2021 Awardees

Outstanding contributions to science have been recognised by the Australian Academy of Science with 24 of Australia's leading scientists receiving a 2021 award.

The Premier Awards category is the Academy's most prestigious category of awards, recognising researchers of the highest standing over a career of any length.

Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture

Professor Andrew Holmes AC FAA FTSE FRS
University of Melbourne

The Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture is a career award that recognises scientific research of the highest standing in the physical sciences. In 2021 the recipient is Professor Andrew Holmes AC FAA FTSE FRS.

The Matthew Flinders Lecture was presented online by Professor Holmes in July 2021, and was titled "An organic chemist seeing polymers in a new light".

Inaugural Ruby Payne-Scott Medal and Lecture

Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger AC FAA
University of Western Australia

The inaugural Ruby Payne-Scott Medal and Lecture is a career medal that recognises research of the highest standing in the physical and/or biological sciences. In 2021 the recipient is Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger AC FAA.

The inaugural Ruby Payne-Scott Lecture was presented online by Emeritus Professor Praeger in May 2021.

The Career Awards category recognises researchers of the highest standing over a career of any length.

The Mid-Career Awards category recognises researchers of the highest standing who are 8 to 15 years post-PhD in the calendar year of nomination.

The Early-Career Awards category recognises researchers of the highest standing who are no more than 10 years post-PhD in the calendar year of nomination.

The Max Day Environmental Science Fellowship Award is an annual award of up to $20,000 per awardee to assist early stage PhD students or early career researchers with their research. It provides funding support toward research expenses, courses and the cost of travel.

The award is named in honour of the late Dr Maxwell Frank Cooper Day AO FAA who spent a lifetime championing entomology, conservation and forestry, as well as helping other scientists. Through sponsoring this award Dr Day is acknowledging the support that he himself received as a young researcher to travel overseas to gain his PhD at Harvard. Following Dr Day's strong belief in the strength of a multi-disciplinary approach to research, only applicants who are able to demonstrate a multi-disciplinary approach to their research will be considered for this award.