NSW scientists win Eureka Prizes

New South Wales scientists have received widespread national recognition, winning seven 2006 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, including the inaugural Office for Science and Medical Research Jamie Callachor Eureka Prize for Medical Research. Announced on 22 August 2006, the Eureka Prizes acknowledge and reward outstanding achievements in Australian science and science communication. Begun in 1990, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes have grown into Australia's premier science awards.

New South Wales winners are:

• Dr Michael Valenzuela, School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, for medical research. Michael’s research demonstrates that increasing mental fitness, achieved through crosswords, study, reading or participating in social activity, can halve the incidence of dementia. Read interview in Sydney Morning Herald>>

• Dr Fred Watson, Anglo-Australian Observatory, Coonabarabran for promoting understanding of science. As Astronomer-in-Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, Fred’s work over the past twelve years has engaged the public through radio broadcasts, television appearances, school visits, books and articles.

• Professor Rick Shine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, for biodiversity research. As Australia's foremost reptile researcher, Rick Shine and his colleagues are monitoring the impact of toads, and plan for the future protection of snakes and lizards.

• Dr Mike Manefield, Centre for Marine Biofouling and BioInnovation, University of NSW for innovation and leadership in environmental science. Mike’s pioneering research in bioremediation work has led him to create bacterial communities capable of digesting each of the chlorinated hydrocarbons polluting the former plastics factory site at Botany: including perchloroethane (dry cleaning fluid), carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane.

• Dr Graeme Batley, Dr Stuart Simpson and Dr Jenny Stauber, Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, CSIRO, for water research. The Sydney-based team have developed the first Australian guidelines for measuring the quality of aquatic mud at the bottom of harbours, bays and estuaries. Their work is now being used in Sydney Harbour to assess the impact of remediated industrial sites and at ports and mines around the country.

• Professor Matthew England, Alex Sen Gupta and Dr Michael Dawson, Climate and Environmental Dynamics Laboratory and Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, University of NSW, for environmental research. Matthew and his team have created a computer model that can reliably predict ocean circulation - a critical tool in understanding and predicting global climate change.

• Dr Amanda Hayes, Shahnaz Bakand and Associate Professor Chris Winder, Chemical Safety and Applied Toxicology Laboratories, University of NSW, for research which replaces the use of animals or animal products. Traditionally, the toxicity of the air we breathe, and the risk from the various chemicals and gases in the urban and work environment, are measured by having animals breathe contaminated air. The University of NSW team have developed a test system in which human lung cells are grown on porous membranes so they can be directly exposed to airborne chemicals to test their affect. This provides a system that is ethical, practical, and inexpensive.