The Academy elects up to 20 new Fellows by ‘Ordinary’ election each year through a rigorous process conducted over many months. The Academy also elects up to one additional Fellow by ‘Special Election’ each year (except in milestone anniversary years when up to three may be elected).
The Council may also elect up to two Corresponding Members each year from among distinguished scientists overseas.
There are currently more than 500 Fellows in the Academy.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| By 31 July | Fellows of the Academy submit nominations for their candidates into the online nomination system. |
| August | Candidates allocated to Sectional Committees and referee reports requested. |
| Early February | The Sectional Committees meet to evaluate the candidates to recommend up to three candidates each to the Council. |
| Early March | Council considers all the recommended candidates and votes to determine 20 candidates for the Fellows’ ballot. |
| Early March | Fellows’ election ballot sent to all Fellows. Two-thirds of the voting Fellows must agree to each candidate’s election. |
| End of March | Ballot count by Returning Officer and new Fellows declared elected (all Fellows advised under embargo). |
| End of May | New Fellows publically announced and formally inducted into the Academy during the ‘Science at the Shine Dome’ week. |
Candidates must be resident in Australia. They must be a legal resident, or have an employment arrangement in Australia on a regular basis for at least half of the year. For the case of recent arrivals to Australia, the convention is for the candidate to be a resident for two years and contributing to Australian science.
The PRIMARY SELECTION CRITERION IS SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE, based on the following indicators of merit:
Achievement is judged relative to opportunity, taking into account any breaks in, or late commencement of, career.
In addition, consideration is also given to the following SECONDARY SELECTION CRITERIA:
Fellows nominate candidates via the Academy’s nomination system. Information required includes:
Please see Information to Complete an Online Fellowship Nomination for further details
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.
The disciplines assigned to the various Sectional Committees are determined by Council. There is also a Sectional Committee to consider the Corresponding Member and Special Election candidates.
A-Side (Physical Sciences)
B-Side (Biological Sciences)
SC14 – Interdisciplinary (A side and B side)
CMSE - Corresponding Member and Special Election Committee (CMSE)
Candidates are allocated to Sectional Committees by The Secretaries - that is, Secretary A (Physical Sciences) and Secretary B (Biological Sciences) - taking into account the advice of the Proposer and in consultation with Sectional Committee Chairs when they consider it necessary. Almost all candidates are allocated for consideration by a single Committee.
Inter-disciplinary candidates, however, that require consideration by two Sectional Committees within A-Side (Physical Sciences) or B-Side (Biological Sciences) will be allocated to two Sectional Committees for consideration, with one Sectional Committee initially identified as the ‘primary’ Committee.
Inter-disciplinary candidates that cross A-Side and B-Side, and candidates requiring consideration by more than two Sectional Committees will be allocated to the Inter-disciplinary Sectional Committee.
Nominations must be supported by up to six letters of evaluation from reputable referees, who should comment on the wider impact of the candidate’s work on his/her scientific discipline. At least four of the referees will be eminent scientists overseas who are, where possible, preferably members of their country’s equivalent Academy. Referees suggested from Australia should normally be Fellows of the Academy. The Secretariat will request the reports.
At its meeting in March, Council will consider all the short-listed candidates recommended by the Sectional Committees and determine up to 20 candidates to propose to the Fellowship for election.
Council will be guided by the principle that in any year there should be a balance between the Physical and Biological sciences.
According to the Academy’s Bye-Laws (Chapter II, Section 10), ‘Council may, from time to time, deem it desirable for the Academy to elect to the Fellowship each year a person, normally resident in Australia, who has rendered conspicuous service to the cause of science or whose election would be of signal benefit to the Academy and the advancement of science’.
In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, candidates will have demonstrated scientific excellence, manifest through significant and continuing contributions to science, evidence of impact and influence, outstanding leadership and mentorship, national and international profile, and recognition by their peers. Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to the promotion and dissemination of scientific knowledge in Australia, and to advancing the work of the Academy in science education, advocacy or policy.
According to the Academy’s Bye-Laws (Chapter II, Section 11) ‘the Council from time to time by resolution may elect as a Corresponding Member of the Academy a person who in its opinion is eminent in respect of scientific discoveries and attainments but is not normally resident in Australia’.
Candidates for election as Corresponding Members must be persons of eminence in their special field(s) of endeavour. The minimum level of eminence required should be such that they would unquestionably be elected to the Fellowship by Ordinary Election if they were resident and active in Australia. It would also normally be expected that candidates have been elected to bodies in their country of residence, equivalent in standing to the Academy.
The Council may elect not more than two Corresponding members each year provided that it does not make the number of Corresponding Members exceed one-tenth of the number of Fellows.
In considering candidates for Corresponding Membership, the Council shall take account of the strength of each candidate’s connection or strategic value to Australian science.
The Council will give consideration to diversity as well as the potential future connection of candidates with Australian science and their contributions to science which may be of benefit or strategic value to Australia. Candidates should also demonstrate a commitment to promotion and dissemination of scientific knowledge and to advancing the work of the Academy in science education, advocacy or policy.
© 2017 Australian Academy of Science
