The Governor, the Great and the Good to make their mark at the Eureka Prizes

Eureka Prizes 2013, Media releases

Photo opportunity on the red carpet at Town Hall from 6pm

Winners announced through the evening via @eurekaprizes

Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales, heads the guest list for the 2013 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Awards Dinner on Wednesday, September 4, at the Sydney Town Hall.

Affectionately known as the Oscars of Australian science, the Australian Museum presents these awards in front of hundreds of guests, including heavyweights from the world of media, science, medicine, industry and defence.

Director of the Australian Museum, Frank Howarth, said the annual Eureka Prizes provided a remarkable insight into the skill and scope of Australian science.

“From mapping mines and caves, to fighting dengue and infectious diseases Australian scientists are making their mark on the World,” he said.

The 2013 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes reward excellence in 17 fields: research and innovation; leadership and commercialisation; science communication and journalism;and school science. This year the event will be compered by the ABC’s Bernie Hobbs and Dr Graham Philips.

The City of Sydney will be represented by Deputy Lord Mayor Robyn Kemmis and CEO Monica Barone. They will be joined by several senior civil servants, including Dr Mary Foley, Director General of NSW Health, and Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Sally Barnes.

In a telling indication of how important science is to modern business, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be attended by representatives from many major mining, manufacturing and defence industry concerns. These include OneSteel General Manager Marketing and Business Tony Dixon; Rio Tinto Government Relations Manager Sam Maresh; IBM’s Defence Operations Chief, Major General Michael Clifford; and Neil Edwards, Chair of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Advisory Board.

Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and Deans drawn from major universities across Australia will be joined by many of the country’s most distinguished scientists, including Melbourne University’s Professor of Genetics, Philip Batterham; Professor Peter Blamey of the Bionics Institute; Professor Nicholas Hawkins, Head of Medical Research at the University of New South Wales; and Professor Glenn Marshall, Director of the Centre for Children’s Cancer at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Guests will be arriving for The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Award Dinner from 6pm.

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