Outstanding Early Career Researcher
The Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher is presented by Macquarie University.
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The Macquarie University Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher is awarded for outstanding scientific research conducted by an individual early career researcher.
Prize
$10,000
Assessment criteria
Entries must specifically address how the work entered meets the following assessment criteria:
Scientific rigour and innovative approach (30%)
Describe the investigative approach undertaken and identify how the entrant has employed approaches not normally used in their field of research.
Originality and significance (30%)
Identify how the entrant’s research contributes to new insights within its field of science and/or pioneered a new area of enquiry.
Impact and benefit (40%)
Demonstrate the extent to which the research has:
- led to a clear impact(s)
- will influence future Australian and/or global research.
Prize specific conditions of entry
This prize is open only to individuals. Entries consisting of more than one individual are ineligible.
Entrants must satisfy at least one of the below criteria:
a) Be 35 years or younger.
or
b) Have been awarded their PhD (or equivalent first higher degree e.g., D.Phil., D.Psych., D.Sc) no more than five (5) years prior to prize entry i.e. between April 2018 and April 2023.
For entrants whose work has been realised over a period longer than five (5) years from PhD conferral due to one or more career interruptions, the five (5) year requirement will be extended by the length of the career interruption/s and judges will also take this into consideration when assessing opportunities available to the entrant.
For the purposes of this prize, a ‘career interruption’ is defined as a continuous absence from work for a period of more than one month. Career interruption details will be collected in the online entry form.
The following significant and not overlapping interruptions will be considered:
- Pregnancy;
- Major illness/injury;
- Carer’s responsibilities;
- Non-research employment not concurrent with research employment;
- For First Nations entrants and nominees, community obligations including ‘sorry business’;
- Disaster management and recovery;
- Disruption due to international relocation (maximum three months per international location);
- Other reasons set out in the online entry form in the AM’s absolute discretion.
Activity entered for this prize must have been published in at least one peer-reviewed article (i.e., published in a scientific journal or similar).
Activity entered for this prize must have been published no more than five (5) years prior to the Entry Deadline. Reference may be made to earlier published work if it is necessary to provide context to the entered work, however it will not be formally considered by the judges.
Relative to opportunity considerations
Judges will consider the entrant or nominee’s career stage and whether their achievement is commensurate with the opportunities available to them. Entrants and nominees are invited, but not required, to share a relative to opportunity statement with their entry materials. If an entrant is nominated it is important that they provide input to their statement.
Research opportunity can include, but is not limited to;
- Research training;
- Employment in research positions, either within the research sector or outside academia, including the research component and/or full-time-equivalence of positions;
- Research and development activities;
- Industry engagement;
- Research environment, including supervision, mentoring and leadership;
- Professional development;
- Research management experience;
- Access to research and support facilities.
Other opportunities will be considered in the judging panel’s discretion.
Category specific conditions of entry – all Research and Innovation Eureka Prizes
Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by others. If an entrant is nominated it is important that they provide input to the documentation in support of their nomination.
The entrant must be a) an Australian citizen, b) an Australian permanent resident or c) a New Zealand citizen residing in Australia or its territories, at the time the activity entered was undertaken.
Activity entered for this prize must have been undertaken in Australia or its territories, as defined by the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Terms and Conditions.
The activity entered or nominated for this prize may not be entered or nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize in the same year.
A project that has been awarded an Australian Museum Eureka Prize in the past cannot be entered again. Non-winning finalist activity is eligible for re-entry, so long as it meets all other conditions of entry.
In addition to the prize and category specific conditions of entry, all entrants need to comply with the General Terms and Conditions of Entry.
Entry materials
Each entry must include the following information. All information provided will be used by the judging panel to assess the activity entered against the assessment criteria.
Research summary
[2 pages (maximum); 2cm margins (minimum); Size 11 font (minimum)]
A statement by the nominator or entrant that provides an overview of the research. Key dates (month and year) must be included to demonstrate that the activity entered has been undertaken no more than five (5) years prior to the Entry Deadline. The statement must address:
- Research title
- Background
- Objective/s
- Results to date
- List of published peer-reviewed articles that directly relate to the activity entered:
- Where an individual entrant is a joint author, the citation should note if the entrant was the principal author, corresponding author or other.
Response to assessment criteria
[2 pages (maximum); 2cm margins (minimum); Size 11 font (minimum)]
A statement by the nominator or entrant on how the activity entered addresses each of the assessment criterion. Key dates (month and year) must be included to demonstrate that the activity entered has been undertaken no more than five (5) years prior to the Entry Deadline.
Assessor reports
[Reports must be prepared using the template provided.]
Three (3) statements from assessors on how the activity entered addresses each of the assessment criterion. Judges rely on assessor reports to provide an additional perspective and informed opinion on the activity entered, therefore assessors should not be personally or directly involved in it. Assessors should be selected from a variety of different organisations.
Published article
Include a copy of one (1) published peer-reviewed article that relates most directly to the activity entered. This must be one of the articles listed in the ‘Research Summary' and have been published between April 2018 and April 2023. Links to external sites will not be accepted.
Curriculum vitae (CV)
[2 pages (maximum); 2cm margins (minimum); Size 11 font (minimum)]
The CV of the entrant.
Relative to opportunity statement (optional)
[750 words (maximum); 2cm margins (minimum); Size 11 font (minimum)]
A statement outlining any career and personal circumstances that the entrant or nominee would like the judging panel to consider when assessing the activity entered.
How to Enter
Entries to the 2023 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes closed at 7pm AEST Friday 14 April.
