The Peter Doherty Awards for Excellence in STEM Education recognise students, teachers, support officers, schools and education partners (volunteers, mentors and organisations) who demonstrate an outstanding and innovative contribution to STEM education in Queensland.

Nominations are open for the 2026 Peter Doherty Awards for Excellence STEM Education. There are 8 categories with bursaries of $5,000 each awarded to eligible and successful individuals, education partnerships and schools.

The 2026 awards categories are:

• 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
• STEM Education Partnership Awards
• Outstanding School STEM Awards.

The awards are open to all schools in Queensland. The specific criteria for each 2026 category are listed below:

Students who have:

• completed Year 11 in a Queensland school and are currently enrolled in at least 2 approved Year 12 senior science, technology, engineering or mathematics subjects (STEM)
• attained an A standard of achievement or equivalent in at least 2 applicable Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority or other approved curriculum senior STEM subjects in Year 11.

Teachers who:

• work in a Queensland school and have implemented strategies to lift student performance in STEM
• work in a Queensland early childhood education context and have implemented strategies to engage children in STEM learning
• inspire others by ensuring every student succeeds through their ongoing contributions to the learning outcomes of both students and other staff and/or community.

School-based STEM support officers: Scientific assistants, teacher aides or other support officers who support the operational aspects of a dynamic and efficient STEM school curriculum.

Schools:  Schools that demonstrate initiative and commitment in managing and promoting STEM across the whole school and within the community.

Education partners:  Schools that encourage productive (STEM) partnerships with Queensland schools, tertiary, industry, business, government, research or education institutions. Education partners may also be a school volunteer, school mentor, community organisation or a cluster of schools working together on productive (STEM) initiatives.

Note: Environmental Education Centres and Outdoor Education Centres are established institutions that provide education instruction to state school students, and should apply for the STEM Education Partnership Awards.

• Email: peterdohertyawards@det.qld.gov.au