Finalists announced for 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes

Author(s)

Farley Fitzgerald, Claire Vince
Published

27 July 2022
Read time

2 minutes

Sydney, Wednesday 27 July 2022: The Australian Museum (AM) has today announced the 45 finalists selected for Australia’s leading science awards, the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

Finalists from almost every state and territory across Australia are in the running for 14 AM Eureka Prizes in four categories, including excellence in Research and Innovation, Leadership, Science Engagement and School Science.

The Eureka Prizes are the nation’s premier science awards, offering $140,000 in prize money across a broad spectrum of research, from environmental to innovative technologies, citizen science, leadership and mentoring.

Finalists for the 2022 AM Eureka Prizes include:

A team who developed a completely new class of drugs that can effectively put cancer cells to sleep;
Research into how our diets impact the environment;
A novel scientific approach to the control of the Crown of Thorns Starfish on the Great Barrier Reef;
An open-access access initiative to reinvigorate antibiotic research and drug discovery;
A world-renowned expert on Artificial Intelligence (AI) who is a key voice in understanding and preparing for our AI future;
Multiple initiatives making STEM accessible for underrepresented communities (First Nations, LGBTQIA+ and people living with a disability);
A new nanofabricated microscope slide that has the capacity to revolutionise cancer detection.

NSW Environment and Heritage Eureka Prize finalist for Applied Environmental Research, Sheriden Morris and team. Image: Supplied
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Eureka Prize finalist for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research, Professor Manfred Lenzen and team, University of Sydney. Image: Supplied
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Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Eureka Prize finalist for Infectious Diseases Research, Associate Professor Eric Chow and team, Monash University and University of Melbourne. Image: Supplied
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ANSTO Eureka Prize finalist for Innovative Use of Technology, NanoMslide, La Trobe University; University of Melbourne; Garvan Institute of Medical Research; and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Image: Supplied
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Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science finalist, Professor Toby Walsh, UNSW. Image: Supplied
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The winners of the 2022 AM Eureka Prizes will be announced on Wednesday 31 August at an awards ceremony held at the Australian Museum. An online livestream of the awards will also be open to all audiences to view on the night. Register for the livestream at australian.museum/eurekaprizes.

Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO said the AM Eureka Prizes recognise the incredible achievements and advancements made by Australia’s leading scientists.

“Since the prizes were established in 1990, more than four million dollars in prize money and a total of 476 Eureka Prizes have been awarded. Past winners, such as world leading quantum physics scientist, Professor Michelle Simmons who was recognised with an AM Eureka Prize in 2016, named Australian of the Year in 2018 and winner of the British 2022 Bakerian Medal and Lecture award for her seminal contributions to our understanding of quantum physics, have gone on to become world renowned for their contributions to scientific discovery,” McKay said

Department of Industry, Science and Resources Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion finalist, Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School (VIEWS), University of Melbourne; Monash University; RMIT University; and Swinburne University. Image: Supplied
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Department of Industry, Science and Resources Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion finalist, QueersInScience. Image: Supplied
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Today, 32 years on, the AM Eureka Prizes remains the only national science awards to bring together leading scientists, emerging researchers and young schoolchildren. The Australian Museum is proud to celebrate the pioneering achievements of this year’s finalists. The impact that their work will have on society will be felt for many years to come Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO

Chief scientist and Director, Australian Museum Research Institute, Professor Kristofer Helgen said the AM Eureka Prizes were established to identify the outstanding scientists who will advance science and technology as well as the missions important to our participating partners.

“Winners of the AMEP awards are often recruited into leading industry and academic positions, so fostering development and increasing awareness of careers in science and technology is fundamental to our nation’s future,” Professor Helgen said.

For more information and a full list of 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes finalists: australian.museum/eurekaprizes.

Event details

What: Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Award Ceremony
Where: Hintze Hall, Australian Museum, corner of College and William Streets, Sydney
Theatre style award ceremony attended by 400 guests and live broadcast online
When: Wednesday 31 August 2022
Live broadcast from 7:30pm AEST via australian.museum/eurekaprizes
Interviews available with finalists
Media pack, including releases, finalist info, images and video HERE.
#EurekaPrizes
Twitter: @eurekaprizes Facebook: @eurekaprizes

Download the Media Release

Eureka Prizes 2022 finalists announced
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About the Australian Museum

The Australian Museum (AM) was founded in 1827 and is the nation’s first museum. It is internationally recognised as a natural science and culture institution focused on Australia and the Pacific. The AM’s mission is to ignite wonder, inspire debate and drive change. The AM’s vision is to be a leading voice for the richness of life, the Earth and culture in Australia and the Pacific. The AM commits to transforming the conversation around climate change, the environment and wildlife conservation; to being a strong advocate for First Nations cultures; and to continuing to develop world-leading science, collections, exhibitions and education programs. With 22 million objects and specimens and the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI), the AM is not only a dynamic source of reliable scientific information on some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges facing our region, but also an important site of cultural exchange and learning.