Prime Minister's Prizes for Science 2014

This year’s Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science have been announced with the achievements of six recipients celebrated at a black tie event at Parliament House in Canberra.

The prizes are a tribute to the contributions Australian scientists and science educators have made to economic and social wellbeing as well as inspiring and encouraging an interest in science.

The 2014 recipients are:

• Laureate Professor Sam Berkovic and Professor Ingrid Scheffer, from the University of Melbourne, who received the $300,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for their research on the genetics of epilepsy. Their work has resulted in better targeted research, diagnosis, management and treatment for many forms of epilepsy.

• Professor Ryan Lister from the University of Western Australia was awarded the $50,000 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year. Lister’s research involves mapping how our genes are turned on and off, revealing why a leaf cell is different to a root cell or a stem cell differs from a skin cell; research that has the potential to transform agriculture, regenerative medicine and our understanding of the workings of the brain.
• Dr Matthew Hill, who leads the Integrated Nanoporous Materials team at CSIRO, was awarded the $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year for his work demonstrating that the space inside metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be used as an efficient and long-lasting filter to clean up water, natural gases and pollution.
• Mr Geoff McNamara was given the $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools for his program for higher-achieving students at Melrose High School in Canberra, which has been so successful he is now offering it to other schools. He and his school will share the $50,000 prize money.
• Mr Brian Schiller received the $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools for his work on enhancing student learning by integrating science and Japanese language studies. His student-initiated investigations nurture creativity and encourage his students to ask the big questions. He and his school, Seacliff Primary School in Adelaide, will share the prize money.

From next year, the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science will feature a new award, the Prime Minister’s Prize for the Commercial Application of Science, to recognise the important role innovation plays in partnership with science.

Further information about the 2014 award recipients is available here