The Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing

The Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing was established in 2012 to recognise excellence in Australian science writing. The annual prize of A$7,000 is awarded to the best short non-fiction piece of science fiction with the aim of a general audience. Two runners up are awarded $1,500 each.

The prize is named in honour of Australia's first Nobel laureates, father and son team William Henry Bragg and Lawrence Bragg.{{cite web|url=https://unsw.press/the-unsw-press-bragg-prize-for-science-writing/|title=The UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing|publisher=University of New South Wales Press|access-date=22 March 2025}} The prize is supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the UNSW Faculty of Science.

An associated anthology, The Best Australian Science Writing (NewSouth Publishing){{cite web|url=https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/best-australian-science-writing-2014/|title=The Best Australian Science Writing 2014|website=Newsouthbooks.com.au}} collects the best of the year's science writing.

Winners

rowspan=3 \| 2016 \| Ashley Hay \|\| "The Forest at the Edge of Time" \|\| The Australian Book Review \|\| Winner \|\|
class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Author !! Work !! Source !! Result !! Ref.
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2012 \| Jo Chandler	Feeling the Heat (excerpt)	Melbourne University Publishing	Winner	{{cite web\|url=https://www.mup.com.au/books/feeling-the-heat-paperback-softback\|title=Feeling The Heat, Jo Chandler\|date=1 May 2011\|website=Melbourne University Publishing}}
Ashley Hay	"The Aussie Mozzie Posse"	Good Weekend	Runner Up	{{cite web \|author=Hay \|first=Ashley \|title=The Auzzie Mozzie Posse \|url=http://www.ashleyhay.com.au/uploads/4/1/8/6/4186872/ashley_hay_gw_wolbachia_mosquitoes.pdf \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217095202/http://www.ashleyhay.com.au/uploads/4/1/8/6/4186872/ashley_hay_gw_wolbachia_mosquitoes.pdf \|archive-date=2014-12-17 \|access-date=2022-03-28 \|website=Ashleyhay.com.au}}
Peter McAllister	"The Evolution of the Inadequate Modern Male"	Australasian Science	Runner Up	{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.australasianscience.com.au/article/issue-may-2011/evolution-inadequate-modern-male.html\|title=The Evolution of the Inadequate Modern Male\|magazine=Australasian Science}}
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2013 \| Fred Watson	"Here Come the Ubernerds: Planets, Pluto and Prague"	Star-Craving Mad: Tales from a Travelling Astronomer	Winner	{{cite web \| url=https://www.science.unsw.edu.au/news/award-astronomer-wins-science-writing-prize \| title=Award: Astronomer wins science writing prize \| work=UNSW Science for society \| date= October 30, 2013 \| access-date=August 1, 2017}}{{Cite book\|url=http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781742373768\|title=Star-Craving Mad \|author=Fred Watson\|year=2013 \|isbn=9781742373768\|publisher=Allen & Unwin\|location=Australia}}
Gina Perry	"Beyond the Shock Machine"	Behind the Shock Machine: The Untold Story of the Notorious Milgram Psychology Experiments	Runner Up	{{Cite web \|url=http://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/title/behind-the-shock-machine/ \|title=Behind the Shock Machine\|publisher=Scribe Publications \|access-date=10 November 2014 \|archive-date=10 November 2014 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110074758/http://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/title/behind-the-shock-machine/ \|url-status=dead }}
Chris Turney	"Martyrs to Gondwanaland: The Cost of Scientific Exploration"	1912: The Year the World Discovered Antarctica	Runner Up	{{cite book\|url=https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/1912\|title=1912: The Year the World Discovered Antarctica\|author=Chris Turney\|date=25 July 2012\|publisher=Text Publishing Company \|isbn=9781921922725}}
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2014 \| Jo Chandler	"Tb and Me: A Medical Souvenir"	The Global Mail	Winner	{{cite web\|url=https://www.theglobalmail.org/\|title=Bitcoin Blockchain IoT\|date=24 October 2017\|website=Theglobalmail.org}}
Frank Bowden	"Eleven Grams of Trouble"	Inside Story	Runner Up	{{Cite web\|url=https://insidestory.org.au/eleven-grams-of-trouble/\|title=Eleven grams of trouble\|date=March 18, 2014\|website=Insidestory.org.au}}
Peter Meredith	"Weathering the Storm"	Australian Geographic	Runner Up	{{Cite web \|url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/magazine/archive/volume_115\|number=115\|magazine=Australian Geographic\|title=Weathering the storm\|pages=39–54\|date=July–August 2013\|access-date=10 November 2014 \|archive-date=10 November 2014 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110075855/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/magazine/archive/volume_115 \|url-status=dead }}
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2015 \| Christine Kenneally	"The Past May Not Make You Feel Better"	The Invisible History of the Human Race	Winner	{{Cite web \|date=2015-10-28 \|title=Winning essay explores genetic testing \|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/winning-essay-explores-genetic-testing/7fhziceoz \|access-date=2025-05-10 \|website=SBS News \|language=en}}
Idan Ben-Barak	"Why Aren't We Dead Yet"	Why Aren't We Dead Yet	Runner Up
Trent Dalton	"Beating the Odds"	The Weekend Australian	Runner Up
