Operations

Winners of the 2015 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Australia & New Zealand Fellowships

The winners of the 2015 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Australia & New Zealand Fellowships are studying sharks, future memories, heavy stars, and climate change.

The Australian Fellows are:

A hot future for sharks: marine biologist Jodie Rummer, Townsville, swims with sharks for her research
How we imagine the future: cognitive neuroscientist Muireann Irish, Sydney has discovered the importance of future memory in daily life and dementia
The short lives of hard-living, fast burning, high mass stars: astronomer Shari Breen, Sydney drives The Dish at Parkes to find the stars that make the starstuff that makes us all.

The inaugural New Zealand Fellow is:

When the oceans were 20 metres higher: past and future climates: geologist Christina Riesselman, Dunedin

Read their profiles at Stories of Australian Science

For media enquiries and information on the 2016 Fellowships visit www.forwomeninscience.com.au

Head to tail: the molecules that tell you how to grow a backbone

Growing the right number of vertebrae in the right places is an important job – and scientists have found the molecules that act like ‘theatre directors’ for vertebrae genes in mice: telling them how much or how little to express themselves.

The finding may give insight into how the body-shapes of different species of animals evolved, since the molecules under scrutiny are present in a wide range of animals – from fish to snakes to humans.

An international team led by Dr Edwina McGlinn of EMBL Australia [1] at Monash University found that de-activating a small group of microRNA (miRNA) molecules sent things awry for different parts of the backbone.

No need to shed tears over Australia’s scientific future

Why onions make you cry, and how to avoid the tears
Why you shouldn’t get your appendix out

These questions were answered by the winning videos for the University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize.

Last night the 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes winners were announced at a gala Award Dinner at Sydney Town Hall, affectionately referred to as the Oscars of Australian science. A total of 16 prizes were given for outstanding contributions to Australian science.

Sponsored by the University of Sydney, the Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize is named in honour of Dr Karl (Kruszelnicki) and Adam Spencer.

The Prize recognises excellence in communicating scientific ideas ‘painlessly’ or, as the Sleek Geeks like to say, “help people to learn something without even noticing.” It rewards the best of hundreds of submitted short films – each communicating a particular scientific concept in an accessible and engaging way.

Prize-winning medical research

Time to die: killing cells to save lives
World’s smallest, brightest nano-flashlights finding a diseased needle in a haystack
The much-maligned appendix: not just for grass eaters
Making blood on demand with stem cells?

Last night three outstanding medical researchers were among the winners of the 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, announced at a gala Award Dinner at Sydney Town Hall. And an up-and-coming medical researcher won the secondary school prize for unveiling the secrets of the appendix in her video – in which her Nobel Prize-winning grandfather also makes an appearance.

A total of 16 prizes were given for outstanding contributions to Australian science.

Established in 1827, the Australian Museum is the nation’s first museum and one of its foremost scientific research, educational and cultural institutions. The Eureka Prizes are the most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence in Research and Innovation, Leadership, Science Communication and Journalism, and School Science.

Environmental science recognised

Speaking science underwater
Vaccines for oysters
A global standard for environmental threats, from coral reefs to desert dunes
Melting salt to store solar power

Last night four outstanding environmental researchers were among the winners of the 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, announced at a gala Award Dinner at Sydney Town Hall. A total of 16 prizes were given for outstanding contributions to Australian science

Battlefield communication by mobile, wi-fi and satellites

Defence Science and Technology Group Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science for Safeguarding Australia

Winner: Northrop Grumman M5 Network Security

Secure, handheld communication tools developed in Canberra simultaneously use multiple available mobile-phone networks, wi-fi and satellites to ensure the signal never drops out.

Yet despite using these easily accessible public networks, the tools remain secure enough for use by military or intelligence personnel.

For development of the Secure Communications System suite of tools, Northrop Grumman M5 Network Security have been awarded the Defence Science and Technology Group Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science for Safeguarding Australia.

Designed for situations when secure, reliable communications are paramount, the tools are part of a whole suite of secure communication tools.

The lightweight SCS-100 is the smallest of the tools –handheld and easily packed into carry-on luggage, but carrying everything needed for one person’s self-contained, secure communication.

Winners of the 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes announced

Salt batteries for renewable energy and vaccines for oysters: Australians rewarded for excellence in science

Photos available here.
Pdf of all the winner releases here
Full media releases for each prize winner are available at australianmuseum.net.au/eureka

“It’s an honour to be able to recognise and reward the very best of the valuable, inspiring scientific research being done around the country,” Kim McKay AO, Executive Director and CEO of the Australian Museum said.

“The sponsors and supporters of the Eureka Prizes help us reward excellence in Australian science and I take my hat off to them,” she said. [Read more…] about Winners of the 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes announced

Australian Museum Eureka Prizes 2015 – winners full media releases

Download list of 2015 Eureka Prize winners and their media releases

Capturing coral’s beauty

New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography

Queensland Museum photographer Gary Cranitch has been awarded the New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography for his image Soft Coral.

Soft corals are more diverse and widespread than hard corals, but much less is known about their overall contribution to coral reef biodiversity. About one-third of the world’s soft coral species are found on the Great Barrier Reef, with our limited knowledge of these species an indication of how much we still have to learn. Through his beautiful image, Gary Cranitch highlights this true ‘indicator’ species.

“Gary’s striking image highlights the need to understand the Great Barrier Reef’s often-ignored soft corals” Kim McKay AO, Executive Director and CEO of the Australian Museum said. “I congratulate Gary on being a finalist for the second year in a row and now the winner of this prestigious prize,” she said.

Taking out second place was Murdoch University’s Aileen Elliot with her photograph Thorny-Headed Worm.

Third was Saltwater Crocodile by NSW’s Justin Gilligan. [Read more…] about Capturing coral’s beauty

Prize-winning Australian science revealed tonight

The best in Australian science discovered tonight

2015 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Award Dinner at Sydney Town Hall

At the end of July, 49 finalists were announced for 16 Eureka Prizes worth a total of $160,000.

Tonight we’ll find out who will take home a coveted Eureka Prize.

To be part of the Eureka Prizes experience, follow us live from the red carpet on Twitter at @EurekaPrizes, and using the #Eureka15 hashtag. We’ll Tweet each winner the moment their names are read out on stage.

This year, new prizes recognise excellence in rural research and international collaboration.

For media enquiries please contact the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes media team:

Niall Byrne, niall@scienceinpublic.com.au, 0417 131 977
Errol Hunt, errol@scienceinpublic.com.au, 0423 139 210

« Previous Page

Additional menu