Winners of the 2025 Queensland Women in STEM Prize announced

14 November 2025

Queensland’s dedication to driving innovation and fostering diversity in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) was celebrated last night as the winners of the 2025 Queensland Women in STEM Prize were announced.

Now in its tenth year, the annual prize celebrates exceptional women across Queensland whose leadership and innovation in STEM is breaking barriers and shaping a more inclusive and impactful future.

Presented by Queensland Museum, in partnership with the Queensland Government through the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnership and Multiculturalism, the prize highlights the vital contributions of women to Queensland’s STEM landscape and aims to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

With a total prize pool of $30,000, the awards not only acknowledge the remarkable contributions of each recipient but also provide meaningful support for their ongoing work.

The 2025 winners and highly commended recipients exemplify the spirit of innovation and resilience, inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders and reinforcing Queensland’s reputation as a hub for scientific and technological advancement.

This year’s awards recognised excellence across three categories:

First Nations STEM Award – Dr Bridie Mulholland
A proud Jingili woman and cellular bone and cancer biologist, Dr Mulholland is leading reforms to embed First Nations perspectives in health sciences and medicine. Her work champions culturally safe, strengths-based education, research, and governance, advancing data sovereignty and representation across biomedical research.

Breaking Barriers Award – Dr Nathalie Bock
Biomedical engineer and Deputy Director of the Max Planck Queensland Centre, Dr Bock pioneers research combining materials science and cancer biology to improve outcomes for people with incurable cancer. She leads QUT’s Bone & Tumour Bioengineering Research Group, developing human-like tissue models to drive personalised medicine and biotech innovation.

Judges’ Award – Associate Professor Joy Wolfram
A global leader in nanomedicine, Associate Professor Wolfram advances next-generation therapeutics with strong clinical and public impact. A passionate educator and diversity advocate, she has transformed STEM teaching and created outreach initiatives like the Nanomedicine Workshop to inspire underrepresented groups.

To see the full list of award finalists, highly commended and winning recipients, visit Queensland Women in STEM Prize.