Goldacre award – call for nominations, Science Meets Parliament and SAGE

15 November 2016

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Hello ASPS members,

Can I draw your attention to three items.

1. Nominations for the Goldacre award for 2017 are being sought – closing date Friday December 9, 2016. This early career researcher award is for original research published in 2013-2016 and the candidate must have 10 years or less full time equivalent academic employment since gaining their PhD. Full details are here http://www.asps.org.au/awards/peter-goldacre-award Nominations should be sent to secretary@asps.org.au

2. Science Meets Parliament 21-22 March 2017. If you are interested in attending this event (we have two places available an ASPS covers your expenses), please email secretary@asps.org.au

3. Science in Australia Gender Equity SAGE. I would like to establish a subcommittee to progress this issue and seek expressions of interest from those who feel strongly. Please email president@asps.org.au

I have posted my president’s report delivered at Combio, but would like to draw your attention to two points.

Mentoring

I would like to encourage everyone to consider ways in which they can mentor others. As an example, I was asked if the society could help junior academics in the art of reviewing. Many journals allow reviewers to co-opt others to help and we should all make an effort to take this opportunity to share our experience with younger inexperienced colleagues.

ARC grant reviewing

Many of us depend on financial support from the ARC to enable our research. We also review proposals. It is easy to be more critical of research close to one’s own area of expertise, but we should remember that the consequence may be that funds simply flow to other fields of research. I would urge everyone to strive to be positive in their criticism and support your fellow plant scientists where possible. Now that this year’s results have been announced, it has been brought to my attention that Plant Biology has had a very low success rate in the last two years and I will be contacting the ARC to find out why this is.

Sincerely

John Evans

Professor John R Evans FAA
Head, Division of Plant Sciences
Research School of Biology
The Australian National University
134 Linnaeus Way
Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia

T: 61 2 6125 4492

M: 0477 777132

W: http://biology.anu.edu.au/john_evans/

E: John.evans@anu.edu.au

President, Australian Society of Plant Scientists

http://www.asps.org.au/

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