Early career newSletters
Maths on the horizon
Interview with a scientist – Dr Eleanor Mitchell: rural health in East Gippsland
Science at the Shine Dome 2013
From the EMCR Forum – the voice of Australia’s future scientific leaders
News bulletin
Funding opportunities
Brilliant quotes about science
Maths on the horizon
Professor Nalini Joshi is Chair of the National Committee for Mathematical Sciences at the Australian Academy of Science.
She was also recently announced as an Ambassador for the International Year of Mathematics of Planet Earth Australia (http://mathsofplanetearth.org.au/).
Some time ago she wrote an intriguing and inspiring tweet about her love of maths: ‘Maths is in my heart’. In the following video, Trixie Barretto asked Nalini to talk about her extraordinary life, how she came to be a mathematician and what she loves about her work.
Warning: you may want to study maths after watching this! http://vimeo.com/33615260
Imagine the state of mathematical sciences in Australia in 2024. What would you like it to be? Can you imagine a change that would have long-term consequences for the calibre of Australian mathematical sciences?
What is that change? Should it be to make the study of mathematics compulsory for senior high school students? Should it be to have a national research centre that would be available to support every major area in the mathematical sciences? Should it be to ensure that there is a mathematics specialist teacher in every primary school? If you haven’t thought about it yet, start imagining now.
This collective imagining process is the intent of a long-term strategic plan called the Decadal Plan for the Mathematical Sciences, which is being initiated by the National Committee for Mathematical Sciences (NCMS), a committee of the Australian Academy of Science, with the financial support of additional national bodies and university departments of mathematical sciences from around the country. The process being initiated now aims to take your feedback into account and lead to a decadal plan to be produced in 2014.
We are calling for submissions on themes that have been identified by the subcommittees formed by the Steering Committee of the Decadal Plan. Have a look at the Decadal Plan website www.mathscidecadalplan.org.au and start submitting! The closing date for this round of submissions is 31 March 2013.
Professor Nalini Joshi FAA
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney
Interview with a scientist – Dr Eleanor Mitchell: rural health in East Gippsland
Eleanor is a lecturer at the East Gippsland Regional Clinical School and Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Monash University. Her current role involves assisting academics and health professionals in East Gippsland to establish their own research and program evaluations. In the following interview she talks about her role and her career, including challenges and benefits.
What is your current role?
My current role is a mixture of lecturing and research. My research ranges from grassroots-level stuff to more elaborate population health research. The biggest component of my research role is supporting the local rural health professionals to evaluate the health programs they run or assess health issues they observe, to improve health outcomes in our rural area. There are many other elements of my role including teaching rural health professionals about research, to increase their use of evidence informed practice in our health services. I also try and do some of my own research; however, it often takes second-place.
I am currently funded through the Department of Health and Ageing’s University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) scheme.
This kind of role is fairly common around Australia, as there are many other UDRH-funded departments at other universities. Each UDRH staff member interprets their role slightly differently depending on their expertise and location, but it is a fantastic opportunity.
What are the challenges of being an early career researcher in your role?
This sort of research is unfortunately not particularly attractive for competitive funding nor is it likely to result in a high-impact publication, so remaining competitive when compared to my metropolitan peers is probably the biggest challenge.
Also, I suppose the isolation is an additional challenge. You have to do everything yourself, and there aren't huge research teams for support or any clear career pathways. You have to be very independent.
There are also the common challenges that many Early Career Researchers face, such as the difficulties balancing the diverse demands of an academic position (doing research, lecturing, committee meetings, etc).
I’ve also not had what you would call a ‘traditional’ research career path. I've only been in this current role since 2010. Prior to that I was in Melbourne as a grant writer and research administrator and before that I was completing a lab-based PhD. So some fairly big career changes! I guess that such a varied career path is a reflection of a common reality for early career researchers, where you often have an uncertain future, going from contract to contract.
What are the advantages of being an early career researcher in your role?
A great positive about my role is that it exists. A lot of what I do is research capacity building (through mentorship, supervision and training) of local health professionals. So I guess without this role there would be a big knowledge and support gap in the region.
Another great positive is that my research is always really varied. The primary health care research that I am currently involved with covers a huge range of topics; from dentistry to obstetrics, and urinary incontinence to exercise programs. I guess this can become a negative since you are a jack-of-all-trades and therefore your 'research track record' is not as consistent as a 'normal' researcher, but certainly no two days are the same.
Finally, seeing results from our research having changed practice in the region is probably the biggest positive for me!
Science at the Shine Dome 2013
Canberra, Wednesday – Friday | 29 – 31 May 2013
#ShineDome2013
Registrations are now open for the Australian Academy of Science’s annual meeting Science at the Shine Dome. This highlight of the annual science calendar in Australia includes a special program for early career researchers (ECRs). We define ECRs as researchers who are less than 15 years after the completion of their PhD, and PhD students are also welcome to register for the event.
