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How to nominate a scientist for the Academy’s honorific awards

 

The Australian Academy of Science’s honorific awards recognise outstanding contributions to the advancement of science, from researchers early in their careers to those with a lifetime of achievements.

Anyone can nominate a scientist for our awards.

Nominating someone is a boost of confidence for people at various career levels to know their work is novel and is making a significant difference. — 2020 Frederick White Medal awardee Professor Madhu Bhaskaran

Nominations for the 2026 honorific awards close 1 May 2025.

How to nominate

Nominating a scientist for an honorific award is a straightforward process. Firstly, make sure your nominee is happy to be put forward before you get started.

Each award has eligibility criteria that must be met – check the award web page before starting your nomination.

You’ll then need to provide:

  1. The name, institution and contact details of the person you are nominating
  2. A short, non-technical description of your nominee’s work, suitable for a non-scientific audience
  3. A brief description of any career interruptions they may have experienced
  4. A 1-2 page (depending on career stage) citation of your nominee’s achievements
  5. A list of up to 10 of your nominee’s most significant publications
  6. Your nominee’s full, up-to-date CV
  7. The names and contact information of 3-6 referees who are knowledgeable about your nominee’s contributions (except for our three Premier awards).

You can submit a nomination on someone’s behalf – for example, a research office can submit on behalf of an individual nominator.

It is an excellent way of letting them know that their efforts are valued, and promoting their work to a wider audience. It’s also very rewarding to pay it forward and support the next generation of research leaders. — 2020 Gottschalk Medal recipient Professor Muireann Irish

Tips for a strong nomination

A strong citation (Step 4) is key to a successful nomination. This is your chance to present to the awards committee your candidate’s contributions to their field that make them a worthy recipient of the award.

You can nominate someone for more than one award! Just be sure to tailor your nomination for each award to give your nominee the best chance.

When writing your nomination, remember that while committee members are experts drawn from the subject area of a given award, they come from a variety of sub-fields and may not be experts on your nominee’s specific area of expertise.

The citation should:

  • Describe the candidate’s key discoveries and/or achievements clearly and concisely
  • Be sufficiently technical to allow committee members to confidently assess your nominee’s work
  • Describe the nature, impact and importance of the candidate’s discoveries and achievements in relation to their scientific discipline
  • Include explicit reasons explaining why you consider the candidate a worthy recipient of the award.

Referees

Apart from our Premier awards, all nominations must include from 3 to 6 referees, who will be contacted to provide confidential reports on your nominee’s suitability for the award.

When selecting referees:

  • Ask them if they are happy to provide a report before you submit your nomination – unsolicited referee report requests are rarely received positively
  • Choose referees based on their standing in the relevant scientific field
  • Be aware that at least one of the referees must be based internationally, and at least two should be independent. Check the nominator guidelines below for what makes a referee independent.

Start your nomination

Find all our awards at science.org.au/awards, or go straight to:

More information

For complete guidelines and requirements, see:

© 2024 Australian Academy of Science

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