Awards
Peter Goldacre Award
Proudly sponsored by Functional Plant Biology.
Applications for the Goldacre Award should be lodged with the Honorary Secretary, ASPS Inc.
Applications for the 2009 Goldacre Award close on 22 June 2009.
Nominations are invited for this Award every year. The background of the Award is given below, together with candidate prerequisites and procedures to follow in making a submission.
Peter Goldacre was an enthusiastic researcher who was held in great respect by his peers. His tragic death in 1960 from stomach cancer at age 34 shocked and saddened all his friends and colleagues. The Goldacre Medal was subsequently established as a lasting tribute to his contributions in plant physiology, and as an encouragement to young researchers.
The Award
The Award honours the memory and attainments of Peter Goldacre, a young scientist and foundation member of this Society. The Award will be made on the merit of original research in one area, the findings of which have been published, or accepted for publication, in the three years preceding the year of the Award.
More than one paper may be submitted, but these should clearly be related to one theme. The candidate need not be the sole author, but it should be evident that they have played a major role in both the design and the execution of the work. Review papers are not considered. The work should have been done within 10 years of the candidate submitting their PhD , see Rule 2.2)
The work presented for assessment shall be in any branch of plant science represented by the Society. The Award shall not be made for work carried out under supervision while the applicant was a candidate for a research degree. The work need not have been carried out in Australia, if the candidate has Australian nationality (see Rule 2.3).
The Award will be made at intervals specified by the Society. Normally, an award will be considered yearly. The value of the Award will be determined by the Society. The current value is $2,000, and is sponsored by Functional Plant Biology. A medal is also presented. The Award need not be made on any occasion when the Society considers that there is no candidate of sufficient merit.
The successful applicant will be invited to present their work in a plenary Goldacre Lecture at the annual ComBio meeting, and to submit this presentation, with additional material as appropriate, for subsequent publication in Functional Plant Biology (continuing Australian Journal of Plant Physiology).
The Candidate
A person may apply for the Award or a nomination may be made on their behalf. A candidate must have done the research within 10 years of their PhD, or within 10 cumulative years of employment subsequent to the year in which their PhD thesis was submitted.
The papers presented for the Award must have been published, or accepted for publication, in the three years prior to the application.
The candidate should be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or have carried out all the research for the Award in Australia.
A joint application or nomination from two or more persons, each fulfilling all requirements, will be considered. In this respect attention is directed to Rule 1.4.
Candidates should be members of the Society, and their nominators also should be members of the Society. Candidates are not restricted as to the number of occasions on which they apply for the Award.
Application Procedure
Application for the Award will be made to the Secretary of the Society by a time specified, normally six months before the annual ComBio meeting at which the Award is announced and the Awardee presents their work in a Goldacre Lecture.
Each application shall consist of a one page statement describing the merits of the applicant’s work, a full CV (including date of birth and employment history), and electronic copies of each of the published papers forming the basis of the application. It shall also include a summary limited to 100 words that can be used as a citation at the Award ceremony.
All documentation should be submitted in electronic form to the Honorary Secretary ASPS Inc. (John.Evans@anu.edu.au). The Secretary of the Society only will maintain a register of applications. Thus those assessing applications will not know whether they have originated as nominations or direct applications.
The Award will be made by the Society on the recommendation of its Committee who may co-opt expert assessors for this purpose. The Secretary and President will select appropriate Australian and international assessors, whose identity will remain known only to them.
In cases where more than one candidate receives a strong recommendation, the President or Secretary will decide on the Award on the basis of the advice received.
Teaching Award
Applications for the Teaching Award should be lodged with the Honorary Secretary, ASPS Inc. (John.Evans@anu.edu.au )
Applications for the 2008 Teaching Award close on 22 June 2009.
The Award
This award recognises excellence, innovation and/or contributions to teaching plant science at University level.
The award will be made on the description of excellence, innovation and/or contributions to the teaching of plant science to undergraduate students.
The teaching shall be in any branch of plant science. The award will be for teaching within an Australian institution.
The award will be made at yearly intervals and only when a suitable candidate is nominated.
The awardee will be invited by the Society to give a short presentation on her/his teaching methods, innovations or contributions at the annual ComBio conference. That presentation shall not be compulsory. The description of any innovations recognised by this award shall be made available to other plant science educators.
The Candidate
A candidate must be a member of ASPS Inc.
No age restriction will apply to the award.
Candidates are not restricted as to the number of occasions on which they apply for the award or are given the award. The candidate may be a sole teacher or a team of teachers.
Application Procedure
Applications should be emailed to the Honorary Secretary, ASPS Inc. (John.Evans@anu.edu.au ).
Each application shall include a one-page report outlining the reasons the candidate is considered to be an excellent and/or innovative University level teacher of plant science.
Electronic copies (where possible) of supporting documentation should be attached; such as a teaching portfolio, interactive computer exercises, innovative laboratory practical exercises, handouts to students, or student assessment of teaching practices.
The one page application must clearly show how the enhancement of student learning.
The Award will be announced at the ComBio meeting at which the Awardee presents a brief summary of their teaching innovation.
The Award will be made by the Society on the recommendation of its Committee chaired by the ASPS Plant Science Education Representative and comprising one of the Postgraduate Student Representatives and at least one co-opted Discipline Representative with a strong background in undergraduate teaching.