The $495 ECR registration package includes all the following activities:
On Day 1 you will learn about the latest research across a range of science disciplines with the New Fellows seminars and network with science teachers and Fellows of the Academy around an informal dinner. On Day 2 you will hear about the cutting-edge work of the 2013 Academy Awardees and participate in one of the career development workshops:
- Media and communicating science presented by Dr Paul Willis, Director of RiAus
- Grant writing and how to find funding opportunities presented by Dr Aurore Delaigle and Dr Ulrike Mathesius
- Successful scientific collaborations presented by Associate Professor Christopher Adam Blake and Dr Benjamin Kile.
In the evening you will attend the formal annual dinner with Academy Fellows and Honorific Awards winners. This year our dinner speaker is Sir David King FRS FAA, former UK Chief Scientist. The symposium to be held on day 3, Power to the people: the science behind the debate, will explore the science behind a hot topic: the future of power generation and supply in Australia and worldwide.
Ask your group leader / manager / supervisor to support your participation!
The full program for Science at the Shine Dome (29-31 May 2013) can be found at www.science.org.au/events/sats/sats2013/ and online registration is available at www.science.org.au/events/sats/sats2013/registration.html
If you have any questions or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at camille.couralet@science.org.au
From the EMCR Forum – the voice of Australia’s future scientific leaders
Welcome to the four new members of the Early and Mid Career Researcher Forum!
Maggie Hardy, Kate Hoy, Oliver Jones and Sharath Sriram joined the Forum committee in January 2013, replacing Andrew Brooks, Michelle Dunstone and Rosemary Keogh who have stepped down.
Find out about the EMCR Forum and the committee members at www.science.org.au/ecr/emcr/emcrforum.html
2013 EMCR Forum committee
- Marguerite Evans-Galea (Chair), Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research
- Darren Saunders (Deputy chair), University of NSW, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
- Krystal Evans (Deputy chair), WEHI, Division of Infection and Immunity
- Raelene Endersby, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Division of Leukaemia and Cancer Research
- Margaret Hardy, University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- Kate Hoy, Monash University, Psychiatric Neurotechnology
- Giampiero Iaffaldano, ANU, School of Earth Sciences
- Oliver Jones, RMIT University, School of Applied Sciences
- Andrew Siebel, Baker IDI, Heart and Diabetes Institute
- Sharath Sriram, RMIT University, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- James Tickner CSIRO, Process Science and Engineering
Getting EMCRs on the national agenda
Just days into his appointment as the new Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Chris Bowen received three members of the EMCR Forum committee to discuss key issues raised by early and mid career researchers in Australia. A few days later they also met with the Shadow Science Minister Ms Sophie Mirabella.
(Picture) From left to right: EMCR Forum Chair Maggie Evans-Galea and committee members Sharath Sriram and Krystal Evans with Minister Chris Bowen on 13 February 2013
Handbook for gender equity in science
On International Women’s Day last Friday, the EMCR Forum was pleased to release its Gender equity: current issues, best practice and new ideas document. The Academy’s Secretary for Science Policy Professor Bob Williamson and Forum member Dr Michelle Dunstone of Monash University led the push on this document, with Forum members and Science Pathways 2012 delegates contributing. Their efforts have resulted in a terrific handbook for gender equity policy.
The Forum hopes that all research organisations will adopt these practices, setting a new standard of professional support for women in science. We also hope to see these policies endorsed and supported by our national funding bodies – the ARC and the NHMRC.
The document is available at www.science.org.au/policy/documents/GenderEquityEMCRForum.pdf
News bulletin
Global ECR chat on Twitter
Postdoctoral researchers Dr Hazel Ferguson at Southern Cross University and Dr Katie Wheat at Maastricht University in The Netherlands created a fantastic UK/Europe/Australia chat for ECRs on Twitter.
#ECRchat is a global discussion held every other Thursday on a different topic of use to the early career researcher community. The chat is intended mainly for the discussion of post-PhD career issues and anyone who is interested, has questions, or advice to share is welcome. PhD students, postdocs, and junior faculty can all benefit from the advice and resources collected there. The chat also includes advice and questions from those who have left (or are considering leaving) academia, and from senior faculty, including those who advise PhD students and other ECRs.
You can join in the chat by searching for ‘#ECRchat’ on Twitter and by adding this hashtag to your tweets. If you are new to twitter, you might want to check out this guide.
For more information and to take part, visit http://ecrchat.wordpress.com/.
The next session is on Thursday 14 March on the topic of track record (relative to opportunity).
NHMRC Peer Review Symposium
Report from Maggie Evans-Galea, Chair of the EMCR Forum - an initiative of the Australian Academy of Science (www.science.org.au/ecr/emcr/)
On 20-21 February the NHMRC held a symposium to discuss grant applications and peer review. Folks from NIH (US), CIHR (Canada), MRC (UK), HRC (NZ), the McKeon Review, as well as many directors of funding bodies talked at the event.
