In the evening, the Governor and Professor Chalmer hosted a ceremony for the Royal Society of Tasmania to present the 2025 MR Banks Medal and a doctoral award.

As Patron of The Royal Society of Tasmania, the Governor was pleased to welcome society members to Government House to recognise the achievements of two outstanding Tasmanian researchers.

The Governor presented the Royal Society of Tasmania Doctoral Award for 2025 to Dr Katie Marx, recognising her University of Tasmania doctoral research in Antarctic Studies.

Also honoured at the ceremony was the winner of the MR Banks Medal for 2025, University of Tasmania Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Associate Professor Jacqueline Halpin.

The MR Banks Medal is awarded every two years to a scholar of distinction in mid-career. Following the award presentations, Professor Halpin discussed her research on Antarctic geoscience themes.