Scientist Graham Farquhar first Australian to win Kyoto Prize

It's wonderful to get this kind of international recognition, but it also brings on a case of imposter syndrome. The Australian National University (ANU) congratulates distinguished scientist Dr Graham Farquhar AO, who has become the first Australian to win a Kyoto Prize - the most prestigious international award for fields not traditionally honoured with a Nobel Prize. Dr Farquhar has won the 2017 Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences for his life's work in plant biophysics and photosynthesis, which has involved research on water-efficient crops and the impacts of climate change. He has helped develop new water-efficient varieties of wheat, improved global food security, and found evaporation and wind speeds are slowing as the climate changes. "It's wonderful to get this kind of international recognition, but it also brings on a case of imposter syndrome," said Dr Farquhar from the ANU Research School of Biology. â? "I can think of so many people among my peers who have done more than I have. The work that this prize recognises has really been a team effort, so I'd like to acknowledge my colleagues, students and the ANU, where I have worked for my whole career.