In cases where more than one candidate receives a strong recommendation, the president or Secretary will decide on the Award based on the advice received.
RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship
The RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship is an award administered by the Australian Society of Plant Scientists, through funds raised by the membership. The Fellowship is designed to support an early career researcher to undertake a research visit outside their host institution.
Applications are invited for the fellowship each year. The background and eligibility requirement for the award can be found on the RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship page
R.N. Robertson Travelling Fellowship
Up to one award each year to a maximum value of $4000.
Applications for the R.N. Robertson Travelling Fellowship should be emailed to the Honorary Secretary of ASPS, (John.Evans@anu.edu.au ).
The application form can be downloaded here RNRapplicationform .
Applications close on 22 June 2009.
Introduction The RN Travelling Fellowship
recognises and celebrates the sustained contribution made by RN Robertson (Sir Bob) in nurturing plant scientists in Australia spanning across four decades from the 1950s.
A biographical memoir of Bob Robertson is available at http://www.science.org.au/academy/memoirs/robertson.htm .
Currently with $40,000 of the planned $100,000 of the funds raised (including $20,000 from our own funds) the modest grant of $4000 should be used where possible to leverage further support for the proposed research visit.
As the level of secured funds increases so will the size and/or number of the grants being offered.
The Australian Society of Plant Scientists is indebted to Hank Greenway and Joe Wiskisch who generated and championed the early development of the RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship.
The guidelines and application form are given below.
Guidelines
The fellowship will be focused on support for graduate students and recent PhD graduates to undertake research aimed at elucidating plant function and should enhance the current research of the applicant by providing access to expertise and facilities outside of that currently available to them.
The fellowship should be undertaken at another institution outside of the Australian state in which their current research institution resides.
For overseas applicants, the proposed host research institution must be within Australia.
The application should conform to the guidelines of the Professor R.N. Robertson Fund as outlined below.
The objective of the Professor R.N. Robertson Fund is to encourage young Plant Scientists to participate in mechanistically (functionally) orientated research in a discipline that differs from their own. Comments on the objective: “Young” because Bob was renowned for his stimulation of undergraduate and postgraduate students; there will not be an age restriction, but funds will be available only for postgraduate students and postdocs who were awarded their degree less than 2 years of effective research before applying for the award.
“Mechanistically (functionally) orientated research” because Bob strongly favoured the establishment of mechanisms (function), even in programs that had a long-term applied aim.
The fund will be specifically dedicated to projects that give recipients experience in cooperation with others whose experience is in an area at a different level from their own.
Applications from young plant biologists from overseas will also be considered for work in Australia, if it can be demonstrated that the research project will establish or strengthen contacts, and introduce new ideas and techniques into an Australian plant biology department.
An appication form in Word format can be downloaded from the link below.
Type of project to be supported by RNR Fund:
A period of research consistent with the objective of the fund, in a university or research institution.
The research should complement the existing research of the applicant by providing access to expertise and facilities outside of that currently available to them and preferably in a field different from the expertise of the applicant, for example a biochemist might work in a unit on molecular biology or biophysics.
Funds will be available for a period of research, rather than for attendance at conferences.
Level of award:
The level will depend on the objective of the proposal, and would include travel costs and some living allowances.
It is expected that the recipient will use the grant to negotiate additional funding from the group with whom they intend to work, or from their existing institution.
It is important that the current supervisor of the applicant make considered comments on the scientific and financial viability of the proposed research program.
Eligibility:
Young scientists from Australia and beyond, who are doing undergraduate or postgraduate research projects or have completed their PhD less than 2 years of effective research before the closing date of the applications.
Location:
For Australian recipients: Australia or overseas, but not in the Australian state where the work for the degree is being or has been carried out. For overseas recipients: Australia.
Study stage at which grants will be considered:
Honours, Masters and PhD degrees, all with research as the main objective, and early postdoctorates.
The project can be carried out during the work for the degree or during the first two years of effective research time after obtaining the degree.
For Honours and Postgraduate students, the supervisor will be consulted to establish that the study during the fellowship will contribute to the fulfilment of requirements for the degree. However, for Honours for which research is less than 70% of the year’s commitment, the period proposed may only begin after graduation, and there should be an intention to enrol for a higher degree by research.
Selection Committee:
The selection of the candidate will be decided by a selection committee from within the members of Council and co-opted members of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists subject to there being no conflicts of interest.
Administration of funds:
Administration of the fund will be undertaken by the University of Western Australia.
ASPS—FPB Best Paper Award
Functional Plant Biology is pleased to offer an annual award for the best paper published in the Journal in each calendar year.
The award carries a prize of a personal one-year print+online subscription to FPB, a A$250 book voucher from CSIRO PUBLISHING, a framed reprint and a certificate.
To be eligible for the prize, the first author must be no more than 10 years post-PhD, and a member of the ASPS (or its national equivalent).
Reviewers are asked to nominate whether a manuscript is suitable for consideration for the prize, and nominations are then judged by the Executive Committee of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists to select a winner.
The winner of the award will be announced in an early issue of the journal each year.
For more information about Functional Plant Biology, see the CSIRO web site.