NSW Scientist of the Year Awards
The NSW Scientist of the Year Awards were established in 2008 to recognise and reward the state’s leading researchers for cutting edge work that generates economic, health, environmental or technological benefits for NSW.
The NSW Scientist of the Year 2009 Award is designed to engage and involve the general public as well as the NSW research community, to promote the value of science and encourage science careers.
Prizes and Award Categories
Six awards of $5,000 each will be granted to individuals in the following categories:
1. Environment, Water and Climate Change Sciences
2. Physics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Astronomy
3. Biomedical Sciences
4. Plant and Animal Sciences
5. Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences
6. Leadership in Teaching Secondary Science and Mathematics
Please be aware that the categories are not strictly exclusive and each nomination should be submitted under the category which correlates best with the nominee’s field of research. The selection committees may, at their discretion, allocate the nomination to a more suitable category.
The main award of $55,000 for the NSW Scientist of the Year 2009 will be granted to the overall winner in the first five categories.
The sixth category will reward a teacher for outstanding ability, leadership and innovative thinking in their contribution to secondary school science and/or mathematics education.
Requirements per category
Awards in categories 1-5 will be granted to individuals on the basis of:
- Excellence and practical application of research;
- Work that has been undertaken in the last five years;
- Work that addresses a significant, health, environmental or technological challenge facing NSW and;
- Work that has the potential to impact on the priorities set out in the NSW State Plan and the NSW Innovation Statement.
Nominees in category 6 must demonstrate:
- Outstanding ability, leadership and innovative thinking in their contribution to secondary school science and mathematics education.
Main Award:
The winner of the NSW Scientist of the Year 2009 Award will be selected from the recipients in categories 1-5.
Nominations
The deadline for nominations to the NSW Scientist of the Year Awards is 12 June 2008.
Guidelines and nomination form for the NSW Scientist of the Year awards (PDF)
Guidelines and nomination from for the NSW Scientist of the Year awards (Word)
These documents also include the Leadership in Secondary Science Teaching award nomination form.
About the NSW Scientist of the Year 2008
Professor Martin Green is the NSW Scientist of the Year 2008. Professor Green is a world leading solar energy expert and the Executive Research Director at the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaics at the University of NSW.
Watch Professor Green talking about his research on solar energy (Flash Video, 6.5 Mb). | 
