Nominations open for 2023 ASPIRE Prize

The Australian Academy of Science is looking for Australian researchers to be nominated for the APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE Prize). The prize is an annual award which recognises young scientists from APEC economies who have demonstrated a commitment to both excellence in scientific research, as evidenced by scholarly publication, and cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies.

Each member economy, through its representative on the APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), is invited to nominate one scientist under the age of 40 to be considered for the 2023 ASPIRE Prize. The Australian Government and the Australian Academy of Science are running a national competition to select three finalists; the highest-ranked of these will become the official Australian nominee for the ASPIRE Prize. The winner of the prize will be recognised in an award ceremony at the APEC PPSTI meeting in August, held in the United States.

The theme for this year is Inclusive Science, Technology and Innovation for a Resilient and Sustainable Environment. It will showcase research that is advancing environmental resilience and sustainability through science, technology and innovation centred on diverse perspectives and promoting an inclusive scientific environment. This may include research that works towards enhancing climate mitigation and resilience; reducing disaster risk; promoting food security, safety and agriculture biotechnology; tackling environmental challenges; or fostering an enabling environment to accomplish these goals.

Nominees should demonstrate a commitment to excellence in scientific research and cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies, including inclusive and interdisciplinary collaborations, in subjects such as biology, oceanography, chemistry, environmental science, public health, economics, data sciences, social sciences and other relevant fields.

To be eligible, Australian researchers must be under 40 years of age on 31 December 2023 and be an Australian citizen, or an Australian permanent resident who is a citizen of an APEC member economy and living in Australia at time of nomination. Nominations must be submitted by a grant or research office; self-nominations are not accepted.

The call for nominations will close at 5 pm (AEST) on 17 May 2023. For more information and to access the nomination form, click here.

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