The Australian Academy of Science aims to be a leader in diversity and inclusion in Australia’s science sector. We are committed to supporting excellence in science but we recognise that to achieve this we must celebrate and embrace diversity and inclusion in all its forms.
More about the Academy’s approach to diversity and inclusion
Watch our videos encouraging the nominations of diversity candidates
As only our Fellows can nominate candidates for election to the Academy, we encourage all our Fellows to nominate diversity candidates. To assist us to identify diversity candidates across the nation, each year we invite over 400 leaders in the Australian STEM and tertiary sectors to suggest diversity candidates to us by the end of June at the latest. These candidates are then assessed by Fellows appointed as our ‘Champions of Diversity’ in each area of science. The candidates who have been assessed as suitable for election then have a Fellow chosen who agrees to propose the candidate for election. This involves working closely with the candidate on the nomination, which must be started by 31 July in our online nomination system, with the full nomination submitted by 31 August.
Each year the Academy elects up to 20 new Fellows by ‘Ordinary Election’ and up to four additional Fellows by ‘Special Election’. In May 2021, the Fellowship comprised 575 Fellows, including 99 women.
The Academy’s Council may also elect up to two Corresponding Members each year from among distinguished scientists overseas. There are currently 32 Corresponding Members in the Academy.
Date | Activity |
---|---|
By Mid-June 2021 |
Diversity candidates suggested in-confidence to the Fellowship Director by email to fellowship@science.org.au. Please include up to 150 words on the candidate’s contribution to science. |
1 July 2021 |
Online nomination system opens for Fellows to create new nominations or update their existing nominations. |
By 31 July 2021 | All new nominations must be registered by 31 July. To register a candidate, a Fellow must have started (and saved) the new nomination in the online system with this information: candidate’s details (Section A); suggested sectional committee (Section D); and name of proposer, seconder and supporters (Section E). |
By 31 August 2021 | All nominations must be submitted by 31 August. New nominations and updates to existing nominations must be completed and submitted via the online nomination system. |
September 2021 | Selection committees, known as ‘sectional committees’, undertake unconscious bias training and then shortlist candidates to progress for further consideration. Additional independent referee reports are requested for those candidates. |
Early February 2022 | Committees meet to determine the final candidates to recommend to Council. Each committee may recommend up to two candidates if one gender is represented, or three candidates, if both genders are represented. |
Early March 2022 | Council considers all the recommended candidates and determines the final list of 20 candidates for the Fellows’ ballot. Two-thirds of the voting Fellows must agree to each candidate’s election. |
End of March 2022 | Ballot count by Returning Officer and new Fellows declared elected (all Fellows advised under embargo). |
End of May 2022 | New Fellows publicly announced and formally inducted into the Academy during the week of ‘Science at the Shine Dome’. |
The Academy is committed to celebrating and supporting diversity within the Fellowship. Achievement is judged relative to opportunity, taking into account any breaks in, or late commencement of, career. Assessment is done in such a way as to not disadvantage gifted young scientists who have already made outstanding contributions to their discipline. Gender balance and diversity issues (including age; ethnicity; state and region of residence; emerging disciplines; and interdisciplinary science) within the Fellowship will be further taken into-account by Council in considering the final list of candidates.
Each year the Council may deem it desirable that the Academy elect to Fellowship up to four persons, whose election would expand the diversity of the Fellowship and be of signal benefit to the Academy and to the advancement of science.
Special election candidates will be assessed using the following indicators of merit:
Fellows nominate candidates via the Academy’s nomination system. Information required includes:
A nomination is valid for five consecutive election rounds/years or until the candidate is elected. Proposers MUST update the nominations for their continuing candidates every year for the life of the nomination. After the nomination has expired, and following a pause of two election rounds (two years), a new nomination for that candidate may be submitted.
Guidelines for completing a nomination are available here.
Sectional Committee chairs and members for the 2022 election round can be found here.
Please email fellowship@science.org.au if you have any questions regarding the nomination process (including the eligibility of a candidate or suitability of a referee). Enquiries will be referred to the Secretary for Physical Sciences or the Secretary for Biological Sciences, where necessary.
Videos encouraging diversity candidates
You are welcome to share and embed our videos encouraging the nomination of diversity candidates for Fellowship and awards.
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