Premier's Science Awards: People's Choice Award

By submitting a vote in the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards: People’s Choice Award, participants accept and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions.

Eligibility

1. Voting in the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards: People’s Choice Award (2026 People’s Choice Award) is open to anyone who can access and submit the online voting form. Voters do not need to be Western Australian residents to participate.
2. All applicants and selected finalists for the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards are eligible to vote in the 2026 People’s Choice Award.
3. Judges of the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards and staff from the Science and Innovation Division of the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (the Department) are not eligible to vote in the 2026 People’s Choice Award.
4. All Finalists for a 2026 Premier’s Science Award are eligible to receive the 2026 People’s Choice Award. This includes finalists for the Awards of:
   1. Scientist of the Year;
   2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist of the Year;
   3. Mid-Career Scientist of the Year;
   4. Early Career Scientist of the Year;
   5. Student Scientist of the Year;
   6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander STEM Student of the Year;
   7. Government Science Project of the Year;
   8. STEM Educator of the Year – Schools (Primary and Secondary);
   9. STEM Educator of the Year – Tertiary (Universities and Registered Training Organisations); and
   10. Science Engagement Initiative of the Year.

Voting process 

5. Each participant may submit only one vote in the 2026 People’s Choice Award for one 2026 Premier’s Science Awards Finalist chosen from across all categories. Participants are encouraged to read the profiles of all the Finalists before submitting their vote. 
6. Only votes submitted using the online voting form will be accepted.
7. Voting will open at 9:00am AWST 30 July 2026 and 12:00pm AWST 7 September 2026. Votes received outside the voting period will not be accepted.

Vote verification and integrity 

8. To cast an eligible vote, the participant is required to provide their full name and email address. 
9. The Department reserves the right to verify the validity of votes and to disqualify any vote it reasonably suspects to be invalid, duplicate, fraudulent, misleading, improperly submitted or otherwise inconsistent with these terms and conditions or the intent of the voting process.
10. Participants must not engage in any conduct that may compromise the fairness, security or integrity of the voting process. 
11. The Department may implement verification measures to protect the integrity of the voting process. 
12. Where the Department reasonably believes that votes have been submitted in breach of these terms and conditions, or that activity has occurred that may compromise the integrity or fairness of the voting process, the Department may invalidate affected votes and take any action it considers appropriate.
13. The Department reserves the right to investigate any matter relating to the conduct of the voting process and to make determinations necessary to preserve the integrity, fairness and proper administration of the 2026 People’s Choice Award.

Privacy

14. The Department collects participants’ names and email addresses to administer the 2026 People’s Choice Award, including to verify votes, ensure compliance with these terms and conditions, and protect the integrity of the voting process. If a participant does not provide this information, their vote cannot be accepted.
15. The Department may use and disclose the information for those purposes, including to its service providers involved in administering the voting process, or where otherwise required or authorised by law. The information is collected and handled in accordance with the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024 (WA).
16. Further information about how the Department handles personal information, including its contact details and how participants may seek access to or correction of their personal information or make a privacy complaint, is available in the Department’s privacy policy https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-energy-and-economic-diversification/deed-privacy-policy. 
17. Participants may separately opt in to receive information and updates about the Premier’s Science Awards.

Determination and announcement of winner 

18. The winner of the 2026 People’s Choice Award will be the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards Finalist who receives the highest number of valid and eligible votes by the end of the voting period as determined by the Department. 
19. The winner of the 2026 People’s Choice Award will be announced at the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards Ceremony on 21 September 2026 and published through the Premier’s Science Awards communication channels.
20. The Department’s determination of the winner and the validity of votes is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Technical matters and liability 

21. Any costs associated with accessing information and voting for the 2026 People’s Choice Award, including internet access costs, are the responsibility of the participant.
22. The Department is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any vote to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet, on any website, or any combination thereof.
23. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Department, the State of Western Australia, and their respective officers, employees and agents exclude liability, including liability arising from negligence, for any loss, injury or damage arising out of or in connection with participation in the 2026 People’s Choice Award, except to the extent that liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

General

24. The Department reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions where reasonably necessary for the proper administration, security, fairness or integrity of the 2026 People’s Choice Award. Any amendments will be published on the 2026 People’s Choice Award voting webpage and will take effect from the time specified by the Department.
25. For further information regarding these terms and conditions please email science@deed.wa.gov.au.

Thank you to the sponsors and partners of the Premier's Science Awards 2026: