Australian of the Year

Daniel Edwards is opening world‑class STEM opportunities for north-west Tasmanian students, connecting regional classrooms to engineering and innovation competitions across Australia and overseas.   

As founder and CEO of GreenSTEM Education (Tasmania’s first STEM education‑focused charity), Daniel introduced the Greenpower electric vehicle competition to Australia – part of the global Greenpower Education Trust network. Daniel has grown the competition from one team at Montello Primary School into more than 50 teams competing across Tasmania and interstate.  

Daniel’s work has opened new educational pathways for regional students, connecting them to engineering, sustainability and real‑world industry skills.  

In 2026, Daniel took a team from Burnie to the United Kingdom as the first Australian F24 team to compete at the Greenpower International Final. 

Daniel has led this work as a volunteer while continuing to work as a classroom teacher.