$250,000 innovation prize; $50,000 stem cell prize; and Japan links

12 March, 2015
Bulletins, Science stakeholder bulletins

In this note:

Most of the prize winners I meet were pushed in to nominating. So please consider who you should push. Prizes can make a real difference to the careers of our best researchers:

  • Angela Moles, winner of the 2013 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Science Research, says the award had an enormous impact on her career and that “it was this award that clinched the success of my application for promotion to professor.”
  • Stem cell researcher Jose Polo says his Metcalf Prize has allowed him to “embark into different exciting projects that otherwise (he) could not have done”. It also allowed him to collect the data for his NHMRC grant applications, for which he received over $2 million in funding.
  • After receiving a L’Oréal For Women in Science Fellowship, Kat Holt went on to obtain NHNRC funding of more than $1 million for her work using genetics, maths and supercomputers to study the whole genome of deadly bacteria and work out how they spread.
  • And of the recently announced finalists of the Radio National and UNSW Top 5 Under 40 competition, four had been finalists in the FameLab and Fresh Science programs.

Also in this bulletin: more science prizes, science events around the country, opportunities to promote your science in our Science Stories, and more dates for media training.
And Australia-Japan? I’m exploring ways to promote the best in science collaboration between our two countries. I’d love to hear of successful projects.

Kind regards,

Niall

Four $25,000 fellowships for Australian and New Zealand women

The expanded L’Oréal Australia & New Zealand For Women in Science Fellowship program is now open for applications.

The Fellowships recognise outstanding early-career female scientists who have shown scientific excellence in their career to date.

This year there are four Fellowships:

  • Three $25,000 L’Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowships
  • The inaugural $25,000 L’Oréal New Zealand For Women in Science Fellowship

Funds from the Fellowship can be used to help finance the Fellow’s scientific research including the cost of childcare or a research assistant.

Applications are now open and close midnight Tuesday 7 April 2015.

This year’s Fellows will join a cohort of 26 past Fellows who’ve gone on to contribute significantly to their fields of science. We encourage potential applicants to read the profiles of past recipients to get a sense of the qualities expected of entrants into this highly competitive Fellowship.
More at: http://loreal.scienceinpublic.com.au

Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science—nominations now open

Help us recognise Australia’s best scientists and innovators, by nominating them for one of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.

The prizes highlight achievements in science research and excellence in science education.

And this year the contribution of science to our economy will be explicitly recognised with a new prize, The Prime Minister’s Prize for the Commercial Application of Science.

There are awards for:

  • Heroes of Australian science who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge through science, like last year’s winners Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic, who led the way in finding the genetic basis for many types of epilepsy.
  • Exceptional innovators from science and industry who have translated scientific knowledge into substantial commercial impact, like Ian Fraser’s cervical cancer vaccine and John O’Sullivan’s technology that made wireless computing fast and reliable.
  • Early to mid-career scientists whose research is already making, and will continue to have, an impact on our lives.
  • Science teachers —at primary and secondary levels—who are dedicated to effective and innovative science teaching.

The awards will be presented by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Industry and Science at a gala dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra.

The winners will receive national recognition and meet leaders in science, industry, education and government.

The prizes are:

  • $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science
  • $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for the Commercial Application of Science (new prize)
  • $50,000 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year
  • $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year
  • $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools
  • $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools

Nominations are now open and close at 5 pm (Canberra time) on Thursday 26 March 2015.

It’s simple to nominate in the first (shortlisting) stage, with an online form.

For eligibility, selection criteria, nomination guidelines and more examples of past winners, visit: www.industry.gov.au/scienceprizes

There’s also still time to apply for…

The $50,000 Metcalf Prizes for Stem Cell Research

Applications close Monday 16 March

Two up-and-coming leaders in stem cell science will be awarded $50,000 each to boost their career to the next level.

The prizes are open to mid-career Australian stem cell researchers. The winners will be chosen for their scientific excellence, proven leadership ability and the potential to have a continuing influence on stem cell research in Australia.

Last year the prizes went to Kaylene Young, for her work on Alzheimer’s and Jose Polo for his work on stem cell reprogramming.

Applications are encouraged from all fields—from agriculture to medicine. If you are working with stem cells, you are eligible. Last year’s unsuccessful applicants are also encouraged to apply again this year if they are still eligible.

More at: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/researchers/metcalf-prizes

Tall Poppies—the next generation of engaging scientists

Nominations close Sunday 5 April

The Tall Poppies initiative is an opportunity for early-career scientists to develop their outreach and science communication skills, and the winners often go on to take out other science prizes later in their careers.

Awards are available in all states and territories.

More at: www.aips.net.au/tall-poppies/tall-poppy-campaign

The Eureka Prizes

Nominations close Thursday 1 May

This year there are 16 prizes, including research and innovation, science leadership, science communication, and the Sleek Geeks school prizes.

Plus there are two new Eureka Prizes: one for Excellence in International Scientific Collaboration, and one for Rural Innovation.

More at: www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka

The Australian Academy of Science awards, grants and fellowships

Nominations close Thursday 30 April

Each year the Australian Academy of Science presents their honorific awards for scientific excellence.

The 2016 awards are open to career and early- and mid-career researchers, and recognise scientific excellence across a range of disciplines in the physical and biological sciences—earth science, planetary science, maths and statistics, biomedicine and natural sciences.

