Rookie of the Year Award

Eligibility

The Rookie of the Year Award is open to researchers who are:

• Under 30 years old; and
• In the first 18 months of their career.
• They must be nominated by a senior researcher who is a member of the Research Society.

Judging

• The entries may be shortlisted.
• Entrants will be required to conduct a 5 minute presentation on a topic of their choice to the judging panel.
• Entrants will receive a free ticket to the Awards Night.

Criteria

The senior researcher should state in 500 words (or less), why they think that their nominated Rookie should be considered for this award.

Judges will be looking for the submission to demonstrate the Rookie’s:

• Professional contribution to commercial value or social impact;
• Contribution to innovation in research practices;
• Commitment to career development.

Rules of Entry

• All entries must be submitted by 5pm AEST Thursday 11 September 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
• The Rookie Award is open to researchers under 30 years old and have been working in research for no more than 18 months as at 1 April 2025.
• Entries must be submitted through the Research Awards Portal.
• Receipt of an entry is acknowledged by email confirmation. If you do not receive this email after submission, please email awards@researchsociety.com.au
• Each submission must include a completed entry on the Research Awards Portal.
• The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• All submission materials will remain confidential to The Research Society and the judging panel.
• Entry in the Research Awards assumes that you are giving permission for The Research Society and our media partners to use your submission materials on our website and in promotional materials.
• Both the senior researcher of the organisation nominating the Rookie and the entrant must be financial members of The Research Society as at the closing date for entries.
• Entrants will be judged on the merits of the submission alone (written submission and presentation; no additional material will be considered).
• All entry materials will remain confidential to the Research Society and the judging panel.

Entry Fees

Each submission per category will incur an entrance fee of $285 (ex GST). This fee will cover one (1) complimentary ticket to the awards ceremony.

The entry fee is payable here

Or you may request an invoice by emailing awards@researchsociety.com.au.

If the entry fee has not been paid by 29 September 2025 (5 pm AEST) the entry may be cancelled.

Prize

The winner of the Rookie of the Year Award will be awarded the Research Society Development scholarship which will cover the registration at 2026 Research Society courses to enable the winner to achieve the Research Society’s REIC accreditation.

This prize is not transferrable and not redeemable for the cash equivalent.

All entrants will receive a free ticket to Research Awards event (25 November 2025) in Melbourne.