The University of Western Australia has a continual roll call of awards, scholarships and prizes presented to staff and students.

To recognise these achievements, an article is published on the UWA news page on the website and in UWA Forward on the first week of every month. If you know of great awards or achievements across the University please email [email protected]

Name: Michael Tobar
Achievement: Professor Michael Tobar, from UWA’s School of Physics, Maths and Computing, has been awarded the 2025 IFCS Sawyer Award recognising his outstanding contributions to the field of precise timekeeping. Professor Tobar was acknowledged for the development and characterisation of low-noise, high-Q resonators and sensors and their application to testing fundamental physics. Nominees are judged on the degree of initiative, ingenuity, and creativity displayed; the quality of the work and degree of success attained; and the overall importance of the work and its impact on frequency control and associated communities.

Name: Leigh Simmons
Achievement:  Emeritus Professor Leigh Simmons, from UWA's School of Biological Sciences, has been elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Professor Simmons was elected in the class Evolution and Ecology. The academy honours excellence and convened leaders from across disciplines and divides who examine new ideas, address issues of importance, and work together “to advance the interest, honour, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people".

Name:  Minghao Zheng
Achievement: UWA spinout company Marine Biomedical has been recognised in the 2025 WA Regional Business Excellence Awards with a Leading with Innovation award and named a finalist in the Excellence in Environmental Sustainability. Under the leadership of Professor Minghao Zheng, from UWA’s School of Biomedical Sciences  and Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Sciences, the University collaborated with Willie Creek Pearls for the establishment of Marine Biomedical to commercialise a patented technology that converts nacre into an orthopaedic medical device known as PearlBone—a bone substitute designed to treat fractures and bone infections. The revolutionary biomaterial not only accelerates bone healing but also ensures that carbon remains stored within the human body for years to come.

Name: Ritika Kar Bahal and Mark Nicol
Achievement:  Dr Ritika Kar Bahal and Professor Mark Nicol, from UWA’s School of Biomedical Science, have been recognised as one of four 2024 Nature Awards Microbiome Accelerator finalists for microbiome research and translation, for their work in developing a live biotherapeutic (or 'probiotic') to prevent respiratory infections in children. The awards followed a globally-competitive application process and come with a $10,000 prize to support the commercialisation of their research, attendance at an immersive residential training program and the opportunity to engage with Seed Health to explore mutual interests in forming a collaboration.

Name: Sarah Prickett and Kylie Bishop
Achievement: Lecturer Sarah Prickett and administration officer Kylie Bishop were recognised in the WA Centre for Rural Health staff awards. Ms Prickett was recognised for creating placement and community opportunities to benefit students and community members with disabilities. She collaborated with organisations to create school holiday and cricket programs in Mullewa, Yalgoo and Mount Magnet. Ms Bishop helped to organise the fit-out of the Roebourne student accommodation, contributing to all stages of the project. The awards recognise extraordinary service, research and achievement within WACRH and the communities it serves.

Name: Rachel Ryan and Alyce Smith
Achievement: Rachel Ryan and Alyce Smith were recognised in the WA Centre for Rural Health student awards. Ms Ryan, a UWA Bachelor of Biomedical Science student, came to WACRH on a McCusker internship and worked on a podcast media strategy project. Ms Smith, UWA WA Master of Clinical Audiology student, returned to WACRH for a second placement to collaborate and deliver audiology services to children in Mullewa, Yalgoo and Mount Magnet in a culturally responsive manner. The awards recognise extraordinary service, research and achievement within WACRH and the communities it serves.


Name: Bob Loucks and Marco Fiorentini
Achievement:  Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Bob Loucks, from UWA’s Centre for Exploration Targeting, and co-authors Gonzalo Henríquez and Professor Marco Fiorentini, have been awarded the Brian J. Skinner Award from the Society of Economic Geologists, for the paper Zircon and Whole-Rock Trace Element Indicators of Magmatic Hydration State and Oxidation State Discriminate Copper Ore-Forming from Barren Arc Magmas. The awarded paper presented an innovative approach to identifying copper fertility in arc magmas by analysing zircon and whole-rock trace elements. The prestigious award, presented annually, recognises the most innovative and original paper published in Economic Geology appearing in any of the eight issues of a single volume of the journal. The award is judged on technical excellence, innovation and impact on the science of economic geology.

Name: Paul McIlhiney
Achievement: Paul McIlhiney, from UWA Medical School and Ear Science Institute Australia, is a recipient of an AXA Fellowship on Navigating Misinformation and Trust Erosion in the Digital Age. His research interests include memory, decision-making, cognition, neuropsychology, misinformation, perceptual psychology, mental health and psychometrics. The AXA Research Fund supports postdoctoral research projects that examine the transformation and evolving dynamics of social contracts from actionable, interdisciplinary perspectives.  The social contracts need to be transformed to address the intersection of demographic shifts, migration, and labour market demands, ensuring inclusive and sustainable policies that foster social mobility and intergenerational equity.

Congratulations UWA staff, alumni and students.

Image above: Dr Ritika Kar Bahal and Professor Mark Nicol.