2023 Awardees

Twenty-six of Australia’s leading scientists are being presented with their 2023 Australian Academy of Science awards, recognising their outstanding contributions to science.

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 Lidia Morawska FAA
Queensland University of Technology

The Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture is a career award that recognises scientific research of the highest standing in the physical sciences. In 2023 the recipient was Professor Lidia Morawska FAA. 

The Matthew Flinders Lecture will be presented by Professor Morawska at the Shine Dome in September 2024.

Ruby Payne-Scott Medal and Lecture

Professor Jennifer Graves AC FAA
La Trobe University

The 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 2023 the recipient was Professor Jennifer Graves AC FAA.

The Ruby Payne-Scott Lecture will be presented by Professor Graves at the Shine Dome in September 2024.

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 between eight- and 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.

This award recognises research in the physical and biological sciences, allowing interdisciplinary and sociocultural research that could straddle the social sciences and humanities, by outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD students and early- and mid-career scientists. 

It aims to support their research and/or the expansion and growth of their research networks and international knowledge exchange through visits to relevant international centres of research. Awards will be for up to $20,000, with additional support provided to attend the Academy’s biennial Science at the Shine Dome event.

The Max Day Environmental Science Fellowship Award is an annual award of up to $20,000 per awardee to assist 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.