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• Prime Minister’s Prize for Science: Professor Richard Shine (The University of Sydney)
• Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation: Professor Michael Aitken (Capital Markets CRC)
• Prize for New Innovators:  Dr Colin Hall (University of South Australia)
• Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year: Professor Richard Payne (The University of Sydney)
• Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year: Associate Professor Kerrie Wilson (University of Queensland)
• Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools: Ms Suzy Urbaniak (Kent Street Senior High School)
• Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools: Mr Gary Tilley (Seaforth Public School)

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The 2015 winners are:

• Graham Farquhar (ANU, Canberra)—Prime Minister’s Prize for Science
• Graeme Jameson (University of Newcastle)—Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation
• Cyrille Boyer (UNSW)—Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year
• Jane Elith (University of Melbourne)—Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year
• Ken Silburn (Casula High School)—Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools
• Rebecca Johnson (Windaroo State School)—Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools

Read on for more about the 2015 winners.

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Graham Farquhar

Life on land depends on plants. Every plant balances opening its pores to let in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis; and closing its pores to retain water. [continue reading…]

Professor Graeme Jameson

Graeme Jameson’s technologies use trillions of bubbles to add billions of dollars to the value of Australia’s mineral and energy industries. [continue reading…]

A/Prof Cyrille Boyer

Cyrille Boyer uses light to make new and complex polymers.

It’s the latest in a series of techniques that have enabled him to create materials which are being applied in areas as widespread as non-stick coatings, anti-fouling technology, precision drug delivery, medical diagnosis and imaging. [continue reading…]

Jane Elith

Jane Elith is one of the most influential environmental scientists in the world, though she rarely ventures into the field. [continue reading…]

Ken Silburn

Fifteen years ago Casula High School was just an average state school in Sydney’s south-western suburbs with just eight students doing science at year 12. But something extraordinary has happened. Two-thirds of Year 11 and 12 students now choose science subjects and they are performing well above the state average. [continue reading…]

Rebecca Johnson

Fifteen years ago Rebecca Johnson, from Windaroo State School, initiated a new method for teaching science more effectively in primary schools without costing the government anything extra. [continue reading…]

The winners of the 2014 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are:

Sam Berkovic and Ingrid Scheffer have changed the way the world thinks about epilepsy. They will receive the $300 000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. Their discoveries of the links between epilepsy and genes have opened the way to better targeted research, diagnosis, management and treatment for many forms of epilepsy. Laureate Professor Sam Berkovic AC and Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO are associated with the University of Melbourne, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, and Austin Health. Read citation in full. [continue reading…]