Celebrating science with the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes

We announced the winners of the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes last week, with 400 guests attending the awards ceremony at the AM to celebrate excellence in Australian science and hundreds more watching online as part of the program’s first hybrid event.

Looking at the winners’ and finalists’ contributions to the best of Australian Research and Innovation, Leadership, Science Engagement and School Science, I have never been more impressed by the sheer wealth of the Australian science community’s collaborations across so many global sectors and teams. From trailblazers in sustainable packaging, robotic imaging and Motor Neuron Disease research, the 15 individuals and teams recognised show the very deep breadth of talent we have representing Australia on the world stage.

We are facing major challenges now – issues that will only be solved with true collaboration. The Eureka Prizes provide hope. With 496 winners since the awards began in 1990, we are recognising the country’s leading scientific minds, including the best of science communication.

In addition to celebrating the winners of the AM Eureka Prizes, we also presented two Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) Medals this year. The AMRI Medal is awarded to an individual staff member, senior fellow, team from AMRI, or supporter from another museum for outstanding science and communication of their research outcomes.

One of the two 2022 AMRI medal recipients was Professor Graham Durant AM, the immediate past Director of Questacon. During his 23 years heading up Questacon, Graham was a champion not only for his own organisation, but also for the work that we do here at the Australian Museum, and a champion of science and science education in Australia.

Graham was integral to the development and staging of the AM’s famed Spiders exhibition (which is still touring the United States - close to a decade later!).

As a supporter of citizen science, he advocated for the AM’s successful submission for the original FrogID grant from the federal government. This initial grant kick-started the build of a ground-breaking national citizen science project.

He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science and has served as a judge for this prize.

Most recently, Graham’s been a staunch advocate for action on Climate Change and adopting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Graham’s outstanding service to science and science education in Australia has at every stage in his remarkable career made a point to find a way to LAND science messaging with the public, explaining why it matters in the most memorable of ways for our young people as they grow up. Making science matter to all, by making it accessible to all.

We also recognised another advocate of making science accessible to all by awarding AMRI's own Dr Stephen Keable with an AMRI Medal at the 2022 AM Eureka Prizes. During an almost 40-year career at the AM, Dr Keable has authored or co-authored descriptions of more than 39 new species of freshwater and marine isopods. Dr Keable has also actively supported the introduction of biodiversity databases and collection management excellence, and championed PhD students and citizen scientists throughout his career.

This year, Dr Keable worked with a group of students from the NSW Mid North Coast to identify a species of tropical starfish found 600km from where it should be found, highlighting the effects of climate change and warming waters.

Both recipients of this year’s 2022 AMRI Medals show enthusiasm for the power of science communication in changing young peoples’ perspectives on the world, and ultimately getting them interested and involved in helping protect it. Bravo to both and congratulations to all of the winners of the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

Both recipients of this year’s 2022 AMRI Medals show enthusiasm for the power of science communication in changing young peoples’ perspectives on the world, and ultimately getting them interested and involved in helping protect it. Bravo to both and congratulations to all of the winners of the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.