University of Sydney researchers took home a raft of awards at the 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes held in Sydney last night. The annual awards, now in their 36th year, are Australia’s most comprehensive national science awards. 

“This year’s Eureka Prizes truly celebrate the breadth of issues being tackled by our researchers,” said University of Sydney Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Ryan. 

“From tackling melanoma and substance abuse, to improving quantum technologies that will advance next generation energy and drug discovery, the University of Sydney’s winners highlight the focus and tenacity of outstanding academic pursuit and the University’s continued contribution to the public good.”

Faculty of Medicine and Health

Professor Maree Teesson AC received a double accolade, winning the Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and the Eureka Prize for Societal Impact in Science as part of the OurFutures Vaping Program team. An international leader in mental health and substance use research and Director of the University’s Matilda Centre, she has advanced prevention and treatment, including via school-based programs reaching 300,000 students in Australia and overseas.

Dr Lauren Gardner from the Matilda Centre is the lead researcher on the multi-institutional OurFutures Vaping Program. The program empowers adolescents to avoid vaping via digital lessons, providing practical health and wellbeing education. Trialled in 40 schools, it reduced the odds of vaping by 65 percent in one year.

Professor Georgina Long AO, Medical Director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, and Chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Translational Research received the Eureka Prize for Scientific Research. A former joint Australian of the Year, Professor Long transformed melanoma care by pioneering neoadjuvant immunotherapy, given before surgery, and leading international drug development. Her research reduced recurrence or death risk by 68 percent, lifted survival 10-fold in stage IV disease and 24-fold in brain metastases, and created tools to identify patients needing new approaches.

Faculty of Engineering

Professor Vincent Gramoli, from the School of Computer Science and founder of the Redbelly Network (NSW) was winner of the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia. Professor Gramoli designed the Redbelly Blockchain, cybersecurity software enabling users to exchange assets more securely, safeguarding Australia’s financial resilience. Redbelly is one of the fastest blockchains in production. It was selected by the Reserve Bank of Australia to participate in its Project Acacia research initiative, exploring how digital money and associated settlement infrastructure can enhance the functioning of Australia’s wholesale asset markets. 

Faculty of Science

Associate Professor in Forensic Psychology Helen Paterson won the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Forensic Science. Associate Professor Paterson’s research focuses on how police and courts understand victim-survivor testimony in domestic and family violence cases. Her research shows how repeated abuse and coercive control affect memory. It has informed interviewing practices, credibility assessment and legal interpretation to support more accurate investigations and fairer justice outcomes.

The Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research was awarded to Professor Ivan Kassal and Associate Professor Ting Rei Tan, both from the University of Sydney Nano Institute. Achieving a step change in the way quantum computers can simulate complex molecular function using one of Australia’s most powerful quantum devices, they have improved quantum resource efficiency by more than a million-fold. Their work has led to advances in materials, energy and drug discovery.