The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were presented by the Prime Minister and the Innovation Minister at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October. Read the full article →
science prize bulletins
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were presented by the Prime Minister and the Innovation Minister at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October 2011. Read the full article →
The Prime Minister is pleased to announce this year’s Prize for Science has been awarded to Professors Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomon from the CSIRO and the University of Melbourne. Read the full article →
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science for 2011 were presented by the Prime Minister and Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October.
Below is the text of the minister’s speech.
Read the full article →
Changing the world one molecule at a time
In the coming years when you buy a tyre, lubricant, adhesive, paint, computer or any one of hundreds of other products, there’s a good chance that some of its component materials will have been produced using revolutionary chemical theories and processes invented in Australia by research teams led by Professors Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomon.
Their techniques are employed in almost every university chemistry department, and the laboratories and factories of DuPont, L’Oréal, IBM, 3M, Dulux and more than 60 other companies.
A new chlorophyll – redefining photosynthesis
Among the single-celled cyanobacteria—formerly known as blue-green algae—which live in the ancient rock-like accumulations called stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia, Associate Professor Min Chen of the University of Sydney last year found the first new form of chlorophyll in 67 years.
How did the Universe light up – filling a billion years of cosmic history
The Universe was born in a hot Big Bang. But after 300,000 years of expansion it became a cold dark place—no galaxies, no stars, no light. A billion years later nuclear fusion lit up the Universe as hydrogen atoms clumped to form stars and galaxies.
Puppets break the science language barrier
In 2003, Mrs Brooke Topelberg—only three years out from an education degree and just back from two years’ teaching in inner London—was appointed science coordinator of Westminster Primary School. The school is set in a high immigrant, low socio-economic suburban area in northern Perth. Science was a low priority at the school.
A part of her students’ lives
Students at Adelaide’s Loreto College have been investigating extra-sensory perception, finding the best way to neutralise spills of household cleaners, and testing the antibiotic effects of Manuka honey. They present their results not just by writing reports, but using talks, videos, role-plays and stories. Their activities are typical of the practical, can-do attitude of their science coordinator, Dr Jane Wright. It’s an attitude she’s also applied in her leadership of her chosen profession.
The $500,000 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science will be announced Wednesday evening at Parliament and are strictly embargoed to 5 pm Wednesday afternoon, 12 October.
The winners are from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. They are all remarkable achievers whose work is largely unknown outside of their discipline. Read the full article →
Applications for two prizes for biomedical research are closing very soon.
The $50,000 CSL Florey Medal closes tomorrow, 16 September. The prize is awarded to researchers who have made significant achievements in biomedical science and human health advancement. Find the selection criteria here and the nomination form here.
The Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize is a $25,000 award for early-career researchers whose creative approach to biomedical research inspires others. Find more information and conditions here. Applications close Monday 19 September. Read the full article →
This is my occasional update on science prizes, this time highlighting a new $25,000 prize for early career biomedical researchers.
The Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize is a $25,000 award for outstanding creativity in biomedical research by young scientists. The winner gets to spend half on themselves and half on their research. Applications close Monday 19 September.
Read the full article →
Will climate change Victoria’s wines and how do we save the plants that feed and clothe us – find out at free public talks as part of the 18th International Botanical Congress in Melbourne this week. Read the full article →
We’ve opened submissions for Stories of Australian Science 2011 –our third edition of this magazine style collection of science stories.
We’ve also included a reminder of the closing dates for L’Oréal’s For Women In Science Fellowships, the PM’s Prizes and Eureka Prizes, and a brief mention of The Conversation – another way of getting your ideas to a national audience.
Our collection of Stories of Australian Science 2011 will put your research and researchers in front of hundreds of science journalists who came to Melbourne in 2007, including reporters from Nature, Scientific American, Science News, Reuters, BBC, China Daily, Associated Press, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.
Read the full article →
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Today’s stories from the physics conference in Melbourne include:
Tomorrow’s technology pioneers recognised today
- From the laser to quantum optics
Prof Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov (Kostya.Ostrikov@csiro.au), a CSIRO scientist who set the ground rules for constructing new materials atom by atom using collections of charged particles known as plasmas; - Teleportation
Prof Hans-Albert Bachor (hans.bachor@anu.edu.au) from the Australian National University (ANU) whose work on the graininess or particle nature of light is leading to new technologies such as quantum encryption and teleportation; - Laser controllers
A/Prof Robert Scholten (scholten@unimelb.edu.au), a University of Melbourne physicist who has established a thriving and profitable business which makes and exports laser controllers; and - Acoustics of music
Prof Joe Wolfe (j.wolfe@unsw.edu.au) of the University of New South Wales, an expert on the acoustics of music whose multimedia learning resources are accessed about 60,000 times a day.
Also:
Diamond dust adds sparkle to medical imaging
Electronic paper makes itself
Bionic valves without the batteries
Invisible fibres disappearing soon
Acquiring a better feel for disease
Healthy and unhealthy brain states – what role does electrical conductivity play?
Is that a diamond in your eye? Read the full article →
Tomorrow the Prime Minister will present her Prizes for Science. The embargo is 5 pm on Wednesday 17 November 2010.
The winners will be at Parliament House from 11 am tomorrow morning and available in the Press Gallery from 1 pm.
Other science news: a L’Oréal award and $100,000 for an Aussie scientist discovering bacteria everywhere; Chinese science leaders in Australia marking 30 years of collaboration; CERN director here soon for physics congress; the end of the world; and…
‘When you’re up to your arse in alligators, it’s hard to remember that your original intention was to drain the swamp.’ This quote sets the scene for a black comedy on biodiversity staged in the skeleton gallery of the Australian Museum tonight and Thursday. Read the full article →