The Academy is also opening applications for research grants, travelling fellowships and conference and research support for 2016–17. The closing date is 15 June 2015.

More information about the awards and how to apply and nominate: www.science.org.au/news/australian-academy-science-2016-awards-now-open 

Measurement awards

Nominations close Thursday 30 April

Australia’s National Measurement Institute is marking World Metrology Day— the celebration of global collaboration in measurement—by recognising Australia’s best ‘measurers’.

There are two prizes, each worth $2,000, for an individual/group and for an individual under 35 who have contributed to measurement research or excellence in practical measurement.

More details and how to nominate at: measurement.gov.au

Up to $100,000 in grants for NSW’s competitive undergraduates

Applications are now open and close Friday 10 April

NSW undergraduate students entering research competitions are eligible for a new funding from the NSW Office of Science and Research.

The inaugural Science and Engineering Student Competition Sponsorship Program will award grants on a competitive basis for teams of researchers to attend science, technology, engineering and mathematics research competitions, both in Australia and overseas.

More at: www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/investing-in-science/science-and-engineering-student-competition

Science events: Leaders of science and science communication for early-career researchers

Science meets Parliament dinner—all welcome

Science & Technology Australia has opened up invitations to their Science Meets Parliament Gala Dinner to members of the public.

The dinner will be MCed by science broadcaster Adam Spencer, and will hear from keynote speakers:

  • Catherine Livingstone, president of the Business Council of Australia and Chairman Telstra
  • Ian Macfarlane, Minister for Industry and Science

More information and tickets here.

Science Meets Parliament (24 & 25 March 2015) gives members of the science community the opportunity to connect with the decision-makers in Canberra.

More on the full program, and how to participate at: scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/science-meets-parliament

Science Pathways 2015 is all about science communication

Early-career researchers are holding their annual conference in Adelaide on 23-14 April, focusing on science communication.

The forum will bring together 200 delegates with researchers, senior scientists and representatives from industry and government to explore the best ways for early- and mid-career researchers to effectively communicate their scientific research to the wider community.

I’m chairing a forum on the second day with: Nicky Phillips from the SMH, Reema Rattan (The Conversation); Cassandra McIver (Tall Poppy Campaign); Sally Woollett (Chemistry in Australia) and Sarah Keenihan (Australian Science Communicators).

Registrations open now until 23 March 2015.

More at: www.science.org.au/events/science-pathways-2015-effective-science-communication-emcrs

Stories of Australian Science 2015—now taking submissions

Our Stories of Australian Science summarises the best of Australian science, and some of the best of our work of the past year.

The 2015 edition will be distributed at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Korea in June, at the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science dinner, at the AAAS conference in February 2016, and to journalists, diplomats, politicians and others in Australia and overseas.

We’ll print 10,000 copies and make it freely available online.

Email me, or call the office on (03) 9398 1416, if you’d like to include your best science of 2014 in this year’s storybook.

Prices start at $1,200 + GST for a single story, and are discounted for multiple stories.

More details at: stories.scienceinpublic.com.au/submission

Media and communication training—courses in April

Our next courses are in April in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney

Conveying the complexity of your research into a 30-second grab for the media can be hard, and sometimes daunting.

The solution is to shape the essence of your science into a story.

Our full-day media and communication training course will help you with all your non-scientific communication with stakeholders, customers and the media. It will help you feel comfortable with the media and give your media advisors confidence that you will be a good performer when media opportunities arise.

Upcoming courses are:

  • Melbourne: Tuesday 14 April – this course is confirmed
  • Adelaide: Thursday 23 April
  • Sydney: late April/early May (date TBC)
  • Melbourne: Wednesday 3 June – this course is confirmed
  • Sydney: Tuesday 7 July

We can also hold courses in other locations or on other dates if there’s sufficient demand, and we welcome expressions of interest for possible future courses.

If you have at least four participants, we can probably find others in your area to make a course viable. Or if you want a brief introduction to the media for a larger group, talk to us about our meet the press sessions.

More at: www.scienceinpublic.com/training

The world’s first printed jet engine

We were pleased to help Monash University and their partners launch their printed jet engine at the Avalon International Airshow in Melbourne.

The ABC’s Jake Sturmer did a fantastic job of reporting across the ABC—from AM, to News 24, the radio news and the 7 pm TV news.

International news agencies picked up the story from his coverage and pushed it worldwide while the media team at the Airshow reached out to the aerospace press.

The coverage wrapped up with a nice story in the Economist.

I think we can do more to feed science into events like the Airshow, F1, Sydney to Hobart, and even the Melbourne Cup (is climate change affecting the roses?)

Read more about the world’s first printed jet engine at: www.scienceinpublic.com.au/monash-uni

More about Science in Public

Contact me to find out more about our services to train, mentor, plan and deliver media and communication strategies for science. 

Communication plans, mentoring and training

We can review your stakeholders, messages and tools and help you and your communication team refine your plans. We offer this service for individual announcements or for a whole program or institute.

Media releases, launches, and campaigns

We can help you develop an outreach program, from a simple media release through to a launch, a summit, a conference, or a film.

Publications and copy-writing

From a tweet to a newsletter; from a brochure to a Nature supplement, we can write compelling and accurate science-driven copy which captures the essence of your story and purpose.

Kind regards,
________

Niall Byrne

Creative Director
Science in Public

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood VIC 3015
PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015

03 9398 1416, 0417 131 977

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au
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www.scienceinpublic.com.au