Excellence in Data Platforms
The Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms is presented by the Australian Research Data Commons.
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The Australian Research Data Commons Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms is awarded for the development, maintenance or extension of a data platform that has enabled significant new scientific research.
For the purpose of this prize, ‘data platform’ refers to an online platform that provides data for researchers and other users to access and use for their research. The data is provided as open as possible, closed where necessary.
Prize
$10,000
Assessment criteria
Entries must specifically address how entered work meets the following assessment criteria:
Originality and significance (40%)
- Provide evidence that the data platform has a significant and broad community of users (academic, industry, government or citizen science). These are not restricted to one (1) organisation but are national or even international in scope.
- Describe how the data platform has enabled significant research.
Scientific rigour (25%)
Describe how the data in the platform is provided to enable the research to be thorough, reproducible, citable and interconnected with other data.
Impact and benefit (35%)
- Demonstrate how the data platform is maintained in such a manner to provide ongoing benefit and impact to its users.
- Demonstrate the extent to which the data platform has supported significant new collaborative scientific research and delivered value beyond academic research to innovation, policy or the general public.
Prize specific conditions of entry
Open to individuals and teams
This prize is open to individuals and teams (if the achievement is the result of a collaborative team effort). In particular, the team may have been a succession of contributors to the data platform over a period of time. The prize is open to projects that have been directed by one (1) or more project leads.
For team entries:
- Comprising of between two and six individuals, the first listed entrant must be the team leader, and all team members should be listed as entrants in the online entry form. You must describe the contribution of each individual to the research and explain why the Eureka Prize should be jointly awarded to the listed individuals. This explanation must be included in the ‘activity summary.’
- Comprising of more than six individuals, you must enter under a team name, and you are only able to list one entrant in the online entry form. The listed entrant must be the team leader. They are required to briefly describe the composition of the team and explain why the Eureka Prize should be jointly awarded to a team of more than six individuals. This explanation must be included in the ‘activity summary.’
Citizenship
- For an individual entry, the entrant must be either an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
- For team entries comprising of between two and six individuals, the team leader must be either an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident. Members of the team do not have to fulfil this requirement.
- For team entries comprising of more than six individuals, the team leader must be either an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident. Members of the team do not have to fulfil this requirement.
Activity location
Activity entered for this prize must have taken place in or been led from Australia, as defined in the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Terms and Conditions.
Published article
The activity entered for this prize must have been specifically referenced in at least one (1) and up to three (3) peer-reviewed articles (i.e., published in a scientific journal or similar).
Timeframe
A new and limited data platform is unlikely to have established the broad user community or interest necessary to demonstrate sufficient engagement/scope for this award. The data enabled by the data platform entered for this prize must have been described in at least one (1) peer-reviewed article (i.e., published in a scientific journal or similar) more than three (3) years prior to the Entry Deadline. Reference may be made to more recent activities to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the maintenance of the data platform.
Category specific conditions of entry – Research & Innovation prizes
Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by another person. If an entrant is nominated it is important that they provide input to the documentation supporting their nomination.
The activity entered or nominated for this prize may not be entered or nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize in the same year.
Activity that has been awarded an Australian Museum Eureka Prize in the past cannot be entered again.
In addition to the prize and category specific conditions of entry, all entrants must comply with the General Terms and Conditions of Entry.
Entry materials
Each entry must include the following information. All information provided will be used by the judging panel to assess the entry against the assessment criteria.
Research summary
Response to assessment criteria
[Response to assessment criteria must be prepared using the template provided. Two (2) pages (maximum)].
A statement by the nominator or entrant on how the data platform entered addresses the assessment criteria. Key dates (month and year) must be included to demonstrate that the development activity entered has been undertaken more than three (3) years prior to the Entry Deadline and that maintenance activity is ongoing (even if not undertaken by entrants).
Download assessment criteria template (.docx or .pdf format)
Assessor report
[Report must be prepared using the template provided. Two (2) pages (maximum)].
One (1) report from an assessor on how the entered work addresses the assessment criteria. Judges rely on assessor reports to provide an additional perspective and informed opinion on the activity entered, therefore the assessor must not be personally or directly involved in the development or maintenance of the data platform. The assessor does not need to be an active user of the data platform. The assessor and testimonial writers must be selected from a variety of different organisations. The report must be prepared using the template provided.
Testimonials
[Testimonials must be prepared using the template provided. Two (2) pages (maximum)].
Two (2) personal testimonials from experienced users of the data platform. At least one (1) of the testimonial reports must be written by a research group that has used the data platform to develop and publish a research article. Judges rely on testimonials to provide an additional perspective and informed opinion on the data platform entered, therefore the testimonials must be prepared by users. They may not come from an individual who has solely observed use of the platform. The assessor and testimonial writers should be selected from a variety of different organisations. Testimonials must be prepared using the template provided.
Evidence
Upload three (3) pieces of evidence to demonstrate the successful use of the data platform in the conduct of research. This evidence should directly relate to the entered work. You must provide a brief statement explaining how the selected evidence relates to the entered work, which will be collected in the online entry form.
- At least one (1) piece of evidence must be an article published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal (or similar).
- Other forms of evidence may include media articles, blog posts, grant applications or other written materials referencing use of the data platform.
Curriculum vitae (CV)
[Two (2) pages (maximum), 2cm margins (minimum), size 11 font (minimum)].
The CV of each entrant or nominee. For teams of more than six (6) entrants, only the first listed entrant is required to provide their CV.
Please provide a factual summary of academic and professional achievements.
How to Enter
- Review prize information.
- Register an account.
- Start online entry form from Monday 9 February 2026 (save it in-progress).
- Submit online entry form, including entry materials listed above, by the Entry Deadline, 7pm AEST Thursday 16 April 2026. Late entries will not be accepted.
