Early career newSletters
Who are you? What do you want?
Best practices in Australian science - research leadership
Science Pathways 2012: Getting Science on the National Agenda
Science meets Parliament 2012
Funding opportunities
News bulletin
Brilliant quotes about science
Who are you? What do you want?
The Academy has been supporting Early and Mid Career Researchers (EMCRs — you!) for a few years via workshops, conferences and other initiatives. Over the past year and a half the Academy has developed the EMCR Forum, with the aim of representing and advocating for all EMCRs around the country.
Thanks to timely and sensible submissions (see e.g. here and here) the Forum is already accepted in some government circles as a group to be consulted and listened to. The first national EMCR Forum event, Science Pathways, has also been a great success and has got the ball rolling on a number of relevant issues (see article below).
The Forum, with the Academy's support, can help the whole community of Australian EMCRs by improving its organisation and visibility. It will also focus on enhancing career prospects and work conditions, as well as sharing information and knowledge, and any other issues that we, altogether, identify as relevant.
For the Forum to continue to operate strongly, it needs to hear as many voices as possible among EMCRs in Australia. The Academy's EMCR database and mailing list, which is used to distribute this newsletter, is an effective way of having your ideas, suggestions and comments listened to and passed on to decision-makers.
To improve our service and your representation, we strongly encourage you to sign up if you haven't already, and to encourage your EMCR friends and colleagues to sign up as well.
Every new EMCR who signs up here this year will be in a draw to win an iPad (64 GB WiFi + cellular or similar tablet, your choice).
We will also add your name to the draw for each additional EMCR signed up by 31 December 2012, if you let us know (ecr@science.org.au) how many EMCRs you have caused to sign up (send your EMCR friends and colleagues this link: www.science.org.au/ecr/ecrlist.html).
Best practices in Australian science - research leadership
Professor Moira Clay, Director of Academic and Research Services at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, WA, talks about the forward-looking research leadership program implemented in her health and medical research organisation
The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, in collaboration with Organisational and Staff Development Services at the University of Western Australia, has run an innovative program in 2011/12 with the aim of developing and nurturing the institute's next generation of research leaders.
The program was created in response to an ongoing need for succession planning and with the impending retirement of around ten of the senior research leaders at the institute.
The inaugural program included ten early-mid career researchers who demonstrated outstanding leadership potential. It comprised a series of workshops and meetings including 360 degree leadership profiling, support for interstate mentoring, a variety of professional development and career management workshops, leadership projects, meetings with community and business leaders, representation of the institute at VIP functions and peer support. It is early days, but the program has already realised many tangible benefits:
- Three program members have been accepted as members of the institute faculty. An additional five members of the team have been accepted into pre-faculty (recognising their potential to achieve performance levels required to move into faculty within the next five years).
- Several members have been promoted to senior leadership roles within the institute.
- Four program members achieved success in NHMRC funding announced in October 2012.
- The leadership projects have resulted in significant institute-wide impact, such as the development of the campus-wide child health research seminar series, a significantly improved internal grant review process and a new supervisor training module for institute-based supervisors of higher degree research students.
The less tangible benefits of the research leadership program continue to emerge. Program members fed back that 'it is impossible to quantify the lessons we learnt, the advice we soaked up, the camaraderie we developed and the insights we achieved. It is no exaggeration to say that this has been the most effective and successful step the Telethon Institute has made in developing the next generation of research leaders.'
This framework is an excellent example of what can be done to support leadership development of early-mid career researchers and succession planning strategies for research organisations.
More information on the program can be found here.
Science Pathways 2012: Getting Science on the National Agenda
The Academy’s Early-Mid Career Researcher (EMCR) Forum held its first national meeting Science Pathways: Getting Science on the National Agenda at the Shine Dome in Canberra on 24–25 September 2012.
The event was a great success with 137 delegates attending. They were mostly EMCRs (115 PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and junior group leaders) but there were also Fellows of the Academy as well as government and industry representatives. EMCRs were excited to participate in active discussions and brain-storm new ideas that could help shape the future of Australian science.
Professor Ian Chubb, Australia's Chief Scientist, officially opened the meeting and Professor Brian Schmidt delivered the inaugural Chuwen Keynote in honour of founding Forum member, Dr Ben Chuwen.
