Media releases

Bush gardens bring in national science history prize

8 February 2013

The history of Australian bush gardens, tensions around coal mining and the Antarctic treaty were the winning topics for the national science history prize of original work by university students.

The Australian Academy of Science and National Museum of Australia (NMA) join together to award the biennial Mike Smith NMA Student Prize for the History of Australian Science or Australian Environmental History.

Christina Dyson of the University of Melbourne won the first prize of $3000 for her essay on Living fossils and mouth-watering stones: manipulating history in the post-WWII natural Australian plant garden.

Australian Academy of Science Secretary for Education and Public Awareness, Professor Jenny Graves, said Christina’s essay was considered truly outstanding by the Academy’s National Committee for History and Philosophy of Science.

“It provides a window into the crucial place of the humble garden in Australian history and demonstrates the shifting relationship between Australians and the land,” Professor Graves said.

Two runner-up prizes of $1000 each were awarded to contestants from the Australian National University.

Sonya Duus was selected for her essay on Contesting coal: echoes through time, and Alessandro Antonello was recognised for his essay on Repelling the ‘assault on the unknown’: Australia and the International Geophysical Year in Antarctica.

The prizes are awarded for essays based on original unpublished research undertaken whilst enrolled as a tertiary student.

“The Academy is proud to partner with the National Museum of Australia to encourage a broader understanding of the history of Australian science,” Professor Graves said.

“Science education and a public awareness of Australian science are vital to a healthy and informed Australian society.”

The award was renamed this year in recognition of the outstanding contributions of Dr Mike Smith, the Museum's pioneering desert archaeologist who was instrumental in establishing the prize.

The 2013 prize will be presented by Dr Smith at the Museum at 5pm today, at a symposium on his work over the last 30 years.