The Australian Academy of Science is delighted that President Professor Suzanne Cory has won the Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science.
Professor Cory became the Academy’s first elected female President in 2010. As President she is a passionate advocate for quality science education, for building a scientifically literate community, for strong research funding, for government policy built on scientific evidence and for improving Australia’s international science diplomacy.
Professor Cory is one of Australia's most respected cancer researchers and has won numerous national and international awards for her work.
In her former role as Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Professor Cory doubled the size and research budget of the Institute and greatly strengthened its capacity to translate research discoveries into improved medical treatment. She recruited talented leaders to build new programs in genomics, bioinformatics, structural biology, chemical biology and breast cancer.
She also serves on a number of national and international boards advising governments on science policy development.
Professor Cory was unable to attend the Eureka Prizes ceremony in Sydney last night as she is overseas for the birth of her first grandchild.
“To be recognised for leadership in science is a great honour,” Professor Cory said from London.
“I strongly believe as scientists we must ensure that Australian science grows even stronger and that requires us to be well-linked internationally. We must also stand ready to provide our policy-makers with sound, independent scientific advice.
“And we must nurture the next generation of scientific leaders by fostering high quality science education in our schools and universities and by inspiring the broader community with the heady excitement of scientific discovery.”
The prize was accepted on Professor Cory’s behalf by the current Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Fellow, Professor Doug Hilton. Professor Hilton himself won the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers.
Professor Hilton has been actively mentoring young researchers for almost two decades, many of whom have become leading researchers in their own right.
The Academy offers its warmest congratulations to Professor Hilton and to Professor Victor Flambaum, also a Fellow, who won the prize for Scientific Research together with his colleagues at the University of New South Wales for their work which suggests the laws of physics vary across the cosmos.
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
