July 30, 2026
A number of Society Fellows and previous winners of Society Awards are among the finalists of the 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Awards—the country’s most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence across the spectrum of research and innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science.
Presented annually in partnership with some of the nation’s leading scientific institutions, government organisations, universities, and corporations, the Eureka Prizes raise the profile of science and science engagement in the community by celebrating outstanding achievements.
Amongst the finalists in this year’s awards are:
- Scientia Professor Richard Kingsford AO FRSN from the Wild Deserts Program of UNSW Sydney, Ecological Horizons, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Taronga Conservation Society, and winner of the RSNSW 2025 Award in the Life Sciences — nominated for the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
- Professor Elizabeth New FRSN of the Biobots program of the University of Sydney — nominated for the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
- Professor Arnold Lining Ju of the University of Sydney and winner of the RSNSW 2021 Edgeworth David Medal — nominated for the Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology
- Dr Jen Matthews, an Associate Member of the Society from the University of Technology Sydney and winner of an RSNSW 2024 Bicentennial Early Career and Service Citation — nominated for the Macquarie University Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher
- Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao FRSN FAA FTSE and Professor Yansong Shen FRSN FTSE, both from UNSW Sydney, and respective winners of the 2025 and 2024 RSNSW Edgeworth David Medal — each nominated for the Eureka Prize for Sustainability Research
The Council of the Royal Society of New South Wales extends its warm congratulations to each of the above finalists on this recognition of their achievements.
