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Our July newsletter brings a bumper crop of Academy activities and Fellows' achievements, all entirely resistant to the ‘polar blasts’ and short days of mid-winter.
For anyone who missed Antony Green’s 'Bungee jumping on election night' lecture last month, see below for a link to the event recording. |
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The Academy is delighted to congratulate Fellows recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List: Professor Skye McDonald AO recognised for distinguished service to clinical neuropsychology, and to research into social cognition disorders after traumatic brain injury and Dr Beverley Kingston AM recognised for her significant service to community history, and to tertiary education.
Congratulations also to those Fellows who have received ARC Laureate awards: Professor Felicity Meakins has been awarded the Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Fellowship for her project exploring how Indigenous languages encode ecological knowledge and social dynamics, Professor Tiffany Morrison will develop governance frameworks for emerging ocean-based climate interventions, and Professor Julie Henry will improve understanding of how cognitive function affects older adults’ ability to manage everyday tasks. You can read more about these achievements below.
Earlier this month I had an instructive and productive meeting in London with Professor Dame Julia Black CBE FBA, President of the British Academy. While there are significant differences in the scale and scope of the two organisations, there are common issues around the status of the social sciences and humanities and its research workforce in our respective university, government and community environments. We will continue to share information with the British Academy, and to explore opportunities for collaboration including through our programs in the Indo-Pacific.
The Academy has commenced work on the Decadal Plan for Australian Education Research, led by a steering committee chaired by Fellow Professor Julie McLeod. The Plan will be developed with support of a number of partner organisations and in broad consultation with stakeholders to identify key challenges and opportunities for Australian education research over the coming years. More information can be found here.
Applications are open for Workshop Grants, Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research and the new Rechnitz Memorial Award. Eligibility and due dates are below, and please do consider nominations as well as sharing with your networks.
Wishing you a productive month ahead,
Kate Darian-Smith
President |
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Post-election workshop and Antony Green on 36 Years of Elections |
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There wasn't a spare seat to be found at ANU's Kambri Hall on Friday 13 June with more than 500 Antony Green fans braving the Canberra cold to hear the ABC Chief Election Analyst reflect on his 36-year career.
Antony shared the highs, lows, laughs and embarrassments from his time analysing and presenting data at more than 90 elections.
In her vote of thanks, Professor Andrea Carson described Australia's most famous psephologist as a 'pioneer of data journalism' and an educator, sense maker and translator.
Professor Carson praised Antony's work for representing 'something academics aspire to achieve - to translate complexity to general audiences.'
This event was proudly co-hosted by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and the ANU School of Politics and International Relations as part of a Post-Election Workshop attended by more than 30 political science academics and commentators. This series of expert analyses of Federal elections has been running continuously for almost 30 years, with the Academy proudly supporting the meetings and the subsequent edited volumes since 1996.
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CDr Jill Sheppard, Antony Green and Academy CEO Dr Chris Hatherly. |
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Photographic credit: David Fanner/ANU Comms
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Roundtable report: Advancing policy and program evaluation in Australian Government |
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In March 2025, the Academy convened a policy roundtable with the Australian Centre for Evaluation on the topic of 'Advancing policy and program evaluation in Australian Government'.
The Roundtable explored how social science expertise can help improve the planning, conduct and use of evaluation for policies and programs that improve the lives of the Australian public.
A summary of the roundtable discussion is now available to read and download on the Academy website. |
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National Office staff Walk on Country
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Academy staff gathered in Canberra on Friday 20 June for a productive mid-year planning day and an inspiring Walk on Country with Ngunnawal traditional custodian Tyronne Bell. After a big day of reflection, brainstorming and strategic planning, the team joined Tyronne for a wintry bushwalk at Black Mountain with lots of stops to learn about native foods and local customs. While most of the team enthusiastically embraced berry tasting and wattle leaf soap making, nobody volunteered to make a ‘snake attraction’ whistle, much to Tyronne’s amusement.
The Walk on Country was organised as part of the Academy’s commitment to reconciliation, through participation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural learning.
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Academy National Office staff participating in Walk on Country led by Ngunnawal traditional custodian Tyronne Bell (far right of image). |
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Congratulations |
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Fellows recognised in 2025 King's Birthday Honours List |
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Congratulations to Associate Professor Beverley Kingston and Professor Skye McDonald, who were both recognised in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List.
Professor Skye McDonald (pictured left) was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to clinical neuropsychology, and to research into social cognition disorders after traumatic brain injury.
Dr Beverley Kingston was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to community history, and to tertiary education. |
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Congratulations to ARC Laureates
Congratulations to Fellows Professor Felicity Meakins, Professor Tiffany Morrison and Professor Julie Henry who have been awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) Australian Laureate Fellowships.
Professor Meakins has been awarded the Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship for her project exploring how Indigenous languages encode ecological knowledge and social dynamics.
Professor Tiffany Morrison aims to develop governance frameworks for emerging ocean-based climate interventions, such as chemically modified seawater and genetically modified coral.
Professor Julie Henry aims to improve understanding of how cognitive function affects older adults’ ability to manage everyday tasks.
Read more about the recipients here.
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A wide range of grants and funding rounds are now open. Don’t miss exploring the opportunities below. |
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Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research – nominations close 31 July
The Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research honour Australians in the early part of their career who have achieved excellence in scholarship in one or more fields of the social sciences. Applications are open! Find out more.
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The Academy’s Workshop Program Grants – applications close 4 August
The Academy Workshops Program offers Australian social scientists financial assistance to host multidisciplinary workshops which aim to advance research and policy agendas on nationally important issues. The Academy supports up to eight workshops each year with funding to a maximum of $9,000 (excl GST).
Application guidelines and more details can all be found on our website.
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Rechnitz Memorial Award – nominations close 15 August
The annual Rechnitz Award is intended to recognise excellence in research leadership and advancement of knowledge of Indigenous society, culture and language. Nominations must be supported by two Fellows of either the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia or the Australian Academy of Humanities. Learn how to apply.
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| Click for more on the Rechnitz Memorial Award |
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International |
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Above: Recent International Grant recipients |
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2025 International Grant Recipients |
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The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia is proud to support collaborative research across Australia, France and the Indo-Pacific. We are pleased to congratulate and announce the awarded projects for the 2025 Australia-France Collaborative Research Program in partnership with the Embassy of France in Australia, and recipients of the Australia-France Indo-Pacific Studies Program (AFIPS) Pacific Social Science Academic Grants 2025 and AFIPS Strategic Environment Grants 2025.
Read more about the recipients and their projects here. |
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Events |
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Social Sciences Week |
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Read, Listen, Attend |
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Read |
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Listen |
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Attend |
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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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