Susan Double	"Beautiful Contrivances"	Orchids Australia	Runner Up
Fiona McMillan	"Lucy's Lullaby: Song for the Ages"	The Australian Book Review	Runner Up	{{cite web \| url=https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/essay-eucalypts-wins-science-writing-prize \| title=Essay on eucalypts wins science writing prize \| website=Newsroom.unsw.edu.au \| date=November 11, 2016 \| access-date=August 1, 2017 \| author=Smith, Deborah}}
rowspan=3 \| 2017 \| Alice Gordon \|\| "Trace Fossils: The Silence of Ediacara, the Shadow of Uranium" \|\| Griffith Review No. 55 – State of Hope \|\| Winner \|\| {{cite web\|title=Time to Bragg about science writing\|url=https://research.flinders.edu.au/RP/Blog/4482/research-engagement-and-impact-time-to-bragg-about-science-writing\|website=Inspiring Research Flinders University\|access-date=16 February 2018}}
Jo Chandler	"Grave Barrier Reef"	The Australian	Runner Up	{{cite web\|title=The Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing 2017 Winner Announced\|url=http://www.newsouthpublishing.com/articles/bragg-unsw-press-prize-science-writing-2017-winner-announced/\|website=NewSouth Publishing\|access-date=16 February 2018}}
Elmo Keep	"The Pyramid at the End of the World"	The Australian	Runner Up	{{cite web\|title=The Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing 2017 Winner Announced\|url=http://www.newsouthpublishing.com/articles/bragg-unsw-press-prize-science-writing-2017-winner-announced/\|website=NewSouth Publishing\|access-date=16 February 2018}}
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2018 \| Andrew Leigh	"From Bloodletting to Placebo Surgery"	Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World	Winner
Jo Chandler	"Amid Fear and Guns, Polio Finds a Refuge"	Undark	Runner Up
Margaret Wertheim	"Radical Dimensions"	Aeon	Runner Up	{{Cite news\|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/11/07/119070/leigh-wins-2018-bragg-unsw-press-prize-for-science-writing/\|title=Leigh wins 2018 Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing {{!}} Books+Publishing\|access-date=2018-11-07\|language=en-AU}}
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2019 \| Melissa Fyfe	"Getting Cliterate"	Good Weekend	Winner	{{Cite web\|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/11/08/142146/fyfe-wins-2019-bragg-unsw-press-prize-for-science-writing/\|title=Fyfe wins 2019 Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing\|last=\|first=\|date=8 November 2019\|website=Books+Publishing\|language=en-AU\|archive-url=\|archive-date=\|access-date=2019-11-08}}
Cameron Muir	"Ghost Species and Shadow Places"	Griffith Review	Runner Up
Jackson Ryan	"How Crispr Could Save Six Billion Chickens from the Meat Grinder"	CNET	Runner Up
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2020 \| Ceridwen Dovey	"True Grit"	Wired	Winner	{{Cite web\|last=\|first=\|date=2020-11-26\|title=Dovey wins 2020 Bragg Prize for Science Writing\|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/11/26/160202/dovey-wins-2020-bragg-prize-for-science-writing/\|archive-url=\|archive-date=\|access-date=2020-11-26\|website=Books+Publishing}}
Sarah Waples	"Winging It"	The Weekend Australian Magazine	Runner Up	{{Cite web \|url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/news/2020/11/26/bragg-winner-announced.html \|title=Bragg Prize 2020 Winner Announced \|website=University of Sydney\|date=2020-11-26\|access-date=2020-11-26}}
Kirsten Weir	"The Year I Broke My Brain"	New Scientist	Runner Up
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan=3 \| 2021 \| Kirsten Weir	"Covid-19 in Schools: The Perfect Storm"	Scientific American	Winner	{{Cite web\|title=Bragg Prize 2021 winner announced\|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/10/28/190489/bragg-prize-2021-winner-announced/\|website=Books+Publishing\|access-date=2021-10-28}}
Ben Oliver	"The Covid Lab Leak Theory"	Wired	Runner Up
Anna Funder	"In Praise of the Liberal Arts"	The Guardian	Runner Up
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan="3" \| 2021 \| Ceridwen Dovey	[https://www.alxr.com/stories/everlasting-free-fall "Everlasting Free Fall"]	Alexander (app)	Winner
Jo Chandler	"The Covid-climate Collision"	Unspecified	Runner-up
Jackson Ryan	"To the Dragon Palace and Back"	Unspecified	Runner-up
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan="3" \| 2022 \| Lauren Fuge	"Time Travel and Tipping Points"	Cosmos Magazine	Winner
Olivia Willis	"Spillover in Suburbia"	Unspecified	Runner-up
Helen Sullivan	"A Syrian Seed Bank's Fight to Survive"	Unspecified	Runner-up
style="background:lightyellow" ! rowspan="3" \| 2023 \| Nicky Phillips	"Trials of the Heart"	Nature	Winner
Jo Chandler	"Buried Treasure"	Unspecified	Runner-up
Amalyah Hart	"Model or Monster"	Unspecified	Runner-up
rowspan="3" \| 2024 \| Cameron Stewart\|\| "Heroes of Zero" \|\| The Weekend Australian \|\| Winner \|\|
Dyani Lewis	"The World's Oldest Story Is Flaking Away. Can Scientists Protect It?"	Unspecified	Runner-up
Amanda Niehaus	"Dog People"	Unspecified	Runner-up

References

External links

{{official|https://unsw.press/the-unsw-press-bragg-prize-for-science-writing/}}
{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography|id2=bragg-sir-william-henry-5336|title=Sir William Henry Bragg (1862–1942)|author=S. G. Tomlin|volume=7|year=1979|ref=none}}

Category:Australian literary awards

Category:2012 establishments in Australia

Category:University of New South Wales

Category:Australian science and technology awards