Nalini Joshi Named 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year, Becomes First Mathematician to Win State’s Top Science Honour: Professor Nalini Joshi AO has been named the 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year, marking a historic moment in Australian science. The NSW Government announced the honour as part of the NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science, presented at Government House in Sydney on Wednesday evening. Significantly, this is the first time a mathematician has received New South Wales’ highest recognition for scientific achievement.
The 2025 NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science also celebrated excellence across disciplines, recognising two other University of Sydney academics. Professor Anita Ho-Baillie, John Hooke Chair of Nanoscience at the University of Sydney Nano Institute and Faculty of Science, received the NSW Premier’s Prize for Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry or Physics. Meanwhile, Professor Paul Keall, Professor of Medical Physics in the Faculty of Medicine and Health, was awarded the NSW Premier’s Prize for Leadership in Innovation in NSW.
Photo courtesy:2025 Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer
The 2025 Premier’s Prizes for Science & Engineering (l to r): the Hon Anoulack Chanthivong MP, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology (front), Dr Brad Law, Distinguished Professor Vivian Tam, Professor Nalini Joshi, 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year, Professor Paul Keall, Associate Professor Catriona Macdonald, representing Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh, Mr Simon Draper, Secretary, Premier’s Department, the Hon Margaret Beazley, Governor of NSW, Professor Anita Ho-Baillie, Mr Ryland O’Connell, Mr Dennis Wilson, Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey, Dr Felix Rizzuto, Dr Jennifer Matthews, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, Chief Scientist & Engineer.
As NSW Scientist of the Year 2025, Professor Nalini Joshi stands out as a world-leading expert whose pioneering research has reshaped the field of integrable systems. Notably, she made history as the first woman appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney and currently serves as the Chair of Applied Mathematics.
Importantly, Professor Joshi now applies her formidable mathematical expertise to one of the most urgent challenges of the modern era—quantum cryptography. While quantum computing promises breakthroughs in drug discovery, advanced materials science and complex problem-solving beyond classical computers, it also poses a serious threat to existing cybersecurity systems.
Consequently, Professor Joshi has raised concerns that governments, industries and the wider public remain unprepared for the coming shift in cryptographic security. She warns that quantum computers could potentially break nearly all current protocols protecting the global digital economy.
Reflecting on the pace of technological change, Professor Joshi explained that two decades ago smartphones were nonexistent, yet today they underpin daily life, from financial transactions to personal communication. Looking ahead, she predicts a future where people carry quantum-enabled devices and even “quantum money,” while industry capacity to secure such systems remains dangerously limited. According to her, Australia currently has fewer than a dozen citizens with the expertise needed to address these challenges.
“Mathematics is central to securing our quantum future,” Professor Joshi emphasised, underscoring the critical role of mathematical research in safeguarding tomorrow’s digital infrastructure.
Beyond her research, Professor Joshi’s career reflects sustained leadership and global influence. The Payne-Scott Professor for Mathematics, she became the first Australian Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union between 2019 and 2022. Additionally, she is an elected honorary member of the London Mathematical Society, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences at Cambridge in 2021, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. In recognition of her service to mathematics, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2016.
An alumna of the University of Sydney, where she won the prestigious University Medal, Professor Joshi later earned her doctorate from Princeton University. Alongside her academic achievements, she remains a passionate ambassador for mathematics, women and underrepresented groups in science.
Moreover, she actively mentors students and early-career researchers, inspiring the next generation of scientific leaders. In recognition of her commitment to nurturing talent, she received the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentorship of Young Researchers in 2018.
With her appointment as 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year, Professor Nalini Joshi not only breaks new ground for mathematics but also reinforces its vital role in shaping a secure, innovative and inclusive future.
