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- Strategy review: Fellowship survey and meetings with Fellows
- Global Indigenous Data Sovereignty Conference
- Roundtable on policy and program evaluation
- Events and opportunities.
Scroll down for everything to read, listen to, and attend. |
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Autumn is upon us and the Academy’s activities continue apace. I have continued to attend Fellows’ state gatherings, most recently in NSW, ACT, WA and SA, with the Victorian meeting on 7 April. These events have provided the opportunity to connect with Fellows, share details of the Academy’s programs and priorities, and seek input into the next iteration of the Strategic Plan. We are keen to hear from you about the Academy’s future directions, and will be holding two online sessions in April. Details on these sessions are listed below. You can also share your suggestions and ideas via the 2025 Fellowship Survey.
The Academy recently released a statement on the US Government’s intervention into collaboration with Australian researchers in the social sciences, which poses concerns about potential funding cuts in bilateral and multilateral research in areas including health, economic development, education, energy, and national security. You can read the full statement here.
I was very pleased to attend a Policy Roundtable jointly hosted by the Academy and the Australian Centre for Evaluation on Advancing policy and program evaluation in Australian government. This brought together Fellows, public sector leaders and other evaluation experts to discuss how to leverage social science research for high-quality program and policy evaluations. Further exchanges are planned, with a summary of the Roundtable proceedings to be published soon.
The Academy has also sponsored the Global Indigenous Data Sovereignty Conference taking place on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land in Canberra this week and bringing together Indigenous peoples from across the globe.
In other news, the inaugural Rechnitz Award, complementing the Academy’s Rechnitz Fund Grant Program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers across the social sciences, is about to be launched. The Award will celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research excellence, with nominations opening during National Reconciliation Week, 27 May–3 June 2025. The Academy’s website and Linkedin profile will provide further details.
And finally, I thank the Policy Committee for its important work in overseeing key Academy submissions to government on the Strategic Examination of R&D (SERD) and the ARC National Competitive Grants Program review.
I encourage all Fellows to stay engaged with the Academy’s activities, and look forward to sharing more updates in the months ahead.
Kate Darian-Smith
President |
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Have your say on the Academy’s future directions
The Academy is reviewing its strategic direction, and we want to hear from you. Fellows are invited to complete a short survey to help inform the next strategic plan (2026–2028). The survey is open until 30 April.
President Kate Darian-Smith and National Office staff have also been meeting Fellows across the country to get their input on our strategic priorities (events in South Australia and Victoria are still to come). If you can’t attend in person, you can still join one of our online consultation sessions with Kate and Academy CEO Chris Hatherly on Wed 30 April 12-1pm AEST or Thursday 1 May 4-5pm AEST.
Fellows are encouraged to contact Kate or Chris directly if they want to contribute to the strategic planning process but are unable to attend any of the planned events.
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| Complete the Academy Fellowship Survey |
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Policy Roundtable: Evaluating what matters |
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On 21 March, the Academy and the Australian Centre for Evaluation co-hosted a policy roundtable titled Advancing policy and program evaluation in Australian Government.
This invitation-only event brought together Fellows, public sector leaders and other evaluation experts to explore how to leverage social science research for high-quality program and policy evaluations. A full summary of the discussions will be published soon. |
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Global Indigenous Data Sovereignty Conference
The Academy is proud to support the Global Indigenous Data Sovereignty Conference, taking place on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country at ANU in Canberra from 1–3 April.
Marking a decade since the inaugural workshop on this topic, this year’s event brings together Indigenous researchers and stakeholders from across the globe to chart the future of Indigenous data sovereignty. |
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State branch events continue
Fellows' gatherings have continued throughout March and April, with Academy President Kate Darian-Smith and CEO Chris Hatherly providing updates on the 2023–2025 Strategic Plan, followed by reflective discussions with Fellows from NSW, the ACT, Western Australia and South Australia. Still to come is a meeting with Victorian Fellows, and two online sessions for Fellows who haven't been able to attend an event in person.
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NSW State Branch gathering |
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ACT State Branch gathering |
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Grants, Scholarships and Opportunities |
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Rechnitz Fund Grants – closing 5 May
Applications are open for the 2025 Rechnitz Fund Grants, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers in the social sciences. Please share widely.
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Keen to head to Seoul as a Visiting Professor?
Applications are open for the 2026 Visiting Professor of Australian Studies position at Seoul National University. This 11-month position begins in early 2026. Details here.
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2026 National Library of Australia Fellowships
Applications for the National Library of Australia’s 2026 Fellowships close on 5 May. This year’s increased funding pool provides multiple grants of $35,000 to support Canberra-based residencies, with access to the Library’s collections, dedicated research space and more. Fellowships are available in a range of fields, including Asian studies, Australian literature, rural and environmental history, and creative writing.
Learn more about the National Library of Australia Fellowships and Creative Arts Fellowship, including information on eligibility, previous recipients and online application forms. |
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Register now: International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support (I-CEPS)
Join parenting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world at the 2025 I-CEPS Congress, taking place online from 3–7 June. Register here and help spread the word by sharing the event with your networks.
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The Academy is excited to announce that nominations for the inaugural Rechnitz Memorial Award for research excellence and leadership in Indigenous society, culture and language will open on 27 May 2025.
The Rechnitz Award is made through the Wilhelm, Martha and Otto Rechnitz Memorial Fund and will be open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars.
More information, including details of nominee eligibility and application processes will be released over the coming weeks.
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Read |
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Have you caught up on all of our Fellows’ latest books? If so, may we cheekily suggest revisiting the Academy’s current Strategic Plan, to help shape your thoughts on its next iteration. (Once you are done, the survey link is here!). |
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Listen |
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The Annual Academy of Humanities Lecture, featuring Fellow Emeritus Professor Louise Edwards, “Australians — the ‘aristocrats’ of Asia?”, aired on Big Ideas on ABC Radio National last month. Listen online via the ABC, or watch it via the Academy of Humanities website.
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Attend |
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Academy Annual Dinner
It’s not too early to plan for the Academy’s 2025 Annual Dinner! Mark you calendar for 17 November 2025 - we’ll be in Sydney and we’d love to see you there.
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We were saddened to hear of the passing of Fellow Cheri Ostroff, who died on 31 January.
Cheri’s wide-ranging, multidisciplinary research contributed to fields including organisational culture, diversity, and human resource management.
Read Cheri’s Academy profile. |
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The Academy strives to keep you informed, including sharing sad news of Fellows’ passing.
Notices are posted on Linkedin and in our monthly newsletter, though delays may occur if we receive information after publication. Please help by sharing the Vale section with your networks where appropriate and notifying us of any Fellow’s passing. We appreciate your understanding. |
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The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia.
We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our national office is located, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, and
to their elders past and present. |
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