Frequently asked questions
You can apply for yourself, your organisation or program, a colleague, teacher or student.
No. Applicants must have received their conferral of a PhD degree no more than 24 months prior to the awards application deadline.
No. It is common for PhD graduates to gain employment overseas after completing their PhD.
All finalists (including PhD graduates) must work with the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science to develop a video of their achievements.
Individuals and teams with a background in mathematics will be eligible to apply. All applicants must read the eligibility criteria, conditions of entry and the guidelines before they start an application.
Both teams and individuals can apply for this award. There are no restrictions on the number of individuals in a team.
Most members of the team should be Australian citizens or residents. If there are international members on the team, please provide information about their role and reason for not being a citizen or resident (i.e. an international collaborator/contractor, a recent graduate applying for residency etc).
Industry applicants must obtain endorsement from their employer (CEO or chairperson) to be eligible for the SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards. Further eligibility criteria and conditions of entry are available in the guidelines.
You can include any evidence that addresses the criteria.
Yes, if you meet the conditions of entry, eligibility and section criteria for more than one category.
The Tall Poppy Award and the Unsung Hero Award are managed by external organisations.
For information on the Tall Poppy Award, visit Australian Institute of Policy and Science.
For information on the Unsung Hero Award, visit Inspiring South Australia.
You are free to use the videos and photos to increase exposure of your work and achievements with research, industry, education and government stakeholders. However, the following restrictions apply:
These assets cannot be edited or amended in any way and are owned by the Department of State Development.
You must state that assets are from the SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards or other.
Please use the hashtag #SAScienceAwards on social media platforms.
Winners and finalists' videos will be used for marketing and promotional activities by the Department of State Development and the Office for the Chief Scientist.
The objectives of the South Australian Science Excellence and Innovation Awards are to:
celebrate the importance of excellence, collaboration, innovation and translation of work across STEMM fields for a healthy economy, environment and community
recognise outstanding achievements by individuals and teams in STEMM research, innovation and education
highlight the critical role that South Australia’s STEMM leaders across research, industry, and education are playing in a changing world to deliver solutions for health, environmental, and economic challenges of the future
showcase the importance and diversity of STEMM professionals and careers for the current and future workforce.
For the 2025 Science Excellence and Innovation Awards program the key dates include:
Applications close 5pm Monday 28 April 2025
Judging will occur in May 2025
Finalists will be announced in June 2025
Filming of the finalist videos will commence from June 2025
Winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation in November 2025.
Yes. You can reapply if you meet all the conditions of entry, eligibility and selection criteria in the following year for either the same or a different category. Previous finalists can also reapply. Previous award winners can apply for a different award category should they meet relevant criteria.
The Department of State Development will transfer monies to the winner’s nominated bank account.
We recommend you seek independent advice from your financial adviser.
Professional development activities may contribute to the ongoing development of the individual or team. Examples may include leadership development courses, attending conferences beyond their field of research to broaden their understanding or collaboration opportunities or skills development in areas that could complement their current skills.
Award recipients and finalists may be required to undertake a number of local public events or activities in the year following their award, such as National Science Week, present addresses at official events, participate in judging panels or information sessions to promote the Awards.
Winners may also be invited to the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science Gala event at the discretion of the Commonwealth Government.
There is no appeal process for unsuccessful applications. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines to ensure they meet the conditions of entry and eligibility criteria before they start an application.
The judging panel comprises of key stakeholders from industry, research, government and education. Category winners from the previous year are invited to sit on the relevant panel.
It should not be assumed that panel members have a technical level of understanding. Applications should clear and concise using plain English.
