The prestigious BHP Billiton Science Teacher Awards are awarded annually to one teacher from each state of Australia. The awards recognise and value the time and effort that teachers give to the profession and to students conducting scientific research projects. This paper examines the Science Award scheme to identify the characteristics common to these innovative teachers in science. The data is drawn from interviews with seven award-winning teachers plus the judges of the scheme. The data indicated that quality teaching was evident in their practice--valuing students' ownership of their work, doing authentic science investigations and showcasing their work. (Contains 1 table.)