The program aims to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD students and early- and mid-career scientists with their research and/or the expansion and growth of their research networks.

It aims to support the expansion and growth of successful applicant's research networks and international knowledge exchange through visits to relevant international centres of research.

Awards will be up for up to $20,000, with additional support provided to attend the Academy's Annual Science at the Shine Dome event.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents at the time of application. Applicants should also either be enrolled for a PhD or be within 15 years of obtaining a PhD*.
• The proposed travel must be for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of three months duration.

Applicants must provide a letter from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community or Organisation where they identify and are accepted. This may come from one of, but not limited to, the following:

• Land Council
• Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) or Native Title Group
• Natural Resources Management Board (NRM Board)
• Traditional Owner group
• Elders group
• A Universities Indigenous department

Grants are offered to successful applicants in November each year for projects to be commenced the next year. Funded activities are normally expected to have been undertaken within two years from the date of award. Awardees can apply for project variations if their award proposals are impacted by extenuating circumstance. Where proposals are for visits to relevant international centres of research, the budget for this should not exceed $5,500 of the total being requested. Attendance at relevant conferences is welcomed but must be in addition to a 14 day minimum visit.

Funding may not cover bench fees, managerial costs, insurance or visa costs or primary researcher salaries. The award may be used to fund conference/webinar access support or costs involved in researching and developing digital tools that allow researchers to adapt their research to challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Australian Academy of Science is committed to ensuring that all eligible researchers can be considered for awards and collects career interruption information to assess their opportunity to demonstrate scientific excellence. Accordingly, extensions to the post PhD eligibility requirements for Early and Mid-Career awards will be provided for qualifying career disruptions.

A career disruption involves prolonged interruption to a nominee’s capacity to conduct Full Time Equivalent (FTE) high-level research, either due to part-time employment or absence (for periods of one month or greater) and/or long-term partial return to work, to accommodate carer’s responsibilities, illness or other interruption.

The career disruptions here must have occurred post the date of the letter advising that the PhD thesis was passed and resulted in significantly reduced research productivity or nil research output. Career disruption periods will be taken into account for those who would otherwise be beyond the Post PhD Career Eligibility requirements.

The Australian Academy of Science encourages applications from all genders and from candidates from a broad geographical distribution.

• Email: awards@science.org.au