Teaching Winners - Prime Minister’s 2022 Prizes for Science

The two teacher winners of this year’s Prime Ministers’ Prizes For Science come from very different backgrounds but share similar goals and their outstanding work in enriching science teaching for young people has won them $50,000 each.

Marble Bar Primary School’s STEM Coordinator, Mr George Pantazis winner of the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools has used two-way learning to empower students to become teachers and showcases First Nations science and art to the world. 

Mr Pantazis works with local Elders, organisations and industry leaders to combine local First Nations knowledge of the East Pilbara region with virtual and augmented reality technologies and delivers a unique learning experience.  

Mr Pantazis has integrated the local Nyamal language (a critically endangered language) into the school’s STEM program and has worked with students to create the only copyrighted digital First Nations seasonal calendar in Western Australia. 

ViewBank College’s Head of Technology and STEAM Project Leader, Ms Veena Nair has won the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools.

As a leading educator in STEAM, Ms Nair has more than 20 years’ experience teaching science-based subjects across 3 different countries - India, the United Arab Emirates and now Australia. 

Ms Nair focuses on the practical application of science to students and how they can use their skills to make a real impact in the world.  

Ms Nair is always looking to make STEAM more engaging and her work has increased the number of students who receive first round offers to study engineering and technology subjects at university, especially young females and students from diverse backgrounds. 

Oceanographer Professor Trevor McDougall has received the $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, for his pioneering work in understanding the ocean’s role in regulating climate.

Professor McDougall is a leading global authority on oceanography and ocean thermodynamics.

Two teams received the $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in 2022.

The SpeeDx Team at the National Innovation Centre, comprising Dr Elisa Mokany and Adjunct Professor Alison Todd, was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in recognition of their outstanding contribution to public health. Their invention of highly advanced molecular diagnostic tests are now distributed worldwide.

The PhotonAssay Team of Dr James Tickner, Dr Nick Cutmore and Mr Dirk Treasure was also awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation for their development and successful commercialisation of revolutionary automated technology to measure gold and other valuable metals and minerals in ore samples.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “Our prize recipients demonstrate why science is key to Australia’s future. Tackling climate change is one of the great scientific challenges of our era and understanding our oceans is absolutely critical.”