Academy announces 2024–25 recipients of Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) grants

December 16, 2024

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates the grant recipients of the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) (TMIA) grant funding for the 2024–25 round.

Established by the UK’s Royal Society to further scientific discovery among Australia’s early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs), the TMIA is administered by the Australian Academy of Science and provides grant funding to support activities that provide tangible benefits in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

This round sees a total commitment of $300,000 allocated to support 23 applications, with the grant recipients spread across Australia. These grants are distributed among four Flagship activities, six Amplify activities and 13 Participation Support grants which are expected to commence from January 2025.

Funding stream one: Flagship activities

Find out more about Flagship activities

Four grants averaging $44,000 each have been approved to deliver activities designed to provide meaningful benefits to EMCRs in Australia and the broader scientific community. The initiatives will foster collaboration between more than one organisation and garner additional sponsor support from partners to maximise impact.

Approved Flagship activities

Project title	University/institution
Empowering the next generation of researchers in shaping boundary-spanning responsible AI	Australian Institute for Machine Learning, University of Adelaide
Advancing early- and mid-career researchers: WREN 2025 Global Events	University of Newcastle
Workshop on applied fabrication and energy research in solar cells	University of New South Wales
Beyond the mining state – Western Australian EMCR technology and research symposium	University of Western Australia

Funding stream two: Amplify activities

Find out more about Amplify activities

Six grants averaging $12,300 each have been approved to enhance conferences, workshops, symposiums and networking events. These activities are designed as complementary additions to scientific events to support a greater focus on EMCR engagement. They are intended to create opportunities for meaningful interactions and collaborations beyond research endeavours. The grant covers the additional costs to support EMCR participation, ensuring a more inclusive and enriched experience for all attendees.

Approved Amplify activities

Project title	University/institution
EMCRs leading the Targeted Protein Degradation Satellite Meeting at the 2025 Lorne ubiquitin summit	Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI)
Unified frontiers in parental and early childhood obesity prevention: integrating consumer and community involvement	Monash University
2025 Addiction Neuroscience Australia EMCR symposium	University of Technology Sydney
SCBO-hosted ECR day at the International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025	University of Tasmania
Data to discovery: a multi-omics masterclass	Murdoch University
Connecting minds: empowering early and mid-career researchers investigating bipolar and depressive disorders	University of Melbourne

Funding stream three: Participation Support grants

Find out more about Participation Support grants

Thirteen grants averaging $3,800 each were approved for Australian EMCRs to support their participation in scientific events and activities. This funding covers expenses related to caregiving, accessibility and mobility, ensuring EMCRs can access career development opportunities like conferences and workshops. By reducing financial barriers, Participation Support grants enable EMCRs to fully engage in activities essential for their professional advancement.

Approved Participation Support grants

Applicant	University/institution
Dr Stefan Pavetich	Australian National University
Dr Zhiyao Wang	University of Queensland
Dr Sai Vara Prasad Chitti	La Trobe University
Dr Ashlee Turner	University of Sydney
Dr Mohammad Sanjari	Griffith University
Dr Sarah Hancock	Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
Dr Yang Liu	James Cook University
Dr Ilona Turek	Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO
Dr Katia Ferrar	Flinders University
Dr Matthew Ryan	CSIRO
Dr Melissa Stanfield	University of Tasmania
Dr Shovon Chandra Sarkar	Murdoch University
Dr Buddhini Ginigaddara	University of Newcastle
Dr Vicki Brown	Deakin University

Grant recipients by state and territory.

The next round

The Academy anticipates the next call for applications to open around mid-2025. For any enquiries related to the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) program, please email theomurphyau@science.org.au.