Awards and Prizes
Currently the Royal Society of Victoria awards three competitive awards each year:
(See details below)1. The Young Scientist Research Prize (for Doctoral candidates)2. The Annual Research Medal for Scientific Excellence in Research (Rotates annually around four scientific domains)3. The Dr Phillip Law AC Post-doctoral Award for the Physical Sciences (for contributions in the seven years since graduation).The award in 2013 will be the inaugural award of this prize.
****************************************************************Young Scientist Research Prizes 2013
Nominations for 2013 now open and will close on 31 May, 2013 The Royal Society of Victoria has established four prestigious competitive prizes open to post-graduate - doctoral students in all areas of the Biomedical and Health Sciences, Biological Sciences (Non-human), Physical and Earth Sciences. These cash prizes (currently $1,000) are awarded to students who are in the second to fourth year of their doctoral candidature in Universities in the State of Victoria, at the time of application. Students who have submitted their doctoral thesis by the closing date for applications are not eligible to apply for the award. The Biological Science (Non-human) prize and Earth Sciences prize are supported by past donations from the families of previous Presidents and scientists Edmund D Gill and Neil Archbold respectively. The field of Biomedical and Health Sciences includes Genetics, Immunology, Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, Pathology, Necrology, Epidemiology, Endocrinology, Pharmacology, Radiology, Microbiology, Medical Parasitology, Nuclear Medicine, and related human sciences. The field of Biological Sciences (Non-human) includes Agriculture, Biochemistry, Botany, Forestry, Animal and Plant Physiology, Zoology, and related non-human science. The field of Physical Sciences includes Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Astrophysics, all branches of Engineering and related sciences. The field of Earth Sciences includes Geology, Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geophysics, Planetary Physics, Meteorology, Oceanography, Physical Geography, Paleontology and related sciences. The Society reserves the right to re-classify the field of an application if it fits best in a field other than the one nominated by the applicant. The prizes are designed to recognise good science and provide students with further experience in presenting information to an audience of scientists and the general public on their particular research field. Students have the opportunity, if they wish, to participate in the Society’s mentoring program, whereby they receive mentoring in their chosen field by senior scientists who are Members of the Society. Once applications have been received, the judges will select a short list of two candidates in each of the four fields of Biomedical and Health, Biological (Non-human), Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences. Each of the short-listed candidates will be expected to give a 20 minutes oral presentation (15 minutes presentation, 5 minutes discussion) before a general audience of scientists and members at the Society on 26th September 2013 commencing from 6:30 p.m. The presentations are open to fellow students, friends and families as well as Members of the Society. The winners will be judged and announced on the night where the prize and a certificate will be presented by the Society’s President. Applicants must be (or become) a Member of The Royal Society of Victoria. Please submit: (1) an application form for the Prize (Download application form below**) to be signed by your Supervisor or Head of Department indicating your contribution particularly if it is a team research project. (2) an extended abstract presenting a succinct summary of the work to be presented in the oral presentation. It should include rationale for the study, aims, methods, results, discussion and conclusions and indicate why the research is important and of scientific interest. Format guidelines: Title should be in capitals. In Times New Roman, font 11 (max. 500-word excluding names and affiliations), single spaced with sub-headings. Abstract should not include references, figures or diagrams. Author/s and address/es are to be in lower case. Multiple author presentations should highlight the presenter in bold. It must fit on a single A4 page The abstract must be submitted with a completed APPLICATION FORM (refer below) which includes a statement, signed by the Supervisor and the Head of Department, which clearly outlines the contribution of each author. Submission The submission should be in the form of a single PDF file sent in electronic form to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for on sending to the judges. Failure to adhere to these requirements will result in the application being rejected. If you are not already a Member, submit as a separate document: (1) an application form for membership (free of cost in 2013-14); NOTE: the Society will organise the Nominator and Seconder) (Membership Nomination Form below) along with (2) A brief Curriculum Vitae (CV) (no more than 3 pages) Nominations close at the close of business not later than 31 May 2013 by email with attachments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or if by post to: Executive Officer, The Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne 3000 by 31st May 2013. Enquiries to: The Royal Society of Victoria, Tel (03) 9663 5259, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ** Download Prize Application form Click here to download Membership Application form
