Faculty of Science

Realising the promise of a better tomorrow

Science helps us understand our world, driving progress and turning knowledge into solutions. 

Through teaching and research, UQ Science is tackling ever-evolving challenges in food security, health, energy, animal welfare, climate resilience and conservation. 

By backing the next generation of innovators and leaders, you make an investment in them and in our future.  
 

Support a cause

Choose a destination for your gift from the featured options below or contact us to talk about what you'd like to achieve. We would love to learn more about your goals.

Agriculture is losing the workforce battle, with a fresh approach well overdue. One that captures the imagination and ambitions of Australia’s youth, igniting their abilities, exposing them to novel tech and tools and to real-world applications for their learning. Support for Cyber Harvest and residential agriculture scholarships at UQ is support for students and the future they represent.
Who will drive critical conservation solutions? UQ’s Conservation Academy is a one-of-a-kind program for passionate, aspiring environmental leaders. Your gift will enable tomorrow’s movers-and-shakers – researchers, NGO field experts and community builders – to learn alongside legends in the field, in iconic environments like our Moreton Bay, Hidden Vale and Heron Island research stations.
Mathematical understanding is critical to Australia’s competitive future. STEM skills feature in 7 of the 10 fastest-growing careers, yet fewer and fewer students have them. Regionally, it’s worse. This initiative directs support where it’s needed most – to regional mathematics teachers and students. Your gift will shore up potential in country Queensland and build for Australia’s future.
Out-of-classroom learning is vital to students preparing for veterinary practice. Sadly, placement poverty is real and heightened when students take on practicums far from home. By removing financial barriers, you support future vets to explore a wide range of placement opportunities in the many diverse communities that will one day rely on them as skilled practitioners.

Find more causes

Find more causes

If you'd like to support a cause that isn't listed here, you can search our funds or contact us to discuss your gift.

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Leave a gift in your will

Leaving a gift is an opportunity to create a lasting difference. Your bequest ensures that our students and researchers can continue to tackle complex global health challenges, progress medical research, prepare the next generation of health professionals and, most importantly, save lives. Gifts of all sizes make a difference.

Leaving a gift in your will

Contact us

If you can't find the cause you're looking for or would like to discuss your gift, contact our Advancement team.

sci.advancement@uq.edu.au

Looking for a specific contact? Find a team member.

The impact of your gift

See how your gift can make a difference to our students, researchers and communities.

Empowering students through life-changing scholarships

Collective generosity has a profound impact. The Science Leaders Scholarship was established in 2017 by Science Executive Dean, Professor Melissa Brown, to provide students with greater access to education, regardless of their financial means.

Gifts to the scholarship are matched by the Faculty, giving students the opportunity to realise their potential.

As a first-generation Australian student, I have been struggling to support myself, facing pressure to put employment ahead of my education. My scholarship has enabled me to progress in my academic journey and take advantage of leadership opportunities at the university." – Ian Leung, 2025 Science Leaders Scholarship recipient

This is a reminder that behind every gift is a story of hope and aspiration.

Local leadership for Games legacy

In a groundbreaking commitment to the conservation of iconic Moreton Bay, The Goodman Foundation generously donated $1 million to UQ’s Healthy Moreton Bay initiative. It’s a big step toward ensuring the bay and its catchment, which includes the Brisbane River, are exemplars of environmental vitality and stewardship by 2032 when the eyes of the world are on Brisbane and Australia.

The beauty of the bay belies its environmental decline, much of it tied to human encroachment and climate change. It’s time to come together to turn that around.

This initiative will drive impact for years to come. UQ’s marine science team has consistently delivered on their commitments, earning our deep trust and respect. We now invite others to join us in this effort.” – John Goodman

Molecular Maverick Prize: where innovation, entrepreneurship and star quality converge

The journey from research to real‑world impact takes years and is not for the faint of heart. It requires tenacity, rigour and the vision to see beyond what exists today. The Molecular Maverick Prize recognises the remarkable individuals who make this journey. Awarded through an annual pitch event, finalists – PhD students passionate about research and its potential to change the world – present what defines them as Molecular Mavericks.

"This award isn't just about what you've accomplished so far – it's about where you're going next. We want to support those who dare to think differently and who are ready to take their next big step." – Peter Kambouris, founding donor.

'Love potion' – discovery could significantly reduce impact of thorny menace

Husband-and-wife UQ researchers Professor Bernard Degnan and Professor Sandie Degnan of UQ’s Faculty of Science found that the coral-eating starfish gather en masse when mating due to pheromones – a scent the researchers have decoded – so the prickly pests can be lured together for capture.