Canberra STEM teacher Paula Taylor has spent the last eight years at the Academy of Future Skills at Tuggeranong’s Caroline Chisholm School. Photo: ACT Education.
Canberra teacher Paula Taylor has been named Australia’s best primary school science teacher, taking out the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools.
Taylor, a STEM specialist with the ACT Education Directorate’s Academy of Future Skills, was recognised for her hands-on, real-world approach to science education and for transforming how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are taught in ACT primary schools.
Over her 25 years in education, she’s worked with more than 10,000 students and 480 teachers, bringing “complex scientific concepts to life through hands-on learning”.
“I needed to be present for children, in their classrooms, strengthening our teachers, showing them that their teachers are capable,” she said.
“Otherwise, students may see science as insurmountable, even for a classroom teacher.”
The Academy of Future Skills is an ACT Government program made up of two specialist STEM hubs in Canberra, the first opening in 2018 at Caroline Chisholm School at a cost of $5.7 million, and the second opening shortly afterwards at the University of Canberra Senior Secondary College at Lake Ginninderra at a cost of $5.8 million.
Both are designed to take learning much further than the textbook. For instance, when the Chisholm Centre opened its doors for the first time, a robot designed by a student was there to cut the ribbon.
On other days, Taylor – who has been working at the Southside Hub for eight years – will be with the kids, constructing models of animal habitats with ice-cream sticks and plasticine, or applying Formula One design to make a 3D-printed car race across the facility in seconds.
“We know that science is a very active sport. You have to do science to really make meaning,” Taylor said.
Taylor says her most popular hands-on science program has students working on a hypothetical ‘Mission to Mars’. Photo: ACT Education.
One of her most popular programs, ‘Mission to Mars’, takes Year 6 students on a space-themed journey where they program drones, explore chemistry and biology, and investigate how humans might survive on other planets.
“Our students have to mirror what’s going on around us,” she said.
“They get to ask the questions, test their hypotheses, and collect their own ‘lunar samples’ – just like scientists in the lab. As a science teacher, I have the opportunity to inspire students to think about their future as scientists. I do that by telling the Australian story – what we’re doing in our local communities and across the nation that’s relevant to them.”
Taylor says her biggest impact comes from encouraging teachers to bring the same energy to their classrooms.
Taylor teaches students, as well as teachers, at the Academy of Future Skills. Photo: ACT Education.
“Mentoring teachers is absolutely critical and so endearing to me,” she said.
“Together we develop units that students are engaged in – striving, thriving and wanting to learn more. It means I am building a frontline of bright, confident teachers that can do far more into the future – and infinity and beyond.”
Taylor is also an executive member of the Australian Science Teachers Association, and expects to serve as its president in 2026-27. She says the ACT is now standing out on the national stage for how STEM is taught.
“We’re punching well above our weight, and I want students to know that they are the future workforce for science in Australia,” she said.
“ACT schools are so different, and I celebrate those differences. It’s great to work with those educators … Can you tell I’m passionate?”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated all of this year’s science prize recipients, saying the awards highlight “Australia’s exceptional achievements in science, innovation and research”.
Locally, ACT Labor MP Alicia Payne said Taylor’s award was well deserved.
“Paula brings to the classroom innovative, real-life learning experiences that engage students of all abilities and inspire a lifelong passion for science,” she said.
For Taylor, the recognition is both humbling and motivating.
“It just brings such warmth to my heart to know that I have done amazing things,” she said.
“It’s not just my day work — it’s my evening work, it’s all the volunteer work I do with science community endeavours. But I won’t stop because we are continuing to do great things, and that story needs to be shared.”
All the recipients of the 2025 Prime Minister’s prizes for science. Photo: Australian Government.
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are Australia’s most prestigious science awards, recognising excellence in research, innovation and teaching.
Other 2025 recipients include Professor Lidia Morawska, for redefining air quality science during the COVID-19 pandemic; Dr Vikram Sharma, founder of Canberra’s QuintessenceLabs, for innovation in quantum cybersecurity; Professor Michael Wear, inaugural winner of the Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems; and Matt Dodds, recognised for inspiring regional students into physics and STEM careers.