Three professional development sessions were articulated around presentations, panel discussions and group work:
- ‘best practices’ in training and development as well as gender equity policies
- a career hotspot on professional opportunities available to young scientists
- an education session on policy development and implementation
The three major imperatives identified were: improvements in career structure and funding; better coordination of all Australian EMCRs; and an Australian EMCR web resource/information hub/discussion forum to be initiated by the Academy’s national EMCR Forum.
Clear short, mid-term and long-term action plans for the next 12 months have been set and aim to address these issues. These include establishing EMCR networks in each state, with those in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory already underway; getting involved with the newly established Parliamentary Friends of Science and other leaders in government, research, business, industry and education; and hosting a second national meeting in 2013, Science Pathways: Getting Early-Mid Career Researchers Engaged with Industry.
Science meets Parliament 2012
Three early career researchers share their experience of Science meets Parliament 2012, the 13th annual meeting organised by Science and Technology Australia on the 17th and 18th September 2012.
Ashley Ng, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, VIC
'If scientists never read Hansard and politicians never read scientific papers, then they will never meet.' Richard Denniss, Executive Director of the Australia Institute and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University
Science meets Parliament has a dual purpose; to introduce scientists to workings of Australian federal politics, policy and the media, and to teach them how to engage with the public service and parliamentarians. Quite aptly, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars just a month before this event. For many at this meeting too, this was a one-off mission that would take them outside their comfort zone and land them on another planet.
From day one, the importance of communication of good science, with objective provision of evidence to aid policy making and inform debate, was a theme that was reinforced to some, and introduced to many.
nfluencing policy through parliamentarians and members of the public service requires good science communicators, and that role falls to us. We were taken through crafting a ‘pitch’ and made to realise that having a ‘point’ whenever meeting a parliamentarian was more important than ‘getting a hug’ once our feet walked through the door of a parliamentary office.
They say a week is a long time in politics. Having a clade of scientists across a wide breadth of fields descend on the nation's capital for two days was therefore not a long time by this measure.
Someone tweeted at the opening session, "Probably enough smarts in this room to design and build a robot and plan a mission to Mars". Well, as it turned out, perhaps not this year. However, we are leaders in our fields and to a large extent, leadership must come from us. For many, that means engaging in a much broader role than we have been accustomed to having.
If nothing else, Science meets Parliament 2012 will have opened many eyes (including mine), and hopefully several doors, through which we as scientists can engage at a level that will have a significant impact on the minds of the public service and parliamentarians and the machinations of policy development.
Annabella Newton, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sydney / CSIRO, NSW
I was delighted to be selected as one of the Academy’s representatives at the 13th annual Science meets Parliament meeting in Canberra.
The first day was spent at the National Gallery of Australia, learning about science policy and communication. My personal highlight was a panel discussion with several members of the press, who talked about the challenges associated with effectively communicating science to the public.
The second day was spent at Parliament House, attending short meetings with politicians and watching Question Time in the House of Representatives. We also had the opportunity to attend Professor Brian Schmidt’s National Press Club address.
I was very honoured to personally hand a copy of Mark Henderson’s ‘The Geek Manifesto’ to the politician I met with, the Hon. Bernie Ripoll of Oxley, Queensland. I have been following the ‘Geek the Vote’ campaign since its inception in the UK, so it was a great pleasure to play an active part in promoting evidence-based policy in Australia.
I found the meeting highly enjoyable and informative, and I met some wonderful people. It was great to see how policy is formed and learn a bit about how things work at Parliament House.
Raelene Endersby, John Lillie Cancer Research Fellow at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, WA
I would like to thank the Australian Academy of Science for sponsoring my attendance at this year’s Science meets Parliament.
This terrific opportunity was the best experience I have had to improve my understanding of how our government and politicians work. I had not before appreciated how crucial it is for us as scientists to articulate the importance of what we do, why we do it and its impact, not only to those in Canberra, but also to the general public.
I was astounded by the lack of understanding that some in government have on how scientific researchers are funded. Although this was disappointing, I came away from the meeting with a strong sense that it is our responsibility as scientists to ensure that Australians, the media and our elected officials become more scientifically literate so that all can make well-informed decisions when it comes to science policy.
