The Sidney Prize is awarded monthly to an outstanding piece of journalism in traditional and new media. It honours those who pursue social justice and public policy for the common good and recognises writers and journalists who have a voice that represents a marginalised or vulnerable identity, or one that challenges established norms. Nominations are made by email to the editors of The Sidney Prize and are due on the last day of each month.
For a long time, Sidney Prize winners have included Hilton Als writing for The New York Times and Ed Yong writing for The Atlantic. These are heavy hitters in top-tier national publications, and their work has helped shape the narratives that are being repeated all over again about the year’s best long-form essays.
However, the range of works that are eligible for the prize has expanded greatly, and now includes podcasts, television and online video. In addition, there are prizes for works of fiction, short stories and poetry, as well as a prize to recognize an outstanding museum exhibition of historic artifacts.
The 2025 NSW History Awards are now open for entries. Entries close at 5 pm on Thursday, 3 April 2025. This year the total prize pool is $85,000. There are four categories: General History, NSW Community and Regional History, New South Wales Maritime History and the Anzac Memorial Trustees Military History Prize.
In 1989, Molecular biologist Sidney Altman shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Thomas R Cech for their discovery that RNA actively aids chemical reactions in cells, and that ribonuclease-P is an RNA-directed enzyme. These discoveries undercut the dogma that only DNA could carry information, or only proteins could catalyze chemical reactions. For this work, Altman was also awarded the New South Wales History Prize. In 2001, he was honoured with an issue of the Antigua and Barbuda stamp (Scott No 2518d) celebrating his achievements in Molecular biology.
The Samuel Eleazar and Rose Tartakow Levinson Prize is awarded annually to an unpublished essay in the field of the history of technology. The prize is intended to encourage deeper reflection and consideration by HLS students about their chosen profession, its role in society, or changes in the delivery of professional services. This year the prize is worth $9,000.
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