Graham Farquhar leads ANU nominees for 2018 Australian of the Year awards

Publication date
Friday, 3 Nov 2017
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Distinguished scientist and ANU Professor Graham Farquhar AO leads the list of ANU community members nominated for the 2018 Australian of the Year Awards for the ACT.

Professor Farquhar has been nominated for the ACT Senior Australian of the Year, while law student Caitlin Figueiredo and former student Sian Keys have been nominated for the ACT Young Australian of the Year award.

They are among 16 nominees for the ACT awards, with the ACT winners to be announced on Monday 6 November. National winners will then be announced ahead of Australia Day in January.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC congratulated the nominees.

"ANU is tremendously proud of the contributions made by Graham, Caitlin and Sian, and on behalf of the University I congratulate them on their nominations," Professor Schmidt said.

Professor Farquhar, from the ANU Research School of Biology at the College of Science, earlier this year became the first Australian to win the prestigious Kyoto Prize. He was recognised for his work in plant biophysics and photosynthesis, which has involved research on water-efficient crops and the impacts of climate change.

Caitlin Figueiredo is studying a double degree at ANU in Law (Hons) and Development Studies and was recently nominated as one of the 100 Women of Influence in Australia.

Sian Keys has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science Communication from the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS), has been nominated for encouraging young people into science.