Eureka Prizes


The Eureka Prizes are awarded annually by the Australian Museum, Sydney, to recognise individuals and organisations who have contributed to science and the understanding of science in Australia. They were founded in 1990 following a suggestion by science journalist Robyn Williams.
As of 2024, there are 19 prizes awarded across four categories and a total of $ in prize money. The four categories are Research and Innovation, School Science, Science Engagement and Leadership.

Winners

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

List of winners:
  • NSW Office of Environment and Heritage - Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
  • * A global standard for environmental threats from coral reef to desert dunes
  • * Professor David Keith and the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Team, UNSW
  • UNSW - Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
  • * World's smallest, brightest nano-flashlights finding a diseased needle in a haystack
  • * Professor Dayong Jin, University of Technology, Sydney; Macquarie University; and ARC Centre for Nanoscale Biophotonics; Professor Tanya Monro, University of South Australia; University of Adelaide; and ARC Centre for Nanoscale Biophotonics; and Professor Bradley Walsh, Minomic International Ltd and Macquarie University
  • Scopus - Eureka Prize for Excellence in International Scientific Collaboration
  • * Looking for the right face in a multidimensional crowd
  • * Professor Dacheng Tao, University of Technology, Sydney
  • Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre - Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research
  • * Time to die: killing cells to save lives
  • * Pellegrini and Ebert Team, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
  • ANSTO - Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology
  • * Melting salt to store solar power
  • * Associate Professor Frank Bruno, Dr Martin Belusko and Dr Steven Tay, University of South Australia
  • Macquarie University - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher
  • * Inventing a quantum industry for Australia
  • * Associate Professor Michael Biercuk, University of Sydney
  • Defence Science and Technology Group - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia
  • * Battlefield communication by mobile, wi-fi and satellites
  • * Northrop Grumman M5 Network Security
  • Rural Research and Development Corporations - Eureka Prize for Rural Innovation
  • * Vaccines for oysters
  • * Professor David Raftos, Macquarie University
  • UNSW - Eureka Prize for Scientific Research
  • * World's smallest, brightest nano-flashlights finding a diseased needle in a haystack
  • * Professor Peter Currie, Phong Nguyen, Monash University; and Dr Georgina Hollway, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
  • 3M - Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science
  • * Looking beyond physics' Standard Model
  • * Dr Phillip Urquijo, University of Melbourne
  • CSIRO - Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
  • * Leading Australia's quantum future
  • * Professor Michelle Simmons, UNSW
  • University of Technology Sydney - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers
  • * Nurturing the next generation of Australian researchers
  • * Professor Marilyn Renfree AO, University of Melbourne
  • Department of Industry and Science - Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research
  • * Speaking science underwater
  • * Professor Emma Johnston, UNSW
  • Department of Industry and Science - Eureka Prize for Science Journalism
  • * Battle of the experts: inside the statin war
  • * Dr Elizabeth Finkel, Cosmos Magazine
  • New Scientist - Eureka Prize for Science Photography
  • * 1. Soft Coral, Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum
  • * 2. Thorny-Headed Worm, Aileen Elliot, Murdoch University
  • * 3. Saltwater Crocodile, Justin Gilligan
  • University of Sydney Sleek Geeks - Science Eureka Prize - Primary
  • * No need to shed tears over Australia's scientific future
  • * Georgia S-M., and Ella W., St Margaret's Anglican Girls School, QLD
  • University of Sydney Sleek Geeks - Science Eureka Prize - Secondary
  • * The Secret of the Appendix
  • * Paige B., Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School, VIC

