Australian Museum Announces 2026 Eureka Prize Finalists for Data Platforms

The Australian Museum has announced the three finalists for the inaugural 2026 Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms, a new award sponsored by the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC). The prize recognises data platforms that enable significant scientific research. One finalist, EcoCommons Australia, provides a cloud‑based environmental data platform supporting over 2,000 researchers and government agencies.

Dr Muneera Bano, a CSIRO researcher leading the AI Diversity and Inclusion team, has been named a finalist in the Societal Impact in Science category of the same Eureka Prizes. Her work on AI bias mitigation has been incorporated into Australia’s National AI Assurance Framework, with a second version of the guidelines slated for public release.

The announcements highlight Australia’s focus on data‑driven research and responsible AI development, linking award recognition to emerging national policy on artificial‑intelligence ethics.