Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science

Richard Shine Northern Australia’s peak predators—snakes and lizards—are more likely to survive the cane-toad invasion thanks to the work of Professor Richard Shine.

Michael Aitken  Global stock markets are fairer and more efficient thanks to the work of Professor Michael Aitken. Now he’s applying his information technology and markets know-how to improve health, mortgage, and other markets. He says there are billions of dollars of potential savings in health expenditure in Australia alone, that can go hand in…

Colin Hall Dr Colin Hall and his colleagues have created a new manufacturing process that will allow manufacturers to replace components made from traditional materials like glass, in cars, aircraft, spacecraft, and even whitegoods—making them lighter and more efficient.

Richard Payne Richard Payne makes peptides and proteins. He sees an interesting peptide or protein in nature, say in a blood-sucking tick. Then he uses chemistry to recreate and re-engineer the molecule to create powerful new drugs, such as anti-clotting agents needed to treat stroke.

Kerrie Wilson  What is the value of the services that ecosystems provide—services such as clean air, water, food, and tourism? And what are the most effective ways to protect ecosystems? Where will governments get the best return on their investment in the environment? These questions are central to the work of Associate Professor Kerrie Wilson.

Suzy Urbaniak Geoscientist Suzy Urbaniak combined her two loves—science and education—by becoming a science teacher 30 years after finishing high school. But she couldn’t believe it when she saw how little the teaching styles had changed over the years.

Gary Tilley Gary Tilley is mentoring the next generation of science and maths teachers to improve the way these subjects are taught in the classroom.

Reptile guru Rick Shine wants to release small cane toads to protect native snakes, lizards and quolls (Sydney) Michael Aitkin is making stock markets fair and efficient; can he do the same for the health system? (Sydney) Colin Hall’s plastic mirrors are the beginning of a new manufacturing technology, and jobs (Adelaide) Kerrie Wilson is…