Renowned physical chemist becomes 1st SA Scientist of the Year
23/8/2007

South Australia has its first Scientist of the Year – internationally renowned physical chemist, Laureate Professor John Ralston - whose research has involved one of the most significant advances in mineral processing in decades.

 

The prestigious new $25,000 prize, created and funded by the State Government, was awarded last night by Science Minister Paul Caica as part of the South Australian Science Excellence Awards ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

 

Professor Ralston, from the University of South Australia, is the creator and Foundation Director of the Ian Wark Research Institute, known as ‘The Wark’, which has built an outstanding reputation around the world for high impact research and has become the national headquarters for the Australian Mineral Science Research Institute.

 

Minister Caica said the research outcomes of Professor Ralston and his team had been applied to a range of significant industrial problems.

 

“These have led to enormous improvements in productivity, profitability and environmental sustainability for industries in the mining, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and speciality chemicals sectors”, Minister Caica said

 

“It’s in the field of minerals processing that he has achieved his most significant advance: the development of a flotation model which is applied to increase the recovery and quality during minerals processing.  His research for the mining industry has led to productivity increases of more than $100-million per annum.

 

“By showing not only a willingness to work on applied research, but also an outstanding capacity to deliver the results to companies that seek his expert assistance, Professor Ralston and his team have achieved an enviable reputation around the world with users of their research.”

 

This new category of Scientist of the Year recognises an individual for their outstanding achievement in any area of scientific research that significantly advances knowledge and has the potential to produce a commercial outcome or benefit to the community, with the $25,000 prize to be used towards the winners’ research.

 

The new prize takes the total prize money for the State Government’s 2007 South Australian Science Excellence Awards to $125,000 a year.

 

Three other leading South Australian scientists also won SA Science Excellence Awards last night:

  • Professor Christopher Daniels from the University of South Australia’s School of Natural and Built Environments has taken out the award for Science Education and Communication Excellence. Professor Daniels is a science communicator with drive and enthusiasm who uses many forms of media to reach and involve different communities in environmental debate. He is a Professor of Urban Ecology and promotes the conservation of wildlife, biodiversity and the sustainable living practices in the urban environment.
  • Professor Jerzy Filar from the University of South Australia’s School of Mathematics and Statistics and the Institute of Sustainable Systems and Technologies has won the award for Science Leadership and Management Excellence. A first class mathematician of international renown, Professor Filar’s work is applied to major problems of significance outside the mathematics community in industry and the broader society. These include environmental modelling, the enhanced greenhouse effect, efficiency of operations, conflict resolution and managing uncertainty due to randomness.
  • Professor Timothy Hughes from the Institute of Medical And Veterinary Science has won the award for Excellence in Research for Public Good Outcomes. Dr Hughes work has had a major impact on the treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) patients around the world. The paradigms developed by Dr Hughes and his collaborators with CML are now being more widely applied to other targeted therapies used in oncology. Professor Hughes is Deputy Head of the Division of Haematology, IMVS & Hanson Institute.

The three winners will each receive $15,000 to progress with their research and initiatives, while the other six finalists in these categories will share $30,000 in prize money.

 

“We are fortunate to have many brilliant scientists in South Australia but the fact that they are little known to the general public highlights the need to do more to elevate not just the scientists themselves, but the significance of their work,” Minister Caica said.

 

“Science has an increasingly vital role to play in industry development, enhancing our international competitiveness, sustaining our environment and creating a healthier community.

 

“We need to inspire and encourage young South Australians to seek careers in science and we need to reinforce the passion and drive of those already working in the field.

 

“These prestigious awards, including the new award for our ‘top’ scientist of the year, will help us to achieve that by establishing role models and developing science identities - a technique that has been used with great success by other industries such as film, television and sports.”


SA Great is contracted by the State Government to manage the South Australian Science Excellence Awards program.