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Presented to the submission that has been deemed via the judging process to demonstrate significant contribution to understanding, or resolving local or global environmental problems, through research.
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"We are continually faced on a day-to-day basis with environmental challenges; these challenges are as unique and varied as our natural environment. To provide assistance and support for sustainable and innovative solutions, Banksia together with Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific provides a researcher/research project with this award of $30,000.
The award is a key element of the program offered by the Banksia Environmental Foundation. Research underpins any progress that we can make in the area of protecting our unique natural environment, whether it is in the area of combating climate change right through to protecting our precious biodiversity, we need to ensure that Australian research is encouraged and promoted for all our sakes.”
Graz van Egmond
Executive Director
Banksia Environmental Foundation
Entering the Mercedes-Benz Australian Environmental Research Award
Please note: There are no fees associated with entering this award
Before downloading the kit, please read the information provided below
About previous recipients
Quick find:
Use the following links to access specific award information
General Eligibility
Your research must have recent significance, with results shown over the last two years. The initiative must be primarily undertaken in Australia, or must be shown to have a substantial environmental impact in Australia. The organisation or individual must not have been prosecuted for a violation of any environmental, social or commercial law in Australia or overseas in the past 12 months.
Refer to Award Entry Kit for extra eligibility requirements.
How to enter the Award
Before submiting an entry in the Mercedes-Benz Australian Research Award you need to do the following:
1. Deciding to enter-
a. make sure that you are eligible (see general eligibility)
c. don't forget to check the other awards such as the Banksia Category Awards (separate entry required), the Prime Minister' Environmentalist of the Year Award (separate entry required) or the Environment Minister's Young Environmentalist of the Year Award (separate entry required).
Each of these awards have separate entry kits.
2. Download an entry kit
a. the Award Entry Kit should provide you with all the information you require such as:
- submission requirements including entry format and supporting documentation;
- category criteria and
- entry form.
b. You will need to register your information with us when you download any Award Entry Kits.
It is important to register for our email newsletter also as this is our method of communicating with you during the Award period to advise of any changes, deadlines or other important information.
3. Make sure you are familiar with the Award timelines.
4. Attend the free Banksia Award Entry Information Sessions which are run nationally in May 2010.
a. the sessions are designed to assist you with preparing your entry providing useful tips.
b. it is a useful forum to get questions answered.
5. Check out the FAQs section
6. If after steps 1 to 6 you have any further questions please contact us.
Contact Details
For all award queries
p: 03 9684 4667
e: award query email
a: Level 1, 40 Albert Road, South Melbourne 3205
Back to Quick Find
2009 Mercedes-Benz Australian Environmental Research Award Recipient
Dr. Amanda Barnard, CSIRO
Environmental Nanotechnology: Predicting the Interaction of Artificial Nanoparticles with Natural Environments
As we search for solutions to our future energy needs, carbon emissions, global warming, industrial toxins, and disease, it is clear that keeping the balance between technological development and environmental protection has never been harder.
Nanoscale materials, only millionths of a millimetre in size, may offer solutions to our biggest problems. However, care is needed as these new ‘nanoparticles’ are largely untested, are (literally) unique on an atomic scale, and we have little or no historical data to guide assumptions regarding the possible risks.
Using highly accurate supercomputer simulations, Dr Amanda Barnard's research focuses on predicting the environmental stability of nanoparticles, to understand how these tiny artificial pieces of matter interact with natural ecosystems.
Dr Amanda Barnard is an internationally reknown scientist, with many years experience in predicting the properties of dozens of different nanoparticles. Her ground-breaking theoretical models can see a path through the complexity of this problem, and investigate situations that experiments cannot.
As more and more nanoparticles are produced in laboratories, and introduced into everyday products, Dr Barnard’s predictive model will be in great demand, but priority number one is to understand what happens when nanoparticles are exposed to our most precious resources, air and water.
Previous recipients
- 2008 - Professor Matthew England, University of New South Wales
- 2007 - Molectra Technologies
- 2006 - Professor David Lindenmayer, Australian National University
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Current Awards
