2010 Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners

Professor David Lindenmayer, Australian National University

Professor David Lindenmayer had led scientific research on forest biodiversity and forest management for over two decades. Focusing on Victorian Ash Forests, his long-term data sets have recently revealed the incredible capacity these old growth forests have to store carbon, showing they have a far greater economic value as carbon sinks than as a source of timber.

Meat Standards Australia

Meat Standards Australia is the world's only food grading scheme designed to guarantee product satisfaction based on consumer preferences for palatability. It is underpinned by extensive interdisciplinary collaboration across the sciences and with industry, which has been integrated into a practical, whole-of-supply-chain commercial platform transforming Australia's beef and sheep meat industries.

The team behind the system comprises: John Thompson, Dr Garry Griffith, Dr Paul Greenwood, University of New England; Dr Ray Watson, University of Melbourne, Dr Robyn Warner, Victorian Department of Primary Industries; Dr Drewe Ferguson, CSIRO; Professor David Pethick, Murdoch University and Rod Polkinghorne.

Professor Peter Stuckey, National ICT Australia and University of Melbourne

Combinatorial optimisation problems, like rostering hospitals, scheduling trains and allocating water, are everywhere. Professor Peter Stuckey’s Lazy Clause generation is a new approach to combinatorial optimization that finds solutions orders of magnitude faster, allowing us to solve bigger problems at less cost.

The Low Carbon Growth Plan for Australia, Climate Works Australia

ClimateWork’s Low Carbon Growth Plan for Australia identifies 54 opportunities across the Australian economy that together can reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2000 levels for at net cost of less than $185 per household each year. Based on detailed economic and policy analysis, the Plan presents these opportunities as a roadmap of action, identifying the barriers to their implementation and the tools required to overcome them.

Professor Philip Hogg, UNSW

Professor Philip Hogg has invented both a new class of cancer therapeutics that target and disable the ‘power supply’ of tumour cells, and the first effective small molecule non-invasive imaging agent for dying and dead cells, enabling chemotherapy effectiveness to be monitored in real time.

Dr Rowena Martin, Australian National University and Melbourne University

The emergence of malaria parasites that are resistant to cheap antimalarial drugs, like chloroquine, has been a disaster for world health. Dr Martin’s research shows how this resistance can be caused by small changes in a parasite protein and how this mechanism can be overcome.

Dr Ba-Ngu Vo, Dr Ba-Tuong Vo and Dr Antonio Cantoni, University of Western Australia

Dr Ba-Ngu Vo and his team have developed a new family of algorithms for tracking multiple targets which outperform previous approaches, and with much less computational cost. The team’s work will revolutionise technologies for surveillance and monitoring of potential threat in Australia’s vast air, sea and land space, essential to maintaining our operational advantage.

Dr John Forge, University of Sydney

Dr John Forge's book, The Responsible Scientist: A Philosophical Inquiry addresses the responsibilities of scientists for the outcomes of their research. Combining moral reasoning with an understanding of modern science, Forge argues that scientists should be held responsible not just for what they do, but for consequences they should have known about or anticipated, and moreover that they are obliged to refrain from certain sorts of research and encouraged to participate in others.

Dr Amanda Barnard, CSIRO

Nanoparticles make sunscreen more attractive and offer a higher SPF, but raise concern since some can generate toxic free radicals at their surfaces. Using supercomputer simulations and advanced theoretical modelling, Dr Barnard has made a comparison of the SPF, transparency and potential free radical production of titania nanoparticles to reveal that a “trade-off” is necessary.

Dr K-lynn Smith and Professor Chris Evans, Macquarie University

Dr Smith and Professor Evans are using innovative playback experiments and three-dimensional, dynamic images to shed light on the complex communication of chickens. This new understanding of the chicken’s cognitive capabilities is helping to change public perception of chickens as simple, egg-laying automatons and reveals them for the intelligent, social creatures they are.

Associate Professor Greg Leslie, UNSW and Professor Bruce Sutton, University of Sydney

Associate Professor Leslie and Professor Sutton have developed a low energy system for irrigating with saline water. By integrating reverse osmosis membranes into drip irrigation lines, they have developed a very efficient system for farmers to grow crops using saline water, including groundwater, without damaging the soil.

Scientia Professor Martin Green, UNSW

Through world-leading innovation in first, second and third generation photovoltaic technologies, Professor Green has set the global benchmark, and led the discipline internationally in the championing of solar cell technology as the most viable, renewable alternative to fossil fuels for energy production in the coming decades.

Sustainable Living, Environment Victoria

Environment Victoria’s programs communicate climate change to people left out by mainstream messaging: migrants and refugees, disengaged young people, seniors and the economically disadvantaged. Carefully tailored programs engage a wide range of people disconnected from environmental issues, and empower them to be part of the solution.

Sarah Clarke, Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Sarah Clarke’s ongoing commitment to the debate on climate change has kept the public focus on the real science. Across a variety of platforms, she’s delivered in depth the compelling evidence on the extent of human induced global warming – from the United Nation’s Copenhagen meeting to the peer-reviewed science.

Broadcast on Lateline, ABC TV, 15 December 2009; 7pm News, ABC TV, 19 December 2009; 7pm News, ABC TV, 15 March 2010; AM Program, ABC Radio and Online, 15 March 2010; PM Program, ABC Radio and Online, 26 March 2010

Professor Tony Peacock, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre

Professor Tony Peacock, the Feral Professor, communicates issues that few others are either willing or able to engage with: the devastating effect of feral animals on Australia’s environment and farmers. Along with regular segments on radio, he tweets and blogs on topics relating to feral animal impacts and their management, obtaining coverage, inspiring interest and raising awareness within Australia and across the globe.

Ian Townsend, Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Self Inflicted Sickness explores the burden of preventable disease in Australia and how much responsibility individuals, and society, should take for their own bad habits. It anticipated recent government announcements about obesity and smoking.

Broadcast on Background Briefing, ABC Radio National, 2 August 2009

Roz Batten

Breakfast on the Fly – Demonstrating that life and death in the animal kingdom come in all shapes and sizes, the photograph shows the Long-legged Fly, measuring 3 – 4mm, consuming its prey. When catching the smaller fly, the Long-Legged Fly hardly moved from its spot, and the speed of the attack was quicker than the eye could follow.

Dr Clinton Fookes, Queensland University of Technology

A Brisbane signals processor who has harnessed the power of computer vision to recognise and report on people and actions to improve our security in public places.

Jane Hall-Dadson, Exeter High School, Tas.

Jane Hall Dadson’s Issues and Inquiry Science Program introduces students to science topics through relevant issues, like using GM foods to discuss genetics, road trauma to explore speed and forces and acid rain as an entry point to chemistry. Jane encourages curiosity as students interact with scientists, engage in practical activities, design their own inquires and examine relevant social issues.

Lily C., Albany Hills State School, Qld.

Can You Hear the Music? - When you walk down the street do you hear urban noise or music? Join Lily as she conducts her own symphony of urban sound, showing how every noise has a pitch, a note and a frequency. Explaining how our ears work, this delightful film will help you hear the beauty in the ordinary sounds around you.

Betty C., Matt D., Paul D., Steven M., Byron M. and Evan R., St Helena Secondary College, Vic.

Röntgen: A Bright Spark - By re-enacting the discovery of the X-ray by W.C Rontgen, this fun film explores how X-rays work, how they are used and why they are important.