NDRI and NCYSUR researchers are part of a national collaboration recognised with the 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Societal Impact in Science.
NDRI and NCYSUR researchers collaborate on 2026 Eureka Prize winners
September 2026
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The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are the nation’s premier science awards, celebrating the best of Australian scientific discovery, invention, communication, innovation and leadership.
The 2026 winners were announced at an awards ceremony on 3 September.
Led by The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, The OurFutures Vaping Program delivers evidence-based digital lessons co-designed with students and teachers to educate young Australians to avoid vaping. Trialled in 40 schools and reaching more than 300,000 students, it reduced the odds of vaping by 65% after one year.
Professor Nyanda McBride, National Drug Research Institute Prevention and Early Intervention Program Leader, is a Chief investigator on the OurFutures Vaping Program and, together with Research Associate Jazlyn East, advise the national study and implement its WA arm.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne congratulated the Curtin researchers involved in the award-winning program.
“This accolade recognises research that has moved beyond theory and into the lives of hundreds of thousands of young Australians,” Professor Hayne said.
“The OurFutures Vaping Program is a powerful example of what can be achieved when researchers work across institutions and disciplines to tackle an important community challenge. We are incredibly proud of the Curtin researchers who have contributed their expertise to a program that is already having a measurable impact on young people across Australia."
NCYSUR Deputy Director Professor Leanne Hides leads the Queensland arm of the collaboration. “It is fantastic to see clinical research on substance use being recognised in this way,” Professor Hides said.
Professor Hides called OurFutures the first evidence-based vaping prevention for adolescents and said her team is looking forward to supporting the implementation of OurFutures in Queensland schools.
Click here to learn more about the 2026 Eureka Prizes winners, here to find out more about NDRI’s research and here to find out about NCYSUR’s research
