Awards to Researchers

Founders Medal

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

This award was named in honour of the four founders of ASPR: Professors Scott Henderson, Issy Pilowsky, Graham Burrows and Peter Beaumont. The medal is awarded to persons who, over their entire careers, have made a contribution of significance to psychiatric research.

Award: Plaque and medal.

Eligibility:The nominee will be a member of ASPR at the time of nomination. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive.

Process:The ASPR Executive will call for nominations from ASPR members. Nominators will provide a brief statement in support of the nominee stating why the nominee should be selected for the award and include supporting documentation e.g. track record/list of achievements (1 page max). Nominees will also provide a statement of contribution to the ASPR. The Executive will assess the nominations and vote on who the recipient will be.

In 2012, nominations should be sent to:
Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au

Selection Criteria: Criteria for assessing a nominee’s track record are rated in NHMRC categories: publications, grants, and impact. Ties will be decided by contribution to ASPR.

Current award holder:

• 2011 Professor Perminder Sachdev

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ASPR Eli Lilly Oration Award (previously Novartis Oration)

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

This Oration is given at each conference by a member of ASPR who is prominent or rising to prominence in the Australian and New Zealand psychiatric research community.

Award: Eli Lilly company pays the expenses of the Orator to attend and present an oration at the annual meeting and gives a prize of $8000 towards this person's research.

Eligibility: The recipient will be a member of ASPR at the time of nomination. Persons who have received an Eli Lilly Oration or Novartis Oration Award previously are not eligible. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive.

Process: The ASPR Executive will call for nominations from ASPR members. Nominators will provide a brief statement in support of the nominee stating why the nominee should be selected for the award and include supporting documentation e.g. track record/list of achievements (1 page max). Nominees will also provide a statement of contribution to the ASPR. The Executive will assess the nominations and vote on who the recipient will be.

In 2012, nominations should be sent to:
Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au

Selection Criteria: Criteria for assessing a nominee’s track record are rated in NHMRC categories: publications, grants, and impact. Ties will be decided by contribution to ASPR.

Funding Source: Eli Lilly

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 Professor Gin Malhi

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Lundbeck Institute Award

(previously Merck Sharpe and Dohme / ASPR Schering-Plough Award)

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

The Lundbeck Institute Award is intended for ASPR researchers whose work is beginning to make a significant impact on the national and international scene, reflecting either scientific excellence or public impact (or both) - the "rising stars" in mental health research. The successful applicant will receive a plaque, a certificate and $1000. In general, the award is made to researchers up to and including 35 years of age. However, researchers over the age of 35 may make an application on the basis of early career status.

Award: A plaque, a certificate and $1000

Eligibility: The applicant will be a member of ASPR at the time of application. Persons who have received a Lundbeck Institute Award (incl Merck Sharpe and Dohme or Schering-Plough awards) previously are not eligible. In general, the award is made to researchers up to and including 35 years of age. However, researchers over the age of 35 may make an application on the basis of the early career criterion. Researchers over the age of 35 are asked to provide a statement outlining their eligibility as an early career researcher. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive.

Process: The ASPR Executive will call for applications from ASPR members who wish to be considered for the award. Applications must be made using the official form, which consists of five best papers with justification and a one-page CV. Nominees will also provide a statement of contribution to the ASPR. The Executive will assess the applications and vote on who the recipient will be.

In 2012, nominations should be sent to:
Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au

Selection Criteria: The Executive votes by rank order based on: (a) the scientific quality and/or impact of the submissions; and (b) the applicant’s track record (relative to opportunity). Criteria for assessing a nominee’s track record will be rated in NHMRC categories: publications, grants, and impact. Ties will be decided by contribution to the ASPR.

Download Lundbeck Institute Award application 2012 here.

Funding Source: Lundbeck Institute

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 Dr Alex Fornito

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Australian Rotary Health (ARH) Knowledge Dissemination Award

(New Award for 2008)

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

ASPR has a number of awards acknowledging excellence in research. However, there is often a gap between knowledge gained through research and the dissemination of that knowledge to clinicians, consumers and carers, and its implementation into policy and practice. ARH has therefore established an annual award to recognise excellence in knowledge dissemination and research translation.

Award: The award consists of a framed certificate and the expenses of attending the ASPR conference. The expenses are for a total amount not exceeding $3000 and include: registration at ASPR Conference for that year, for two nights’ accommodation at the ASPR Conference and air travel.

The winner will be expected to attend the ASPR conference for that year, to present for 25 minutes at that same Conference and to be available to Rotary for no less than three speaking engagements over the ensuing 12 months. (Note that if these future speaking engagements are not held in the town or city where the successful applicant lives, then the Australian Rotary Health will cover the cost of airfare and accommodation).

Eligibility:The award is open to all researchers, clinicians, consumers and organisations who seek to advance the availability of evidence-based interventions for those who are experiencing mental illness in the Australian community. The prize is open to individuals and organisations. They may be consumers, carers, researchers, or organisations involving these groups. The winner will not need to be an ASPR member. 

Selection Criteria: The prize is for the most outstanding effort to disseminate knowledge about evidence-based interventions in mental health. The entry should describe the activity, the target audience, and the evidence base for the research/knowledge which is being promoted. It should also describe the impact that their activity has had and how this was measured.

Judging: Judging will be by a panel of three, with two nominated by Rotary and one by the ASPR Executive.

Process: Applicants will be required to submit a written entry describing their knowledge dissemination or research translation activity. This will need to be no longer than two A4 pages, 12 point font and 2 cm margins all around.

Applications should be sent to:
Dr Robert Tait, the Convenor of the ASPR Knowledge Dissemination Working Party at Robert.Tait@anu.edu.au by (due date to be advised). The award will be presented by Australian Rotary Health at the Perth ASPR Conference in 2012.

Funding Source: Australian Rotary Health

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 Not awarded

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AFFIRM Early Career Scholar Award
(previously Early Career Research Scholar Award)

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

This award is for a researcher early in their career to enable attendance at an overseas conference at which they will be presenting research or to facilitate an overseas study opportunity.

Award: Up to $4000 to facilitate the above.

Eligibility: The nominee will be a member of ASPR at the time of nomination. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive. Nominees must be at an early stage of their research career.

Process: The ASPR Executive will call for nominations from ASPR members. Nominees will provide an explanation of how the funds would be used, and include A CV, a list of publications and a letter of support from their institution. Nominees will also provide a statement of contribution to the ASPR. The Executive will assess the nominations and vote on who the recipient will be.

Note that awardees will be expected to address the Early Career Researchers at ASPR 2012.

In 2012, nominations should be sent to:
Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au

Funding source: Australian Foundation for Mental Health Research (www.affirm.org.au)

Current award holder:

• 2011 Dr Philip Batterham

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ASPR Consumer-Researcher Award

(New format since 2006)

The ASPR Consumer-Researcher Award has been set up to encourage the involvement of consumers as investigators in psychiatric research as well as encourage consumer-oriented research. In 2011, ASPR will award the Consumer-Researcher Award on the basis of research posters submitted to the 2012 ASPR Annual Conference. ASPR will invite representatives from a consumer organisation to take a prominent role in judging the posters.

Award: A certificate and award of $1000 will be presented at the Annual Conference. For posters with multiple authors the award will be given to the first author.

Eligibility: The award is open to all researchers, however consumer-researchers and carer-researchers are particularly encouraged to apply. The research to be presented at the annual conference may encompass any issue pertinent to mental health or mental illness, although those including a consumer or carer perspective may have an advantage over other posters. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive.

Process: All posters submitted to the ASPR 2012 Annual Conference will be considered for the award. The ASPR Executive will invite a consumer organisation to participate in the judging of the award.

Criteria for selection: Posters will be judged by a representative of the ASPR-nominated Consumer Organization based on the following criteria:

1) The relevance of the research presented for mental health consumers
2) The clarity of presentation

Do not submit nominations for this award. All posters will be considered.

Funding source: The ASPR Consumer-Researcher Award is paid by ASPR Treasurer on behalf of ASPR

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 Not awarded

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ASPR-Schizophrenia Fellowship Consumer-Researcher Award

A certificate and award of $400 will be presented at the Annual Conference. The conditions of this award are the same as the conditions of the ASPR Consumer-Researcher Award. This award is offered to the second place getter.

Funding source: The ASPR Consumer-Researcher Award is paid by the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW who have offered to fund the award for five years from 2006-2010.

Do not submit nominations for this award. All posters will be considered.

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 A/Prof Eoin Killackey

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Depression & Anxiety Consumer Research Unit (CRU) Medal

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

The CRU Medal has been established to promote and recognise the contribution of consumer researchers to field of depression and anxiety disorders.  In 2012, this award will be presented to the consumer-researcher who is judged to best meet the selection criteria based on a short written submission to the judging panel. The panel will be comprised of consumers with lived experience of a depression or anxiety disorder and will be Chaired by the Director of the Depression and Anxiety Consumer Research Unit at CMHR, ANU.

Award: A certificate and medal will be presented at the Annual ASPR Conference.

Eligibility: The award is open to all consumers with a lived experience of depression or anxiety disorders who have actively contributed to field of depression or anxiety as a lay or academic researcher.  Applicants with and without an academic background encouraged to apply.

Process: Short written submissions for the award together with supporting references from two referees should be sent to Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au.  Criteria for selection will be based on (a) the relevance of the research to consumers; and (b) the quality of the contribution of the applicant’s work to the depression and anxiety knowledge base.

Funding source: The medal will be funded by the Depression & Anxiety Consumer Research Unit, Centre for Mental Health Research, ANU who will offer the award from 2010 to 2112 inclusive in the first instance.

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 not awarded

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Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW Research Trust Fund Bursary Award

2012 Nominations closing date: to be advised

Award: A certificate and award of $400 will be presented at the Annual Conference.

Eligibility: The award is open to all young researchers, engaged in or just completed promising research and may need assistance to be able to attend the ASPR conference. The bursary is judged by the ASPR executive committee.

In 2012, nominations should be sent to:
Dr Frances Kay_Lambkin( Secretary ASPR) by email to f.kaylambkin@unsw.edu.au

Funding source: The Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW Research Trust Fund Bursary is paid by the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW.

Current Award Holder:

• 2011 Rachel Batty

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Best Debut Presentation and Best Poster

These awards are made at each ASPR conference and carry a cash prize.

Award: $500 for each award. If there are joint winners for one award, the amount will be split evenly between the winners.

Eligibility: Persons wishing to be considered for these awards must be members of ASPR at the time of applications. The best debut presentation is awarded to some-one presenting a paper for the first time at ASPR. The best poster presentation is not restricted to some-one presenting a poster for the first time, however previous recipients are not eligible.

Process: Persons wishing to be considered for the debut presentation award must indicate this, as well as the grounds for their eligibility, at the time of submission of their abstract to the conference organising committee. The selection of awardees will be made by the conference organising committee. No special application is required for the best poster award. Persons on the ASPR Executive are not eligible for this award while still a member of the Executive.

Funding source: Paid from conference proceeds

Current Award Holders

• Best Debut Presentation 2011: Not awarded
• Best Poster 2011: Dr Inger-Lise Saether

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Grants-in-Aid

ASPR funds grants-in-aid for students and early career researchers to facilitate attendance at the ASPR conference.

Award: Up to 10 Grants-in-Aid (valued at up to $1000) are available for students and early career researchers to facilitate attendance at the ASPR conference, covering travel, standard accommodation and registration.

Eligibility: The applicant will be a financial member of ASPR at the time of application and have an annual income of under $50,000. Persons who have received a Grant-in-Aid previously are not eligible. This award is for bona fide travel requirements and persons who have or will receive funding for conference-related expenses from their departments, other than top-up funding where necessary, are not eligible.

Process: Students and early career researchers who wish to be considered for a grant-in-Aid should indicate this on their abstract submission. They will also need to indicate that they meet the eligibility criteria with regards to ASPR membership and income level, that they have not previously received a Grant-in-Aid, and that they will not use the scholarship to cover expenses to be met by their department. The selection of successful awardees is made by the organising committee of the annual meeting, who will inform successful recipients at the time of informing them of the success of their abstract. Payment can only be made against receipts for bonafide travel, accommodation and out-of-pocket expenses incurred attending the ASPR/ASBP conferences.

Funding source: Paid from conference proceeds

Current Award Holders:

• Grants-in-aid 2011: Tamsyn Van Rheenen, Carolyn Coulson, Fiona Cocker, Rachel Batty

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