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 |
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.