    2014

List of winners:
  • Australian Government - Eureka Prize for Science Journalism
  • * A shot in the arm for science journalism: talking to the vaccine-concerned
  • * Sonya Pemberton, Genepool Productions.
  • Australian Government - Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research
  • * Changing the way we talk about the science of climate change
  • * Professor Lesley Hughes, Macquarie University
  • University of Technology, Sydney - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers
  • * Fighting substance abuse
  • * Professor Maree Teesson, University of New South Wales
  • Defence Science and Technology Organisation - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia
  • * Floaties for choppers
  • * Tim Lyons, One Atmosphere
  • CSIRO - Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
  • * curing cancer only part of the story
  • * Professor Terence Speed, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
  • New Scientist - Eureka Prize for Science Photography
  • * Through the Looking Glass
  • * Dr Mark Talbot, CSIRO Plant Industry.
  • University of Sydney - Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize – Primary
  • * The hills are alive with the science of music
  • * Harry Driessen, Croydon Public School,
  • University of Sydney - Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize—Secondary
  • * A ghostly feeling explains our sense of touch
  • * Jackson Huang, Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology
  • NSW Office of Environment and Heritage - Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
  • * 200 divers changing marine science
  • * Professor Graham Edgar and Dr Rick Stuart-Smith, University of Tasmania.
  • 3M - Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science
  • * Slow burning to capture carbon
  • * Dr Adriana Downie, Pacific Pyrolysis Pty Ltd
  • Department of Agriculture Landcare - Eureka Prize for Sustainable Agriculture
  • * More wheat without adding water
  • * Dr John Kirkegaard and Dr James Hunt, CSIRO and Stuart Kearns, Grains Research and Development Corporation
  • Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre - Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research
  • * First vaccine and treatment against Hendra virus, and first vaccine against any biosafety-level-4 disease
  • * Hendra Virus Research Team, CSIRO
  • ANSTO - Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology
  • * From Angry Birds to mobile laboratory: Turning smartphones into science labs for $2
  • * DIY Droplet Lens, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Australian National University
  • Macquarie University - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher
  • * Tuning the clock of evolution
  • * Associate Professor Simon Ho, University of Sydney
  • University of New South Wales - Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
  • * A 1000-year climate history for Australia
  • * SEARCH Project, University of Melbourne
  • University of New South Wales - Eureka Prize for Scientific Research
  • * B-cell mystery busted at last
  • * B-cell Team, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

    2013

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, 4 September, at the Sydney Town Hall. The event was compered by the ABC's Bernie Hobbs and Dr Graham Philips. -
List of winners:
  • CSIRO - Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
  • * From little things, big things grow
  • * Professor Frank Caruso, University of Melbourne
  • Macquarie University - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Young Researcher
  • * The right place to spend our conservation dollars
  • * Dr Kerrie Wilson, University of Queensland
  • University of New South Wales - Eureka Prize for Scientific Research
  • * Vitamin B reveals the role of mystery gut immune cells
  • * Dr Lars Kjer-Nielsen and Professor James McCluskey, University of Melbourne, and Professor Jamie Rossjohn, Monash University
  • University of New South Wales - Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
  • * Shine on you tiny diamonds.
  • * Quantum Bio-probes, University of Melbourne
  • University of Sydney Sleek Geeks - Science Eureka Prize - Primary
  • * What is Friction?
  • * Nathan Gori, Reuben Shepherd, Billy McLeod, Jack Dougall and Sacha Balme, Beauty Point Public School, NSW
  • Caring for our Country Landcare - Eureka Prize for Sustainable Agriculture
  • * The Future Farm Industries CRC Enrich Project Team, CSIRO, University of Western Australia and South Australian Research and Development Institute
  • ANSTO - Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology
  • * Scanning round about like magic - Team
  • * Dr Elliot Duff, Dr Mike Bosse, Dr Robert Zlot, Paul Flick, Dr Peter Kambouris and Dr Gautam Tendulkar from CSIRO
  • Australian Government - Eureka Prize for Science Journalism
  • * Ian Townsend, ABC
  • Australian Government - Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research
  • * Professor Rob Brooks University of New South Wales
  • NSW Health Jamie Callachor - Eureka Prize for Medical Research Translation
  • * Helping children walk.
  • * Professor Steve Wilton and Professor Sue Fletcher, Murdoch University
  • University of Technology, Sydney - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers
  • * Professor Rick Shine AM FAA, University of Sydney
  • Australian Museum University of Sydney Sleek Geeks - Science Eureka Prize – Secondary
  • * The Spectacular Spider, Brandon Gifford, Casino High School, NSW
  • Rio Tinto - Eureka Prize for Commercialisation of Innovation
  • * Scanalyse/Outotec, Scanalyse Pty Ltd/Outotec and Curtin University
  • NSW Office of Environment and Heritage - Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
  • * Professor Chris Johnson, University of Tasmania; Dr Michael Letnic, University of New South Wales; Dr Euan Ritchie, Deakin University; Dr Arian Wallach, James Cook University; and Adam O'Neill, Evelyn Downs Station
  • New Scientist - Eureka Prize for Science Photography
  • * The dingo: from sinner to saviour.
  • * Richard Wylie, Euakafa Island Research Centre
  • Defence Science and Technology Organisation - Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia
  • * Providing the very stuff of protection.
  • * DMTC Armour Applications Program, Defence Materials Technology Centre
  • Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre - Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research
  • * A vaccine for mosquitoes – saving them and us from dengue.
  • * Professor Scott O'Neill, Monash University; Professor Ary Hoffmann, University of Melbourne; Professor Scott Ritchie, James Cook University; Dr Elizabeth McGraw, Monash University; Dr Luciano Moreira, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; and Professor Brian Kay, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
  • 3M - Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science
  • * Numbers saving lives: maths vs pseudoscience in AIDS battle.
  • * Associate Professor David Wilson, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales