Awards & Grants

The Society of Australian Systematic Biologists offers four awards, along with student travels grants. These awards span the full career spectrum of members, from postgraduate level to retirement.

​All awards generally open in the new financial year (around July) of each relevant year.

Student grants

Travel grants and the annual student research grant closed 30 August 2024

Student Travel Grants (awarded annually and supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study during 2020-2023. These grants are intended to support students travelling for conference or workshop attendance related to systematics or taxonomy, visiting collections or undertaking field work. Students must be financial members of the SASB and can be at any level of study (e.g. undergraduate, honours, masters or PhD).

Student Research Grant Award (awarded yearly)   

This annual grant is intended to support financial student members of SASB who are enrolled either full-time or part-time and are within candidature for a Research Masters (normally 2 years full-time) or PhD (normally 3.5 years full time). Student members of the SASB Council may apply. Note that the award is not available for students undertaking Coursework Masters, Postgraduate Diplomas, or other similar programs.

Honorific awards

Nominations for the ECR and MCR Excellence Awards closed 30 August 2024.

Early Career Research Excellence Award (awarded yearly)  

This annual award will be for researchers who are members of the SASB, and who are <8 years post-Ph.D. in the calendar year of their nomination (NB. Ph.D. students who have not been awarded their degree will not be considered). This honorific award will be judged on performance relative to timeframe/opportunity.

Mid-Career Research Excellence Award (awarded yearly)   

This annual award will be for researchers who are members of the SASB, and who are 8–15 years post-Ph.D. in the calendar year of their nomination. This honorific award is to be judged on performance relative to timeframe/opportunity.

Distinguished Career Award  (awarded every second year, next in 2025)

This biennial award will be awarded in 2025. This award is aimed at recognising a member of the Society who has made an outstanding contribution to systematics, either because of their research, mentoring of ECRs and students, or other relevant professional aspects, or a combination of these activities. The award would normally be for someone in the second half of their career, but there are no limitations on who is eligible, and there is an expectation that the awardee give an invited presentation at the SASB conference.

Guidelines and Judging

  • The student grants and honorific awards will be assessed by two different panels.
  • The Student Grant panel and its chair will be appointed by the President, and will consist of not less than three members of the SASB Executive, with gender balance considered. All student councillors are eligible to apply for both the student travel grants and the student research award.
  • Nominations for honorific awards will include a clause that indicates the nominee is aware of their nomination.
  • Any current member of the society can forward a nomination; these are limited to two per award from a single nominator.
  • The Honorific Awards panel and its chair will be appointed by the SASB President, and include no less than five members of the SASB, with gender balance considered. Conflicts of interest will usually be dealt with by a nominator abstaining from judging relevant nominees. The SASB Council will make awards based on the panel’s recommendations.
  • The level of the monetary prize for the Student Research Award should be fixed by a majority vote of the Executive, and expended as per the standard business of the Society.   
  • Important dates and schedules will be published on the SASB website and via email.