2018 Scientia Fellowships drive equity, diversity and excellence in research

UNSW Sydney has appointed 17 women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) disciplines in its latest intake of Scientia Fellows, part of the University’s global drive to recruit the best researchers in the world.

Forty-two new Scientia Fellows have been appointed from more than 1,000 applicants for this second intake, with successful applicants, including seven interdisciplinary researchers and three Indigenous researchers, appointed to priority areas identified in the UNSW 2025 Strategy.

"People are at the heart of our 2025 Strategy," said Professor Nicholas Fisk, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). "UNSW is committed to investing in outstanding researchers at all stages of their careers and to facilitating the kinds of global connections that will cultivate the academics of the future.

"The program was designed as a cornerstone of Academic Excellence, aimed at advancing UNSW’s commitment to transforming lives through excellence in research. It provides early-mid career researchers with generous grants, including support and development packages, and unprecedented career support, mentorship, and the establishment of a lifelong community of outstanding UNSW researchers."

The Scientia Fellowships will also build UNSW’s research capacity across a broad range of contexts, with appointments made this year to include:

• Dr Susanne Schweizer, who will join UNSW from the Medical Research Council’s Cognition, Emotion, and Mental Health Program at the University of Cambridge. Dr Schweizer’s research focuses on translating insights from basic cognitive and affective neuroscience into the investigation and treatment of mood, anxiety and stress disorders.

• Award-winning researcher and teacher Associate Professor Heidi Norman will continue her work in NSW Aboriginal history and politics as part of her Scientia Fellowship.Her most recent book What Do We Want? A Political History of Aboriginal Land Rights in NSW is a landmark study of the movement for land rights and how those laws changed relationship between Aboriginal people and the state, and one another.

• Senior Research Fellow in UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering Dr Brett Hallam, who will continue his research into laser processing and defect engineering for silicon solar cells as part of his Scientia Fellowship. A key focus of his current research is improving the fundamental understanding of hydrogen passivation mechanisms in silicon solar cells to overcome the negative impact of performance limiting defects for which he was awarded the NSW Premier’s Award for Energy Innovation.

In line with UNSW’s commitment to gender, equity and diversity, of the 42 Scientia Fellowship offers made this round:

• 24 were made to women, of which 17 are women in STEMM,

• 23 were made to internal applicants, and

• 12 were made to international applicants.

The majority will begin in early 2018.

Professor Laura Poole-Warren, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Training) and Dean of Graduate Research, said: “Initiatives like the Scientia Fellowships allow us to achieve greater gender equity and diversity of background and experience in all levels of our academic staff.”

The Scientia Fellowships include ongoing professional development to promote career progression, including working with a career coach. Already six of the inaugural Scientia Fellows who commenced in 2017 have achieved promotion.

"Mentoring is integral to the Scientia program," Professor Poole-Warren said. "By working with rising stars and established academics, we build a culture of collaboration that both nurtures our researchers and benefits the wider University community including our students."

This focus on Research Quality paired with Educational Excellence forms the distinctive UNSW Scientia approach. As a global leader in discovery, innovation, impact, education and thought leadership, UNSW continues to deliver world-class teaching and research that has impact internationally.

Over the course of the 2025 Strategy, UNSW will appoint 290 Scientia Fellows. The next round of Scientia Fellowships will open in May 2018.

Congratulations to the recipients in this round of UNSW Scientia Fellowships: