2023-24 Theo Murphy Initiative Grant Winners Revealed

The Australian Academy of Science congratulates the grant recipients of the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) grant funding for the 2023-24 round.

Established by the Royal Society to further scientific discovery, the TMI is administered by the Australian Academy of Science and provides grant funding to support career development opportunities for Australia's early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

A total commitment of A$300,000 has been allocated to support 30 applications, with the grant recipients spread across Australia. These grants are distributed among four Flagship projects, six Amplify Initiatives, and 20 Participation Support Grants, which are expected to start implementation from January 2024.

Funding stream one: Flagship Activities

Four grants, each with an average size of A$40,400, have been approved to deliver activities designed to provide tangible benefits to EMCRs in Australia and the wider scientific community.

These initiatives are strategically designed to extend their impact beyond a single Australian organisation, fostering collaboration and synergy across multiple institutions.

Sponsorship support from additional event partners enhances the scope and effectiveness of these activities.

Below is the list of projects approved under the category of Flagship Activities:

Project title

University/institution

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Science

Australian National University

Indigenous Genomics and Responsible Research: Bridging the Knowledge Gap through a Massive Open Online Course

University of Adelaide

Charting the Future of Healthcare: Making Research Core Business of Early to Mid-Career Nursing and Midwifery Researchers

Nursing Research Institute, Australian Catholic University

OPTIMA-CON 2024

University of Melbourne

Funding stream two: Amplify Activities

Six grants, averaging A$13,600 each, were approved for activities that will bring additional benefits and opportunities to conferences, workshops, symposia, and networking events.

Serving as complementary add-on events, they will amplify the overall impact of the main activities, specifically by facilitating increased engagement of EMCRs.

These grants cover the additional costs associated with ensuring the active participation of EMCRs, contributing to a richer and more inclusive experience for all attendees.

Below is the list of projects approved under the category of Amplify Activities:

Project title

University/institution

A horizon scan of future priorities to support the sustainability of plant-soil ecosystems in Australia.

University of Southern Queensland

Masterclass in Communication for Early-Mid Career Researchers

Monash University

Australian Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Society (ABACBS) EMCR Hackathon

Garvan Institute of Medical Research

Establishing The Lipid Network: an online platform that links researchers, clinicians, industry, and societies

Flinders University

NSPC pre-conference event: Clinician-Researchers in Suicide Prevention

Orygen / University of Melbourne

Australian EMCRs support for 20th International Conference on Advanced Data Mining and Applications (ADMA 2024), Sydney, Australia

University of Adelaide

Funding stream three: Participation Support

Twenty grants, with an average size of A$2,800, were approved for Australian EMCRs to cover the expenses associated with attending events or activities.

This funding is tailored to alleviate costs related to caregiving, accessibility, and mobility needs, ensuring that EMCRs can fully engage in career development opportunities such as conferences or training workshops.

The aim is to eliminate financial barriers, enabling EMCRs to participate meaningfully in activities vital for their professional growth.

Below is the list of grant recipients under the category of Participation Support Grants:

Applicant

University/Institution

Dr Tanveer Mehedi Adyel

University of South Australia

Dr Jack Nguyen

Monash University

Dr Sajitha Biju

University of Melbourne

Dr Safira Barros

Flinders University

Dr Mahyar Shirvanimoghaddam

University of Sydney

Dr Curtis Ho

University of Tasmania

Dr Santiago Barrera Acevedo

Monash University

Dr Keyao Li

Curtin University

Dr Trong Tran

University of the Sunshine Coast

Dr Ali Gholamrezaei

University of Sydney

Dr Wen-Sung Chung

Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland

Dr Navoda Liyana Pathirana

Deakin University

Dr Buddhini Ginigaddara

University of Newcastle

Dr Wei Xu

Murdoch University

Dr Siddulu Naidu Talapaneni

University of New South Wales

Dr Karly Turner

University of New South Wales

Dr Diane Purcell

CSIRO

Dr Bin Guan

University of South Australia

Dr Alessandra Ferri

Victoria University

Dr Niki Teunissen

Monash University

Regional distribution of successful applicants.
Total number of grant recipients by region.

Every application underwent thorough evaluation by the EMCR Committee of Council-a panel consisting of esteemed Academy Fellows and subject matter experts.

The conclusive decisions regarding approvals and allocations were made by the Academy's Executive Committee of Council and the Board of the Royal Society (Australia) Pty Ltd.

The Academy anticipates the next call for applications to open around mid-2024.

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