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 candidates from diverse backgrounds from across the nation.
To assist us to identify Fellowship candidates from a broad range of backgrounds, each year we invite over 200 leaders in the Australian STEM and tertiary sectors to suggest candidates to us by mid-June. The Academy’s Champions of Diversity (Fellows appointed in each area of science) will assess the suggested candidates for their suitability for election, and an appropriate Fellow will be identified to nominate the candidate. This involves working closely with the candidate on the nomination, which the proposer must start by 31 July in our online nomination system, with the full nomination submitted by 31 August.
Each year the Academy may elect up to 20 new Fellows by ‘Ordinary Election’ and up to four additional Fellows by ‘Special Election’. Pending a review into Special Election, the Academy’s Council has determined that there will be no Specially Elected Fellows in 2024 and, therefore, no Special Election nominations called for in the 2024 round. In May 2023, the Fellowship comprised 601 Fellows, including 116 women.
The Academy’s Council may also elect up to two Corresponding Members each year from among distinguished scientists overseas. There are currently 36 Corresponding Members in the Academy.
Candidates may be considered for up to 5 election rounds (or until they are elected). The next round is the 2024 election round (opening in July 2023 and finishing in May 2024).
Sectional Committee members for the 2024 election round.
Information to Complete an Online Fellowship Nomination 2024 Round
Date | Activity |
---|---|
By Mid-June 2023 |
Candidates from diverse backgrounds may be 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. The Academy’s Champions of Diversity will assess the suggested candidates for suitability for election, and an appropriate Fellow will be identified to nominate the candidate. |
Mid July 2023 |
Online nomination system opens for Fellows to nominate new candidates (and to start updating nominations for their candidates who will be considered again in this round). |
By 31 July 2023 |
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). The Candidate Consent form (for all types of election) may be uploaded (at Section A) by the end of August. |
By 31 August 2023 | All nominations must be submitted by 31 August. New nominations and updates to continuing nominations must be completed and submitted via the online nomination system by 31 August. |
September to October 2023 |
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 shortlisted candidates. |
Early February 2024 | Sectional 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 more than one gender is represented. |
Early March 2024 | Council considers all the recommended candidates and determines the final list of up to 20 candidates for the Fellows’ ballot. Two-thirds of the voting Fellows must agree to each candidate’s election. |
End of March 2024 | Ballot count by Returning Officer and new Fellows declared elected (all Fellows advised under embargo). |
End of May 2024 | New Fellows publicly announced. |
For the 2024 Round, more flexibility in the weightings of the criteria for election have been adopted to enable Sectional Committees and Council to better assess contributions of candidates who may not have had a full-time research career path or opportunities to undertake leadership roles.
The weighting of criterion 1 is a minimum of 60% and a maximum of 85%, however, criteria 2 and 3 may also now be adjusted by the Sectional Committee (to range from 15 to 40% combined) with a minimum weighting of 10% for criteria 2 and 5% for criteria 3.
Proposers are not to choose weightings. This information is provided for reference only. The flexibility is for Sectional Committees to adjust the weightings as they see fit given the circumstances as described in the nomination. Normally the weighting used would be: 60:20:20. These changes are only to allow full appreciation of non-traditional career pathways, and any changes used by a committee need to be commented on in the Chair’s report to Council.
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. Diversity dimensions within the Fellowship (including gender, age, culture, state and region of residence, emerging disciplines, and interdisciplinary science) will be further taken into-account by Council in considering the final list of candidates.
The Special election category of Fellowship is currently under review. There will be no Special elections made in the 2024 round and pending the implementation of the review findings.
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.
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.
You are welcome to share and embed our videos encouraging the nomination of diversity candidates for Fellowship and awards.
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