Published Wednesday, 13 August, 2025 at 11:19 AM

Minister for Education and the Arts
The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek

Peter Doherty Awards celebrate STEM excellence 

  • Crisafulli Government celebrates next generation of STEM professionals.
  • 28 successful recipients awarded $5,000 to empower further learning opportunities.
  • 22nd year of awards to honour students and educators who make outstanding contributions to STEM. 

The Crisafulli Government has delivered the 22nd year of the Peter Doherty Awards to recognise and celebrate Queensland students’ outstanding achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

Across the State, 28 awards have been presented across eight categories, including to a Queensland high school student whose medical research has been presented to global audiences.  

Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology student Claire Kong is one of 15 Outstanding Senior Student Award winners. 

Claire has represented her school at a national and international level with her human papillomavirus (HPV) research, while her extracurricular STEM work includes a year-long study into cervical cancer immunotherapies. 

The Awards are named after a Brisbane-born, Nobel Prize-winning scientist who was educated at Indooroopilly State High School and The University of Queensland. 

Each award carries a prize of $5,000, with a total prize pool of $140,000, to be used in pursuit of further STEM education or professional development. 

The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for education with a $21.9 billion Education Budget, which includes $1.09 billion to build 15 new schools and $222.1 million for the More Teachers, Better Education Plan to improve behaviour, reduce red tape for teachers and help lift results.  

Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the Crisafulli Government is committed to delivering a world-class STEM education in Queensland schools. 

“We encourage all students to engage with STEM through initiatives like our annual STEM Girl Power camp, Queensland Virtual Academy and the Premier’s Coding Challenge,” Minister Langbroek said. 

"We’re delivering a fresh start in education, by getting back to the basics with a renewed focus on Mathematics and English to unleash every student's full potential, as well as more support for teachers in the classroom and less red tape.  

“The Peter Doherty Awards recognise the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as the driving forces of the world of today, and of tomorrow. 

“These students, educators and institutions are being celebrated for their outstanding contributions in the demanding, yet promising, fields of STEM. 

“We are proud to support the future innovators who will help to shape the world we live in.” 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: Chanelle Macbeth 0487 939 247 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

The awards recognise outstanding and innovative contributions to STEM education in Queensland from state and non-state schools across 8 categories including:

Outstanding Senior STEM Student Awards
Outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Senior STEM Student Awards
Outstanding Rural and Remote Senior STEM Student Awards
Outstanding Teacher of STEM Awards
Outstanding Rural and Remote Teacher of STEM Awards
Outstanding STEM Support Officer Awards
Outstanding School STEM Awards, and
STEM Education Partnership Awards.