Applications have opened for the Research Australia Awards. The Awards, which are sponsored by GSK and Griffith University, recognise contributions in everything from cutting edge research to advocacy and philanthropic work.
“There are so many extraordinary people in this sector who are deserving of recognition, and we are calling for them to nominate themselves and their colleagues,” said Research Australia CEO Nadia Levin.
“The Awards are the health and medical research industry’s night of nights – they are the opportunity for the best and brightest in the industry to recognise each other’s achievements.
“By definition, health and medical research is a field that continues to innovate, evolve, advance and diversify, but we need to take some time – once a year – to pause and reflect on the achievements.
“That’s what these awards are for, and the criteria are very broad to ensure that no matter the age, experience, or subject matter of the nominated person, their contribution can be recognised.
“A new award introduced this year recognises a significant area, Data Innovation, and nominations could relate to data manipulation, new methodologies or greater availability of data for research.
“Year after year, Research Australia has seen the calibre of nominations grow and grow, and we hope that this year will be no different.
“Just this month our 2014 recipient of The Peter Wills Medal, Laureate Professor Alan Lopez, went on to become a Companion of the Order of Australia.
“We are calling for individuals, teams or whole organisations who have made an outstanding impact through their own research, or through supporting research, to nominate.”
The Research Australia Award recipients are selected by the Research Australia Board.
Awards categories for 2016 are:
- The Peter Wills Medal - the flagship Award that recognises an Australian who has made an outstanding contribution to building the country's international reputation in the area of health and medical research, and fostering collaboration for better health;
- Advocacy Award - recognises an Australian from the media, a celebrity or member of the community who has raised community awareness about the benefits of health and medical research;
- The Griffith University Discovery Award - an early researcher (no more than five years post PhD) whose paper/patent/discovery has already demonstrated its importance or impact;
- Great Australian Philanthropy Award - to recognise and encourage personal philanthropic donations over a period of time by an individual or family to health and medical research;
- Data Innovation in Health and Medical Research Award - for the development of the most innovative method of gathering, making available, processing or interpreting data in a way that advances the sector;
- Leadership in Corporate Giving Award - recognises outstanding leadership by a corporation or business giving to and supporting health and medical research through relationships or partnership and commitment over time; and,
- Health Services Research Award - a new Award created in 2014 to recognise the importance of the emerging field of health service research.
The Research Australia Health and Medical Research Awards will be held on 16 November. Nominations close 3 August.