****************************************************************The 2013 Royal Society of Victoria Research Medal for Scientific Excellence in Category I: Biological Sciences (Non-human) Nominations opened on 31st October 2012 and closed on 31st March 2013 In its Centenary year (1959) the Royal Society of Victoria instituted a Medal for excellence in Scientific Research. The Award consists of a Silver Medal, which is awarded annually for scientific research in one of four categories that rotate from year to year. Nominations are invited for the Royal Society of Victoria Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research 2013 in Category I: Biological Sciences (Non-human). This category includes research in the disciplines of Agriculture, Biochemistry, Botany, Forestry, Animal and Plant Physiology, Zoology, and related non-human sciences; Nominations must be submitted by close of business (5pm) 31st March 2013. Further details on the award and eligibility criteria: Category I: Biological Sciences (Non-human) 2013 Agriculture, Biochemistry, Botany, Forestry, Animal and Plant Physiology, Zoology, and related non-human sciences;
The medal will be awarded solely on the basis of research work published and/or accepted for publication in refereed international journals during the ten year period from 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2012. Work outside this period will not be considered. Performance relative to opportunity will also be considered. In cases of multiple authorship of publications, the nominator must indicate what contribution the nominee has made to the published work. The work shall have been carried out in Australia (including its territories), or on Australia, with preference for work done in Victoria, or on Victoria. The following are guidelines to assist in the preparation of nominations. The nomination should consist of a ‘Nomination Statement’ or letter (covering points 1 to 3 below) with a brief (no more than five A4 pages) Curriculum Vitae of the nominee, including only the publications for the ten year period under consideration. The nominators should make sure they address all criteria. Failure to address the criteria or to present the nomination in the requested format will result in it not being considered. The Royal Society of Victoria reserves the right to seek out independent referees in considering the nominations received. The nomination statement of the nominee’s career in science should demonstrate: 1. Consistent excellence in innovation or ground-breaking research and patents, incorporating novel scientific techniques and methods – described in plain language. 2. Exemplary leadership in science incorporating evidence of a major contribution to the public promotion of science, advocacy for science, partnership building, collaborations, role modelling and demonstrated influence across the scientific community. 3. Exemplary publication track record during the ten year period nominated for consideration. Career record relative to opportunity will be considered by the assessors. Nominators should indicate whether the nominee is an early career researcher, has had career interruptions or has had extended periods of part-time employment. Conditions:
The person/s receiving the award will be expected to present a lecture to the Society Members and guests on the evening of second Thursday in December at which the Medal will be presented. Nominations should be received by the Executive Officer, The Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne 3000 not later than 5pm 31st MARCH 2013 with an electronic copy being sent to the Executive Officer This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Nominations for 2013 open on 31st October 2012 until 31st March 2013. Forthcoming Awards will be made as follows: Category II: Human Health or Medical Sciences (Human) (2014) Genetics, Immunology, Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, Pathology, Necrology, Epidemiology, Endocrinology, Radiology, Microbiology, Medical Parasitology, Nuclear Medicine, and related human sciences Category III: Earth Sciences (2015) Geology, Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geophysics, Planetary Physics, Meteorology, Oceanography, Physical Geography, Paleontology and related sciences Category IV: Physical Sciences (2016) Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Astrophysics, Engineering and related sciences Category I: Biological Sciences (non-human) (2017) Agriculture, Biochemistry, Botany, Forestry, Animal and Plant Physiology, Zoology, and related non-human sciences
****************************************************************Dr Phillip Law AC Post-Doctoral Award for the Physical Sciences 2013
Application open Monday 4th February 2013 and close on 10th May 2013. Applications are invited for the inauguralDr Phillip Law AC Postdoctoral Award for the Physical Sciences 2013. This is a new award made possible by the generous bequest from the estate of Phillip Garth Law AC to the Society. The award is open to suitably qualified post-doctoral candidates in the area of the Physical Sciences which include Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Astrophysics, all branches of Engineering and related sciences. Application: Application is open to candidates within seven years of completion of their doctorate from a University in the State of Victoria, Australia. Applicants must be an Australian citizen or resident (proof required with application). Candidates should nominate themselves within 7 years of the awarding of their doctorate (at the deadline for nominations) by submitting their Curriculum Vitae (of no more than 10 A4 pages), a list of publications in peer-reviewed journals and a synopsis of up to 4 A4 pages ( 12 point) outlining their contribution to their discipline. The application should include a covering letter with full contact details of the applicant and the names of two referees and their full contact details (address, email and fax). The Royal Society of Victoria reserves the right to not consider applications that do not comply with these requirements or to make no award if no suitable candidate applies. Submission: Submissions should be in the form of a single PDF file sent in electronic form to the ‘Executive Officer’ at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Award: The successful candidate will receive a certificate, a prize of $2000 and will be required to deliver a 45 minute talk on their research to an audience of members of the Royal Society of Victoria and guests on Thursday 24th October 2013 at 7pm at the Society’s Hall. The Society does not pay travel expenses to Melbourne for the presentation on 24th October 2013. The successful nominee will have the opportunity to provide a brief review of their work for publication in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria within 6 months of agreeing to accept the award. Enquiries: Executive Officer, The Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne 3000 Telephone: (03) 96635259 |