National Awards
Appita L R Benjamin Medal
The Appita L R Benjamin Medal honours the late Louis Reginald Benjamin, CBE, a pioneer and leader in the development of the pulp and paper industry based on Australian eucalypts. It is an award designed to encourage technical excellence, innovation and achievement.
First awarded in 1971 and is an annual award to persons who have contributed in an outstanding way to the technical progress of the pulp and paper industry in Australia and New Zealand. The contribution should have been largely personal, and could be in research, development, engineering or management (provided the work managed was technical in nature). The nominee does not have to be a member of APPITA – the Technical Association of the Australian and New Zealand Pulp and Paper Industry Inc.
CSIRO winners are:
| 1999 | AFW Wallis |
| 1997 | Robert Evans |
| 1977 | HG Higgins |
| 1974 | AJ Watson |
Farrer Memorial Medal
The Farrer Memorial Trust was established in 1911 to perpetuate the memory of William James Farrer and to encourage and inspire agricultural scientists. Initially it awarded scholarships for ‘study or research in agricultural problems’. Later it included the delivery of an annual oration and the presentation of the Farrer Memorial Medal to a distinguished agricultural scientist for service rendered in the fields of research, education or administration.
CSIRO winners are:
| 2014 | Elizabeth Dennis |
| 2010 | Michael Poole |
| 2007 | Tony Fischer |
| 2005 | John Williams |
| 1999 | Jim Peacock |
| 1992 | EF (Ted) Henzell |
| 1979 | Lloyd Evans |
| 1974 | Helen Newton Turner |
| 1973 | Doug Waterhouse |
| 1969 | Clifford Stuart Christian |
| 1968 | Mark Hutton |
| 1964 | Colin Donald |
| 1963 | Sir Rutherford Robertson |
| 1962 | Sir Otto Frankel |
| 1948 | James Arthur Prescott |
Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist
The Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year was initiated in 2000. It is awarded to a scientist at an early stage in their career (within 10 years of completing their PhD).
The prize is awarded for an outstanding achievement in science that advances, or has the potential to advance, human welfare or benefits society. The Prize is awarded only to an individual and comprises a silver medallion and lapel pin, and a grant of $50 000.
CSIRO winners are:
| 2014 | Matthew Hill – The development of metal–organic frameworks for practical industrial application |
| 2009 | Amanda Barnard – Modelling nanoparticles |
| 2006 | Dr Naomi McClure – Griffiths – Mapping the structure and evolution of our galactic home – the Milky Way |
Prime Minister’s Prize
The Prime Minister’s Prize for Science is the nation’s pre-eminent award for excellence in science. The Prize is a tribute to the contributions that Australian scientists have made to Australia’s and the world’s economic and social well-being, and is awarded for an outstanding specific achievement in any area of science advancing human welfare or benefiting society. In this context, science encompasses the physical, chemical, biological and technological sciences, mathematics and engineering.
The Prime Minister’s Prize for Science comprises a gold medallion and lapel pin, and a grant of $300 000.The Prime Minister’s Prize for Science replaced the Australia Prize in 2000.
CSIRO winners are:
| 2011 | Ezio Rizzardo and Dave Solomon – For their role in revolutionising polymer science, also see: Nitroxide-mediated living radical polymerisation and RAFT polymerisation |
| 2009 | John O’Sullivan – For his achievements in astronomy and wireless technologies (see also Wireless LANs) – the patented technology behind WiFi networks |
| 2007 | Peter Waterhouse and Ming Bo Wang – Discovery of gene silencing with double stranded RNA (see also RNAi) |
| 2000 | Jim Peacock and Elizabeth Dennis – Discovery of the Flowering Switch Gene, a key gene in determining when plants end their vegetative growth phase and begin flowering (see also FLOWERING LOCUS C and its control of the initiation of flowering in plants) |
Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist
The Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year was initiated in 2000. It is awarded to a scientist at an early stage in their career (within 10 years of completing their PhD).
The prize is awarded for an outstanding achievement in science that advances, or has the potential to advance, human welfare or benefits society. The Prize is awarded only to an individual and comprises a silver medallion and lapel pin, and a grant of $50 000.
CSIRO winners are:
| 2007 | Elizabeth Fulton – Simulations of marine ecosystem dynamics |
| 2003 | Christopher Helliwell – The isolation of the genes that control the biosynthesis of gibberellin one of the most important hormones in plants |
Victoria Prize
The Victoria Prize is awarded annually to an individual whose scientific discovery or technological innovation has significantly advanced knowledge or has potential to lead a commercial outcome or other benefit to the community.
Created in 1998, the Victoria Prize celebrates leadership, determination, endeavour and creativity and highlights the many ways in which research and development of international significance is conducted locally. It carries a cash reward of $50 000 to the winner plus a further $100 000 from the Anne and Eric Smorgon Memorial Award to the Institute where the Victoria Prize recipient conducted their research.
CSIRO recipients are:
| 2010 | Wojciech (Voytek) Gutowski and his team – for the development of a breakthrough technology which completely eliminates waste and volatile solvent emissions from painting plastic surfaces |
| 2008 | Peter Colman – for his involvement in the biomolecular field and work on anti-influenza virus drugs |
| 2006 | David Solomon – for his seminal work in polymer chemistry, particularly the chemistry of plastics |
| 2001 | Roger Francey and Paul Steele – for their work on global warming and the improved measurement of greenhouse gases |