Spotlighting the leaders in data platform excellence with ARDC

Data is the underpinning input for all research disciplines. Only by having access to reliable data sources, can researchers effectively conduct their research and deliver broad impact and benefits. Researchers frequently remark that without this data they never would have been able to deliver their research and findings. Yet the work on these platforms often goes unnoticed. The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms represents a significant step toward making this important behind-the-scenes work more visible. We sat down with Rosie Hicks, Chief Executive Officer of the ARDC, to unpack one of the most recent additions to the Eureka Prizes program.

Over the past three years, the Australian Research Data Commons has rewarded amazing research software with real world impacts on biomedical research, life sciences and genomic data. This year, ARDC is partnering with the Australian Museum to present the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms. What inspired you to pivot and take the prize in this direction?

For several years, we raised awareness of research software and its invaluable role in delivering cutting-edge research. In 2026, we decided to shift the focus to data platforms, another key ingredient for enabling modern research. This aligns with our efforts to build research data commons that provide the data and the associated tools for researchers to conduct innovative research, address real-world problems and deliver benefits to industry, government and the broader community. We’ve committed to sponsoring this prize for 3 years.

The 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. Can you tell us what a data platform is in the context of this prize, and why they are important?

A data platform is an online environment where a researcher can find, access and use data that drives their research. In some cases, this data will be openly available and can be used immediately. In other cases, such as where the data is sensitive, we would expect the platform to provide a clear pathway for access requests to be made and assessed in a timely manner. For a data platform to be eligible for this prize, it should be free to access by any Australian researcher and have been around for several years to show evidence of the maintenance of the platform and the ongoing use of its data.

What role do data platforms play in the science, technology and engineering community?

Data is the underpinning input for all research disciplines. It can come in many different formats, including text, images, videos and audio. With the rise of data-intensive research and new technologies like AI, data is becoming more important than ever. Only by having access to reliable data sources, can researchers effectively conduct their research and deliver broad impact and benefits.

Data platforms are critical for the delivery of this data. They ensure that researchers can find and bring together data from a range of different sources and backgrounds, and can effectively use and reuse data. Data platforms should provide data in a standard format so that a researcher can easily pick up and use it without spending a long time wrangling the data into the right format.

Who might consider entering this prize?

If you are responsible for running or maintaining a data platform that has enabled significant scientific research, we encourage you to enter this prize.

If you are a researcher that has used a data platform and found it really useful, or if you are a researcher that has contributed data to a platform, please consider nominating the platform to ensure it gets the recognition and support it deserves.

What are some of the practical impacts that the broader community might observe in their day to day lives due to these developments?

The data from data platforms enables cutting-edge research that can inform government policy, help industry innovate, and improve communities’ wellbeing and connection to their culture and history. For example, there are platforms that provide bushfire data, which helps with the management and prevention of future fires. There are also platforms that provide health data, which informs new treatments and medicines. Some platforms provide data on species and the environment, which helps us pinpoint species at risk and ways of better managing them. Then there are platforms that manage and hold rare language recordings and histories, which are invaluable to the communities for maintaining and building their culture and identity.

What excites you most about this field of science?

Data platforms make available a wide range of data, and the real-world impact they enable is immense. Researchers frequently remark that without this data they would never have been able to deliver their research and findings. Yet the work on these platforms often goes unnoticed behind the scenes. The Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms is here to recognise and reward the years of tireless effort invested into building and maintaining these invaluable platforms.

The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are the country’s most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence across the areas of research & innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science.