Research Excellence Awards

Recognises and celebrates outstanding early career researchers and research supervisors, and the important role they play in our research achievements.

The Research Excellence Awards are awarded under two categories:

Research Supervision Excellence Award

Awarded to individuals or teams who have provided outstanding supervision to Higher Degree by Research candidates.

Nominee/s must demonstrate supervision excellence under one of the following criteria (up to 500 words):

  • Supervisor as a teacher. This could be demonstrated by:
    • Structures for ongoing interaction with students, in a positive and inclusive environment
    • Critical analysis of work and timely feedback
    • The balance between guidance and encouraging independence and innovation
    • Fostering and facilitating the development of academic skills and self-direction
    • Assistance with accessing specialist expertise (e.g. statistics, computing, language)
  • Supervisor as a mentor. This could be demonstrated by:
    • Assisting with networking skills, identifying opportunities for collaboration and promotion of students’ research
    • Conference and publication support for the candidate
    • Knowledge of processes relating to supervision (e.g. codes of practice, progress review, submission and examination, scholarships)
    • Advice on job contacts and career paths
  • Supervisor as model. This could be demonstrated by:
    • Supervisor’s personal record of scholarship and research
    • Supervisor’s ability to communicate knowledge and expertise
    • Publications record, especially jointly with research students
    • Peer acknowledgement as indicated by journal editing, speaking invitations, invited chapters or articles
    • Evidence of collegiality leadership and/or industry engagement
    • Evidence of open-mindedness on the knowledge interpretations of others

Nominations must clearly identify which of the above criteria the nomination pertains to. Nominations should define the performance of the nominated supervisor and demonstrate how the supervisor’s activities demonstrate excellence in relation to the chosen criteria.

Early Career Researcher Award

Awarded to an outstanding individual academic or professional staff member actively engaged in research, who is within 5 years of PhD completion. Conjoints may also be considered, providing their research is primarily based at the University.

The awards will be based on the excellence of the nominee’s cumulative research activity, subsequent to the awarding of their PhD.

The purpose of basing the selection criteria on the cumulative research activity is to reward early career researchers who are on a rising trajectory and making an impact within their research field.

Research activities include (but are not limited to):

  • Publications
  • Grants/significant funding
  • Collaboration
  • Industry engagement
  • Commercial activities
  • Creative arts exhibitions/performances
  • Mentorship/supervision/leadership
  • Community engagement and input
  • Policy input
  • Teaching load (if applicable)

Nominations should define the nature and significance of the research achievements and describe the importance of the research outputs in terms of originality and impact with the field (up to 500 words). Research activity since PhD can be listed if necessary. The selection panel will look at the nominee’s University research profile.

Excellence Awards

Research Excellence Awards

Nominate Now!