisation of airspace in Australia and overseas.
Macquarie University Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher – Dr Mengyu Li, University of Sydney. Motivated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Dr Li’s research quantifies the true cost of global demand for services and consumer goods – for example, food and energy. Through advanced computer modelling, her work maps intricate international supply chains, revealing their toll on society and the environment, while suggesting sustainable pathways for the future.
Department of Defence Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia – Bluelink Global Ocean Science Team, Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO. The team has developed what it describes as the world’s most accurate global ocean forecast system, predicting its sea level and three-dimensional temperature, salinity and ocean currents. The large performance gains over previous Australian and comparable international systems provides the Australian Defence Force with information superiority for seaborne operations that safeguard Australia.
UNSW Eureka Prize for Scientific Research – Professor Stuart Tangye, Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Defects in immune cell development affect up to five in every 10,000 births globally. These inborn errors of immunity cause rare diseases that are difficult to diagnose and treat. Professor Tangye’s research identifying novel immune defects and mechanisms of disease has significantly improved diagnosis, helping target treatment for more than half of diagnosed cases in Australia.
University of Sydney Eureka Prize for Sustainability Research – Sustainable Omega-3 Oil, CSIRO and Nuseed. In the most complex genetic engineering of a plant to reach commercial production, the team has produced and commercialised omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from canola crops. This could save the need for unsustainable harvests of wild-caught fish, and double the world’s supply of omega-3, which is essential for good health.
Leadership
Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science – Dr Jiao Jiao Li, University of Technology Sydney. Motivated by the belief that everyone is entitled to healthy ageing, Dr Li leads transdisciplinary research in regenerative medicine to find new treatments for bone and joint diseases, turning medical discoveries into new therapies for patients. She is also a leader and enabler in STEM engagement and career building for others, particularly under-represented groups.
Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science – Distinguished Professor Calum Drummond AO, RMIT University. Professor Drummond has revamped research and innovation ecosystems in public and private institutions, so they are more efficient and effective. He has established molecular assembly design rules and experimental methods to fast-track discovery and application, leading to new, high-performance materials for use in medicine, energy storage and the resources sector.
University of Technology Sydney Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Researchers – Professor Kate Jolliffe, University of Sydney. Professor Jolliffe’s research and leadership have enhanced Australia’s standing in the relatively young field of supramolecular chemistry. To help close the gender gap she supported the foundation of the international ‘Women in Supramolecular Chemistry’ network. Her committed mentorship has resulted in more than 150 researchers appointed to senior academic and industry roles.
Science Engagement
Department of Industry, Science and Resources Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science – Insect Investigators. Students have named 17 new insect species across Australia since 2019 through Insect Investigators’ multi-state school-based program that combines insect surveys with DNA sequencing and taxonomy. The 1800 students from 54 schools have helped increase knowledge of Australia’s biodiversity by documenting more than 5000 insect species using DNA.
Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science – Professor Euan Ritchie, Deakin University. In the face of dual climate change and extinction crises, Professor Ritchie is a sought-after voice. From writing popular articles and influential opinion pieces, live-tweeting field research and creating the much-loved ‘Australian Mammal of The Year’ competition, he guides policy and fosters public understanding of nature, wildlife and how science can help overcome environmental challenges.
Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Science Journalism – Hello AI Overlords, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Presented in six 25-minute audio episodes, Hello AI Overlords was inspired by the emergence of easy-to-use AI tools in 2022. Featuring interviews with leading experts, it showcases the human stories that shaped today’s AI technologies. Subjects include accidents caused by driverless cars and a man wrongly convicted by this emerging technology.
Broadcast by ABC Radio National and published as a podcast, October-November 2023.
Department of Industry, Science and Resources Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion – Wonder of Science, University of Queensland. This program fosters STEM engagement and inclusion, particularly across regional and remote Queensland. Supporting low-income, female, neurodiverse and Indigenous students to build scientific literacy, it has reached 114,000 people since 2012, providing teacher support and STEM challenge tasks for Year 4–9 students.
School Science
University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize – Primary – Cate Y., PLC Sydney, NSW
In her fast-paced film about her favourite snack – popcorn – 11-year-old Cate conducts a series of experiments, including blowing the lid off a metal tin to show why popcorn kernels explode. Popcorn Magic: Unlocking the Energy Within covers different varieties of corn, energy and the laws of thermodynamics and solves the mystery of why some corn kernels don’t pop.
University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize – Secondary – Iestyn R., St John’s Anglican College, Queensland. Fourteen-year-old Iestyn used animation software and his own illustrations to make Fusion – The Heart of the Sun. His film includes an overview of the proton-proton fusion process that occurs in the Sun’s core and shows how the Sun produces enormous amounts of energy – enough to power our planet’s processes and support life on Earth.
For more information about the prizes and the winners see here.