Innovation in Citizen Science
The Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science is presented by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the Inspiring Australia - Science Engagement Programme.
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The Department of Industry, Science and Resources Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science is awarded for outstanding citizen science practice in Australia, through an innovative research and community engagement project.
For the purposes of this prize, ‘citizen science’ refers to a project where members of the public (citizen scientists) are engaged in authentic research in partnership with professional scientists. The citizen scientists make hands-on and/or intellectual contributions to the research process, usually including data collection or analysis, with benefit for the research and the citizen scientists.
Entries for initiatives of all sizes are encouraged, including those that have a localised community focus. Judges will take the relative size of the project into account during judging.
Prize
$10,000
Assessment criteria
Entries must specifically address how the work entered meets the following assessment criteria.
Project summary (20%)
Describe details of the citizen science project, including:
a) Design and objectives of the project.
b) Size and scope of the project.
This could include, but is not limited to, budget, staffing, volunteer numbers and geographic reach.
c) Role of citizen scientists.
d) Guidelines for ethical research.
This could include, but is not limited to, attribution, participant safety and training, stakeholder consultation and the environmental impact of activities.
e) Results over the past 5 years (i.e between April 2020 and April 2025).
f) Future plans for the project.
Innovation (40%)
Describe how the citizen science project is innovative.
This could include but is not limited to, innovative approaches to citizen scientists’ participation and engagement in the project, innovative use of funding and available resources, approaches to project design and the collection and presentation of research.
Impact (40%)
a) Describe the benefits of the research and demonstrate how the project has increased the body of knowledge in the researched scientific area.
b) Describe and provide evidence of how the project has had direct benefits for citizen scientists and the community, including how it has:
- Empowered individuals or groups to participate in the project;
- Engaged wider audiences, and built STEM knowledge and skills;
- Changed attitudes toward STEM;
- Communicated the progress and outcomes of the project to the community.
Prize specific conditions of entry
Individuals and teams
The prize is open to individuals and teams, if the achievement is the result of a collaborative team effort.
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 ‘project 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 ‘project 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 by the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Terms and Conditions.
Timeframe
Activity entered for this prize must have been undertaken within five years of the Entry Deadline.
Category specific conditions of entry – Science Engagement 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 need to 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 activity against the assessment criteria.
Response to assessment criteria
[Four pages (maximum); 2cm margins (minimum); Size 11 font (minimum)].
A statement by the nominator or entrant on how the activity addresses each of the assessment criteria. Key dates (month and year) must be included to demonstrate that the activity entered has been undertaken no more than five years prior to the Entry Deadline.
For team entries, an explanation of the team and why the Eureka Prize should be jointly awarded must be included.
Assessor Reports
[Reports must be prepared using the template provided. Two pages (maximum)].
Two reports from assessors on how the activity addresses each of the assessment criteria. Judges rely on assessor reports to provide an additional perspective and informed opinion on the activity entered, therefore assessors must not be personally or directly involved in it. Assessors must be selected from a variety of different organisations. Reports must be prepared using the template provided.
Testimonial
[Testimonial must be prepared using the template provided. Two pages (maximum)].
One personal testimonial from a citizen scientist currently or recently (within in the past five years) involved in the project, describing their experiences and engagement with the project. Unless the beneficiary is under 18 years of age, testimonial must be prepared by a direct beneficiary, not an individual who has observed the impact on the target audience. Testimonial must be prepared using the template provided.
How to Enter
- Review prize information.
- Register an account.
- Start online entry form from Tuesday 11 February 2025 (save it in-progress).
- Submit online entry form, including entry materials listed above, by the Entry Deadline, 7pm AEST Monday 14 April 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
