The Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research (Australia)

This year’s awardees have made significant contributions in areas ranging from anthropology and computational statistics to mental health and cross-cultural communication.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nominations will be checked by Academy staff for eligibility prior to assessment by Panel Committees.
• Eligibility criteria include:
  • A PhD in the social sciences, awarded normally not more than five years prior to the closing date for nominations, excluding any eligible periods of career interruption.
  • Australian citizenship or permanent resident status.
  • Endorsement by two Academy Fellows as Proposer and Seconder
  • The nominated scholar must not have previously won the Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research.
• Scholars are eligible to be nominated within five years of the conferral date of their earliest PhD (as certified by the administering organisation), plus any eligible career interruptions.
• If a nominee has more than one PhD, the earliest awarded PhD must fall within this timeframe.
• Eligible Career Interruptions
  • The number of years between the conferral date of a PhD and the closing date for nominations is a key element of eligibility for the Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research. Scholars are eligible to be nominated within five years of the conferral date of their PhD (as certified by the administering organisation).
  • The Academy recognises career interruptions can have a significant impact on the period between conferral of a researcher’s PhD and the submission of a nomination. The Academy allows the eligibility periods for the Paul Bourke Awards to be extended where specified career interruptions have occurred.
• The following significant and non-overlapping career interruptions will be eligible:
• Reason for career interruption
  • Time which can be claimed (minimum period of one month)
• International relocation
  • Time commensurate with the interruption, not exceeding three months per international relocation.
• Child-care as primary carer (includes periods of parental leave as well as part-time work while caring for one or more children)
  • Up to two years per dependent child
• Other caring responsibilities (including leave and part-time employment for care of a dependent family member)
  • Time commensurate with the interruption.
• Medical condition or disability
  • Time commensurate with the interruption.
• Non-research employment (if not concurrent with research employment) or unemployment
  • Time commensurate with the interruption.

Assessment Criteria

• Each eligible nomination received will be assessed by the relevant Academy Panel Committee on the basis of excellence in the social sciences as demonstrated by:
  • Scholarly publication, especially in leading international journals and/or books published by leading publishers,
  • Academic prizes, research grants and Fellowships and scholarships,
  • Presentations at leading national and international conferences,
  • Contributions to the advancement of public policy in the social sciences.

Application Requirements

• Anyone can submit a nomination however each nomination must be supported by two Academy Fellows: one named as proposer and one as seconder.
• The proposer and seconder may choose to complete and submit the nomination, or it can be completed by someone else, including the nominee. The Nomination also requires:
  • A nomination form setting out the case for the nominated scholar.
  • The name, position and email address of two referees who have agreed to provide a referee’s report in support of the nomination by the due date.  Referees should be scholars in the nominee’s field of study. Referees need not be Fellows of the Academy.
  • A full CV for the nominee.
  • Evidence of any claimed career interruptions.

For more information, visit Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.