An Australian National University scientist who helped discover the phenomena of "global stilling" has taken out the Prime Minister's Prize for Science.

Professor Graham Farquhar, who began his undergraduate science degree at the ANU 48 years ago, has pioneered research into slowing wind speeds and subsequently lower evaporation rates around the world – providing evidence that life under climate change may be wetter than we had planned for.

His area of expertise, in photosynthesis, meanwhile, has led him to investigate what may be the fastest growing trees in a high carbon dioxide environment – providing a potential boost to carbon capture through forestry – and allowed him to develop water-efficient wheat varieties.

Professor Farquhar came to science at a young age after his father qualified as a mature-aged agricultural educator in Tasmania despite having originally left school at 14.

"I was very, very proud of him. And I was quickly hooked on science as a youngster."

When his father was transferred to the CSIRO in Canberra, budding scientist Graham could complete an undergraduate science degree at the ANU.

He has remained there, on and off, ever since.

Professor Farquhar is based at the ANU's Research School of Biology and is a Chief Investigator of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis.

His work, as it applies to "Feeding the world and asking where the wind went" has been awarded the top prize in the Prime Minister's science and innovation awards, alongside University of Newcastle Professor of Chemical Engineering and Director of the Centre for Multiphase Processes Professor Graeme Jameson.

Professor Jameson's work  "How trillions of bubbles earned nearly $100 billion for Australia" has earned him the Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation.

Professor Jameson took the concept of flotation  - a century-old mining technology developed in Broken Hill – and transformed it, using trillions of minute bubbles to extract fine particles of coal and base metals such as copper, lead and zinc.

His Jameson Cell has earned the coal industry an additional $36 billion alone through the retrieval of fine export coal particles.

Both scientists have won $250,000 each for their "significant advancement of knowledge through research and innovation through the application of science for a substantial commercial, economic and social impact".

Professor Cyrille Boyer​ was awarded the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year for his work in using light to make new and complex polymers, while Dr Jane Elith​ from the University of Melbourne was awarded the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year for her work in developing species distribution models for governments, land and catchment managers.

Sydney's Casula High School head of science Ken Silburn was awarded the secondary teaching excellence prize, while Rebecca Johnson from Windaroo State School was awarded the primary teaching prize.

Dr Silburn has transformed science learning at his school, providing popular, interest-based science subjects which has seen the rate of students completing science at Year 12 rise from just eight in 2000 to two-thirds of all students today.

Ms Johnson has taken a leadership role in providing specialist science learning to all students at the school and now mentors other teachers across Queensland on ways to engage students in science from a young age.