Nominations open for 2019 PM's Prizes for Science

The quest to find Australia’s top scientists, innovators and science teachers is on again, with nominations now open for this year’s Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.

The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science award outstanding achievements across diverse disciplines and career stages — from pure scientific research to research-based innovation and science teaching. A prize pool totalling $750,000 is shared among seven recipients, breaking down as follows:

Prizes for research

• Prime Minister’s Prize for Science ($250,000)
• Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year ($50,000)
• Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year ($50,000)

Prizes for innovation

• Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation ($250,000)
• Prize for New Innovators ($50,000)

Prizes for science, mathematics or technology teaching

• Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools ($50,000)
• Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools ($50,000)
   

Last year’s winner of the flagship Prime Minister’s Prize for Science was Emeritus Professor Kurt Lambeck AO, who was recognised for revealing how our planet changes shape — every second, every day and over millennia — and how these changes influence sea levels, the movement of continents and the orbits of satellites. The 2018 Prize for Innovation meanwhile went to a team from Finisar Australia for creating and commercialising technologies that have made the internet faster and more efficient.

Nominations for this year’s prizes are open until 12 March and are said to be easier than ever, to ensure as many nominations as possible. For more information and to submit a nomination, click here.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/hiddencatch

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