Expressions of Interest are invited for the Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research from laboratory-based or public/international health researchers in areas including, but not limited to:

• maternal, adolescent and child health,
• disease elimination (primarily HIV, viral hepatitis, malaria, and TB),
• behaviours and health risks, or
• health security (COVID-19, TB, antimicrobial resistance).

The Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research is awarded to a researcher who wishes to establish their career or is currently establishing their career primarily at Burnet Institute (5 years or less at Burnet) and pursue diseases and health issues of major national or global importance that align with the mission and focus of the Institute.

It is intended that the prize will be awarded as a two-year Fellowship, with work to be undertaken primarily at Burnet Institute.

The Alastair Lucas Prize is a competitive prize (AUD$100,000 per annum for up to two years), aimed at attracting high calibre researchers from around the world to undertake their program of work primarily at Burnet Institute.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a PhD and must:

• Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or hold permanent residence, be granted temporary residence status from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for the duration of this fellowship or hold another visa that permits them to undertake paid work in Australia.
• Holds existing funding for research or public health programs relevant to Burnet’s objectives and mission, which will be supplemented by the Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research.
• Applicants from within Burnet Institute must have worked at Burnet Institute as their primary place of employment for five years or less (taking into account breaks for parental or other leave)
• Applicants must declare the source, duration and levels of all research funding currently held or applied for.

Selection Criteria

All applicants will be assessed and ranked against the selection criteria listed below and on how well their application meets the aims of the Prize. All applicants are assessed relative to opportunity.

Person

• Quality of academic record including undergraduate, honours and other degrees, and professional awards or qualifications
• Research experience and professional skills
• Potential to succeed in a research career
• Other recognition of achievements such as prizes, invited lectures/speaker invitations, conference attendance, conference organisation, journal roles.

Project

• Quality of proposed project and its potential importance in its field and extent to which it addresses the Burnet’s mission and priorities. Research Output
• Quality, quantity and impact of research output. Impact is assessed by how the research outcomes influenced the research field, clinical practice, public health policy, and/or industry practice, and by any evidence of research translation.
• Novelty and innovation of research.

Application Process

Applicants must first complete and submit an Expression of Interest, after which successful submissions will be invited to submit a full application.

The following documents must also be submitted along with the Expression of Interest:

• Academic transcript (your most recently conferred degree prior to your PhD)
• Evidence of the date your PhD was passed
• CV including list of selected publications, reports, and patents - no more than 4 pages.

To apply, please complete the EOI form here.

Critical Dates

Expressions of Interest Open - 7 Sept 2020
Expressions of Interest Close - 5 October 2020
Notification of Invitation to Apply - 12 October 2020
Applications Close - 12 November 2020
Notification of outcome - 7 December 2020

About Alastair Lucas

The Alastair Lucas Prize was established by Burnet Institute in tribute to the late Alastair Lucas AO, former long-time Chair of Burnet Institute who died after a short illness in July 2015, at the age of 63.

Alastair Lucas made an enormous contribution to the Institute as a board member from the time he joined the Burnet Board in 1998, and as Chair from 2002 to the time he had to step aside due to ill health in September 2014.

In honour of Alastair’s significant contributions, the board of the Institute established the Alastair Lucas Endowment Fund, which provides funding for The Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research.