My research is primarily funded from government grants and Science meets Parliament was also a great opportunity for me to feed back the information we have gained through this funding to those who have supported medical research in Australia. Improving these lines of communication through schemes like this will be integral to ensuring that science stays on the political agenda, which I believe will be to the benefit of all Australians.
Funding opportunities
2013 Science and Innovation Awards
Grant applications are now open for the 2013 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Launched by Senator Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 19 October 2012, the awards encourage science, innovation and technology in rural industries. Award recipients undertake original projects with the aim of keeping Australia’s rural industries sustainable and profitable.
Applications close 5pm AEDT Friday 23 November 2012.
Information, FAQs and application forms are available here.
Victorian Research Fellowships
In 2013, the Victorian Government will award up to six Victorian Postdoctoral Research Fellowships to strengthen Victoria’s innovation capability and global networks.
Fellowships will be awarded to early career Victorian researchers in the fields of physical sciences, life sciences (apart from human health and medicine), mathematical sciences, engineering and information and communication technology.
Fellows will spend two years overseas as guest researchers in a leading research institution or university, followed by one year working at their host, a Victorian company or research organisation.
Applications close 5 pm EDT Tuesday 5 February 2013.
More information can be found here
News bulletin
Science Media Savvy
Developed by the Australian Science Media Centre and supported by CSIRO, Science Media Savvy is a free online tool to help scientists work with the media and better inform public debate on the major issues of the day. ScienceMediaSavvy.org provides tips and advice for understanding and dealing with the news media.
This resource features interviews with news journalists and editors, advice from researchers experienced in media and videos highlighting how to improve print and broadcast interview experiences.
Science Media Savvy is not designed to replace hands-on media skills workshops. Instead it is a new tool that will help scientists who are unable to take the time or foot the cost of attending a course or for those who need a quick refresher.
This short video explains all about Science Media Savvy.
2012 Australian Frontiers of Science - Science for a green economy
On 2 to 4 December in Sydney, seventy outstanding early and mid career scientists from around Australia and with expertise in a broad range of disciplines (Agriculture and Aquaculture; Atmosphere and Climate; Biology; Ecology; Economics; Mathematics; Physics; Social Sciences) will meet to discuss how science can support a successful transition to a green economy.
A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Innovative solutions need to be developed to address the climate, food and energy crises facing Australia and the world today. This symposium will enable some of Australia’s brightest young scientists to engage in fresh thinking about these fundamental issues for our future.
The 2012 Australian Frontiers of Science program is available here.
Check Dr Karl Braganza from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, who is the first speaker of the symposium, running us through a national, 100-year Australia health check/weather report in the latest episode of ABC's Catalyst, 'Taking our temperature'.
Science at the Shine Dome 2013
The Academy’s annual Early and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) program has become a favourite feature of our flagship annual event, Science at the Shine Dome.
EMCR delegates enjoy a special opportunity to meet and mingle with high-achieving scientists, attend all the sessions showcasing cutting edge science, and attend one of three workshops targeted to their needs:
- Grant writing – getting your research funded (TBC)
- Media and communicating science (TBC)
- Successful scientific collaborations (TBC)
Organisations which employ EMCRs enjoy the unique opportunity to send delegates and boost their own exposure by sponsoring an Early Career Researcher Travel Award. The Academy is now taking applications to sponsor these awards.
In 2013, the theme of Science at the Shine Dome is Power to the people: the science behind the debate.
- What are the options for power generation and supply?
- Where are the limits?
- What are the implications of our choices?
Please ask your institution to consider sponsoring your attendance at Science at the Shine Dome 2013!
More information is available here or you can contact Events Manager Mitchell Piercey on mitchell.piercey@science.org.au or 02 6201 9462.
Brilliant quotes about science
'Individuals who break through by inventing a new paradigm are almost always either very young or very new to the field whose paradigm they change. These are the ones who, being little committed by prior practice to the traditional rules of normal science, are particularly likely to see that those rules no longer define a playable game and conceive another set that can replace them.'
(Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962)
Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922–96) was an American physicist, historian, and philosopher of science whose controversial book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was deeply influential in both academic and popular circles, introducing the term 'paradigm shift', which has since become an English-language staple.