Draft principles that were discussed included:
- Fairness
- Transparency
- Independence
- Appropriateness and balance
- Research community participation
- Confidentiality
- Impartiality
- Continuous improvement
With open panel discussions, there was opportunity for everyone to contribute. My personal aim was to provide a voice for EMCRs – especially those in academic levels A to C. Clear, fair principles and streamlining of peer review is important for everyone, but especially earlier in the career since more time needs to be devoted to establishing the track record, training personnel and applying for funding.
Thanks to all of the EMCRs who sent through great ideas and suggestions – it was very much appreciated! I did my best to present all views. Some fantastic, low-cost and implementable ideas were discussed by all delegates at length.
Learn more and see the NHMRC Peer Review presentations here:
www.nhmrc.gov.au/media/events/2013/evolutions-peer-review-symposium
Overall, it is clear things are moving in a very positive direction and no doubt we will hear about the outcomes in due course.
Maggie
Young Academy of Europe
The Young Academy of Europe (YAE) is an independent, pan-European initiative of top young scholars with outspoken views about science and science policy. Outstanding early-career scientists concerned about the future of research funding in Europe founded the YAE to represent the next generation of research leaders in Europe and create a platform for networking, scientific exchange and science policy.
The YAE was launched in December 2012 in Brussels. More details can be found at www.yacadeuro.org
Nature special: Women in science
The 6 March edition of Nature addresses why women are deterred from pursuing a career in science at the highest levels and why much more must be done to address the reasons behind this potential waste of human talent.
Read about gender bias and sexist attitudes, gender discrimination, perspectives and advice from around the world, and find out where progress has been made and where inequalities still lie, from salary to tenure, at www.nature.com/women
Funding opportunities
Cure Cancer Australia Foundation looking for innovative, high achieving early career researchers
Project grants will be awarded in any field of research (including basic laboratory, epidemiology, psychosocial, translational, and clinical) into malignant disease, to provide ‘start up’ funding to support early career researchers (less than seven years post PhD or post MBBS).
Cure Cancer Australia Foundation funds early career researchers as Chief Investigator of their project, in order to advance their research and to increase their competitiveness for funding from other granting agencies in the future. The funding may be used for the applicant’s own salary, or the salary of a research assistant, and/or research materials for the specified project.
Applications for 2014 funding close on Tuesday 19 March 2013 at 5pm AEDT.
For more information, visit www.cure.org.au/research/current-funding-opportunities/
CRC Association - Showcasing early career researchers and their work
Win a trip to Melbourne to present your work at Collaborate | Innovate | 2013, 15–17 May 2013, the annual conference of the Cooperative Research Centres Association.
If you are, or have been, a PhD or Masters student by research in a CRC Association member organisation you can enter via a 30-second video to the competition website.
The 5 best entries will receive free travel, $1000 prize money, opportunity to present 5 min talk - with the chance to win $5000.
Enter the competition at http://crca.asn.au/ecr2013/
Applications close on Thursday 28 March 2013.
France-Australia Science Innovation Collaboration Program Early Career Fellowships 2013
The Australian Academy of Science invites applications from Australian early career researchers for the France-Australia Science Innovation Collaboration (FASIC) Program Early Career Fellowships in 2013.
The FASIC program is a joint fund to support high calibre Australian and French early career researchers (ECRs) nominated by their institutions, to expand research and innovation activities and to initiate substantial research networks and linkages to support both countries’ research and innovation priorities.
Candidates should be research active in the fields of (1) medical science and biotechnology; (2) clean energy and resources; (3) climate change and environment; and (4) transport and infrastructure.
Applications close on Tuesday 2 April 2013.
For information and guidelines see www.science.org.au/internat/europe/ecr-france.html
2013 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards
Young Tall Poppy Science Award Nominations are now open and accepted from all fields of science and technology and are made in all states and territories.
Nominations close at midnight AEST Monday 29 April 2013.
Visit www.aips.net.au/tall-poppies/nominations-2013/ for the nomination form, eligibility and selection details.
Australian Academy of Science: awarding excellence
The Academy is calling for applications for its 2013 round of prestigious early career awards (for researchers no more than 40 years old in the calendar year of nomination, except in the case of significant interruptions to their research career). The Academy is also providing travelling fellowships, research funding and support to run conferences. Close to $300,000 is available for these awards in 2013.
Nominations for the honorific awards close 29 July 2013 and applications for travelling fellowships, research funding and for support to run conferences close 31 August 2013.
Further information is available from www.science.org.au/awards/
Brilliant quotes about science
'When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.'
Buckminster Fuller (1895 – 1983) was an American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, and futurist.
