Published on the 12th September 2025 by ANSTO Staff
Outstanding Individuals and teams have been recognised by their peers for their outstanding work, innovation, excellence in the 2025 ANSTO Awards.
"Rewards and recognition are an important part of ANSTO culture. We are delighted to share highlights from our recent awards event for outstanding contributions," said CEO Shaun Jenkinson.
Distinguished Achievement Award – Dr Jamie Schulz
Dr Jamie Schulz, Leader of the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering. Although trained as a scientist, Dr Schulz moved into management and has led, as Leader and previously as Operations Manager at the former Bragg Institute, a large team of neutron-beam scientists, engineers, technicians, IT specialists, trades people and others at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering for the last twenty years. His adept operational management skills, solid leadership and commitment to staff have shaped his tenure and made the Centre into the thriving facility it is today with outstanding scientific output and an international reputation.
Leadership in Research Award – Dr Tom Creswell
Dr Tom Cresswell, recipient of the Leadership in Research Award, has exemplified visionary leadership through his stewardship of the Offshore Infrastructure Decommissioning Project (OID Project) in the Environment Research and Technology Group over the past five years. Driven by a relentless commitment to excellence, Dr Creswell has united a diverse network of collaborators—both inside ANSTO and external stakeholders—to harness pioneering nuclear science for ecological risk assessment of contaminants in decommissioned subsea oil and gas pipelines. This ambitious undertaking addresses a national challenge, targeting a liability in Australia’s oil and gas sector.
Excellence in Research Award – Prof Max Avdeev
Professor Max Avdeev stands at the forefront of scientific innovation, serving as a Senior Principal Instrument Scientist at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering and co-leader of the renowned high-resolution neutron powder diffractometer, Echidna. With a visionary spirit and resolute dedication to excellence, Max is a world authority in the field of neutron scattering—especially for cutting-edge energy materials destined for advanced battery technologies. His pioneering leadership has sparked a wave of progress, reflected in a remarkable record of peer-reviewed publications, vibrant national and international collaborations, and transformative advances that are shaping the future of science.
Partnerships and Collaborations with Impact Award – Dr Ravi Subbaramaiah
Dr Ravi Subbaramaiah has demonstrated exceptional technical expertise, innovation, and a strong commitment to a defence major welding project. His valuable contributions over the past three years have helped ANSTO secure funding, strengthening the organisation’s capabilities in high-fidelity thermo-metallurgical-mechanical simulations. His work has provided important insights into ship panel welding, benefiting the maritime industry and supporting ongoing progress in the field.
Leadership Excellence Award - Andreas Moll
Under Andreas Moll's s visionary guidance as the head of the newly established Scientific Computing team at Australian Synchrotron, the team played a pivotal role in the BRIGHT program, a flagship ANSTO initiative. Together, they have designed cutting-edge experiment orchestration systems and developed user-friendly interfaces now setting the standard for similar facilities worldwide. Andreas’s leadership has not only shaped a culture of success and growth but also propelled ANSTO’s technological reputation to new heights.
Outstanding Outreach Award – Julie Mulholland
Education Officer Julie Mulholland, a passionate advocate for STEMM education, plays a pivotal role in process of providing actual scientific data sets from ANSTO to science educators. She collaborates closely with the scientists behind each study, distilling their complex data into clear, accessible formats that preserve scientific integrity. Thanks to her care and expertise, students can now engage with real research, honing their analytical skills and gain firsthand insight into the scientific process at ANSTO.
George Collins Award for Innovation – Tobe Oste
Tobe Oste has pioneered a groundbreaking approach to neutron beam monochromation and focusing at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, introducing an ingenious technique never before utilised in the field. His design surpasses international counterparts—offering unmatched resilience, robustness, and cost-efficiency. Remarkably straightforward to manufacture, it eliminates the need for specialised machining or extreme component tolerances, making advanced technology more accessible than ever.
Diversity and Inclusion Outstanding Contribution Award- Bridget Murphy
Education Manager Bridget Murphy is a passionate advocate for the Deaf community and the heart behind an inspiring initiative at ANSTO. She sparked an innovative partnership with Deaf Australia and Deaf Connect, launching a groundbreaking program of hands-on science workshops delivered entirely in Auslan for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Teaming up with two brilliant Deaf Educators, David Parker and Christopher Makin, Bridget helped design and deliver unforgettable science experiences—customised, visual, and highly interactive—at 12 schools. Together, they took science to a new level, curating engaging events for the wider Deaf community, including the very first science-themed AuslanX lecture series at Sydney University during National Science Week, and dynamic workshops at the lively Sydney Deaf Festival in August.
