Finalists in our Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize

For their insightful, creative and amusing takes on science topics, five finalists and 15 highly commended award winners have been anounced today in our University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prizes. 

The prizes are named after the Sleek Geeks - Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney, and Adam Spencer, Mathematics and Science Ambassador at the University of Sydney.    

All five finalists will find out which prize they have won on 28 August at the Eureka Prizes awards dinner in the Sydney Town Hall.

Primary school finalists

Evelyn Cahill and Lucy Carlisle, from Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, NSW

In their film, Polar Bears Need their Ice, Ice Baby, Evelyn and Lucy explain how the use of air conditioners in Australia may be damaging the habitats of polar bears. They conduct experiments to demonstrate global warming and offer practical ideas for living more sustainably.

Finn Thomas, from St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Concord, NSW

Inspired by the book Jurassic Park, Finn ponders what life would be like today if a dinosaur species were to be resurrected. In his film, Can We Bring Dinosaurs Back to Life?, Finn explores the science and biotechnology critical to this notion and explains the challenges scientists would face.

High school finalists

Ellie Cole and Tsambika Galanos, from Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, NSW

What do cosmetics, clothing and toothpaste have in common? They all contain microplastics. In Fish Fiasco, Ellie and Tsambika investigate how microplastics might end up in the ocean. They interview scientific experts, visit a wastewater treatment plant and even study fish stomach contents to uncover how society's use of plastic impacts the environment.

Jonathan Davis, from Townsville Grammar School, QLD

Neutrinos are subatomic particles that come from stars and nuclear reactions, and as Jonathan shows in Neutrinos – The Sky’s the Limit,they are all around us. Jonathan’s film uses creative multimedia techniques to reveal the implications that neutrinos have for physics and human life as a whole.

Aiden Irving and Thomas Lovell, from Oakhill College, NSW

In April 2019 history was made when astronomers revealed the first ever image of a black hole. In How Was the Picture of a Black Hole Taken? Aiden and Thomas explore the physics of event horizons, the mechanics of cameras, and how Very Long Baseline Interferometry works, to understand how a black hole was imaged.

Highly Commended - primary school

• Anti-venom: The Lifesaver Lillian Branson, home-schooled
• The Science of Stings Griffin Chong, St Peters Lutheran College, QLD
• Inertia Asher De Vries and Noah Green, home-schooled
• All About DNA Tadhg Harmer, home-schooled
• Turn it Down Annabelle Roxburgh, Presbyterian Ladies' College Sydney, NSW
• Are we choking the croak? Maria Skiadopoulos, St Martha's Catholic Primary School, NSW
• Storms and Cyclones may break my homes, but ‘Quakes will… Jake Sullivan, Our Lady Help of Christians School, QLD
• Medical Ultrasound Mia Grace Tan and Wasemee Kingston, Solway Primary School, VIC

Highly Commended - high school

• The Evolution Song Aneirin Galloway McLean, St Leonard's College, VIC
• GMOs: Why the Debate? Emily Gasparini, Grace Gasparini and Jasmine Duan, Carlingford High School, NSW
• Cunjevoi: Is it Plant or an Animal? Samuel Malone, Kedron State High School, QLD
• Bipolar Disorder Bella Merlino and Loredana Leonard, Santa Sabina College, NSW
• Colour My World Laney Rowland, Emily Jones, Nikki Buttler, St Mark's Anglican Community School, WA
• Racing Science Toby Trenwith, Salisbury High School, SA
• The Foundations of Electronics Sandin Jayasekera, Kooringal High School, NSW