SIMS inaugural Director Professor Peter Steinberg wins NSW Premier’s Prize for Science and Engineering

A huge congratulations to Professor Peter Steinberg, inaugural Director of SIMS, on winning the Excellence in Biological Sciences award.

Prof Steinberg is one of the founders of the field of marine chemical ecology and a leader in the integration of macroecology and environmental microbiology. In recent years, he has become increasingly focused on building resilience into coastal systems faced with rapid environmental change, through habitat restoration and rehabilitation, and ‘eco-engineering’ of the built marine environment.

“Our local marine ecosystems make an enormous contribution to the wellbeing of NSW, and also mean a great deal to me personally, so I am really pleased to see those efforts recognised by this NSW Premier’s award,” Prof. Steinberg said.

Peter’s work has had major lasting impacts on NSW, national and global marine environments. He developed a model for disease in seaweeds that has been adopted internationally and led the establishment in Sydney of Australia’s most successful kelp forest restoration project, bringing crayweed back to reefs to provide essential habitat and food resources.

In his 14 years with us, Peter led the growth of SIMS from a single lab and aquarium at Chowder Bay to one of Australia’s most significant marine institutes. Under his leadership, SIMS has developed major marine science and outreach programs via a strongly collaborative approach with its community of partner universities, national marine stakeholders, philanthropic supporters and the broader public. Peter continues to contribute to SIMS success as an active member of our Foundation Board.