Sponsorship opportunities for the 2012 Research Australia Awards at The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, on 14 November, are now available. 

On Wednesday 16 November 2011 Research Australia handed out our annual awards recognising some of Australia’s most prominent voices in science, advocacy and philanthropy.

More than 160 guests attended the dinner and Research Australia CEO Elizabeth Foley said “We are pleased to have such a strong showing of our community this year; to us this represents a real coming together in what has been at times a difficult year for the sector. With the threat of funding cuts and the general economic climate presenting many challenges we feel it is all the more important to celebrate our many successes.”

Also showing their support were Victorian Minister for Innovation, Services & Small Business, Hon. Louise Asher MP, former Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Dr Michael Wooldridge, Mr Peter Wills AO, the Deputy Chair of Research Australia and top ranking representatives of Australia’s scientific, academic and business community.

The awards were held in the Great Hall at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria, a nod to the creativity involved in successful research, where guests were treated to dinner and dancing while Research Australia presented seven awards honouring achievements in scientific discovery, leadership, philanthropy, advocacy and two career awards. A new award, the Peter Wills Medal was created to recognise an outstanding contribution to building Australia’s national and international reputation in the realm of health and medical research and was presented to Professor John Shine AO FAA of The Garvan Institute in NSW. View images from the awards night.

Awards were presented to:

• 2011 Research Australia National Youth Ambassador - Miss Simran Dhaliwal

• Griffith University Discovery Award – Oliver Baumann B.S.c, M.S.c., PhD

• Leadership & Innovation Award – Doug Hilton PhD FAA FTSE

• Leadership in Corporate Giving – David Jones

• Hunter Medical Research Institute Great Australian Philanthropy Award – The

  Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation

• Bupa Advocacy Award – Stephen R Leeder

• Research Australia Lifetime Achievement Award – Laureate Professor Peter C.

  Doherty, AC FAA FRS

• The Peter Wills Medal – Professor John Shine AO FAA

The night was supported by event partners Bupa, which has supported Research Australia since 2007 when the Bupa Health Foundation became the sole founding member of the alliance.

"Bupa is delighted to be the official awards partner of the 2011 Research Australia Awards," said Hisham El-Ansary, Bupa's Director of Strategy and Commercial Development. "Supporting Australian health and medical research is an important priority for us at Bupa; one that we believe has delivered immense benefits to all Australians through better health and medical care."

For more information on the awards, or to speak with any of our award winners or a representative of Research Australia please contact: Melissa Harris 02 9295 8546 or melissa.harris@researchaustralia.org