Bee researcher loves his vegemite

Australian's highest award for an individual scientist has been won by a researcher at the Australian National University whose detailed study of insect vision is informing a new generation of 'seeing' robots.

Professor Mandyam Srinivasan from the Research School of Biological Sciences at ANU has been awarded the Prime Minister's Prize for Science for his research into bee vision and cognition, which has led to the development of pioneering computer vision systems.

"I am thrilled and humbled to receive this award, especially when I look at the list of illustrious people who have won it in the past," Srinivasan said.

"I feel especially privileged to receive this recognition, as I look back to the year of 1978 when I arrived in Australia to face a very uncertain future - a short-term job and a temporary visa.

"But on the Qantas flight in from India, my wife and I took an instant liking to vegemite on toast, and to all things Australian. We have never looked back, and this award makes me feel that we have truly 'arrived' in this wonderful country."

Srinivasan first came to ANU in the late 1970s, and has been based at the national university full-time since 1985. As director of the Centre for Visual Science, his research into how bee vision helps the insects to negotiate complex 3D environments has been incorporated into many engineering projects, including a robot that can navigate cluttered spaces, a camera that captures the panoramic perspective of an insect, and a small autonomous flying robot that could help to explore Mars.

The scientist, who has worked with international engineering, astronomical and defence agencies, said he couldn't have achieved as much without the support of his colleagues and the infrastructure at ANU.

"I owe virtually all of this success to The Australian National University, which has been my home during my entire life in Australia. I am grateful for the unbridled freedom that I enjoyed - especially in the early years - to simply follow my nose, and to pursue whatever questions seemed interesting, with minimal bureaucratic intervention. This unique environment, together with the opportunity to interact with some of the greatest scientific minds in the country, was very special."