MJ Gething Gender Equity Award

About

Professor Emeritus Mary-Jane H. Gething received her BSc (Hons) and PhD degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Melbourne and then spent twenty years carrying out research in protein chemistry and molecular biology in the UK and USA. She returned to the University in 1994 as Reader and later Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and in 2000 was appointed the first female head of her department. Mary-Jane is a passionate supporter of and advocate for young female researchers working in the biomedical sciences. She is married to Professor Joseph Sambrook. Mary-Jane was the Founder of the Gething-Sambrook Family Foundation, which has made this award possible. The award is intended to help early career researchers with significant caring responsibilities to maintain research momentum or build their research profile.

Benefits

This award will provide grants of up to $5,000 to support early career researchers with significant caring responsibilities to maintain research momentum or build their research profile. The level of funding and nature of the awards will be driven by the needs of applicants, but the intention is that the awards will help “level the playing field” as between researchers with and without significant caring responsibilities.

Research Momentum awards are aimed at researchers who wish to maintain the momentum and productivity of their research during short periods of absence (up to three months in the first instance) during peri/postnatal periods or during leave for other primary carer responsibilities such as illness of family members. Funding would not cover routine childcare or nursing arrangements, but could be used for ad hoc care to facilitate meetings with laboratory members or collaborators, attendance at seminars, workshops etc. as well as "quiet time" to follow the literature and/or draft manuscripts or grant proposals. Funding could also be sought for a part-time research assistant to complete an experiment while the researcher is on leave.

Research Profile awards are for researchers who are working while having primary responsibility for young children, elderly or ill family members. Again, funding could not be used to cover routine care but could, for example, be used to facilitate presentation of work at a scientific conference, a short collaborative visit, or membership of a peer-review committee, by funding augmented care during the researcher’s absence, or by defraying the cost of having a family member or carer accompany the researcher on a trip to help care for an infant who cannot be left behind.

Researchers may apply for funding more than once over time however, first-time applicants will be prioritized. The cumulative value of multiple awards should not exceed $10,000 inclusive of FBT where applicable or other tax implications . First-time applicants will be prioritised.

Where a researcher is on Paid Maternity or Family leave following the birth or adoption of a child, then the relevant rules or guidelines around working or Keeping In Touch days as laid out in relevant University policies and Government Paid Maternity Leave schemes, will apply.

Disclaimer: The benefit amount for this award is approximate. It will be confirmed at the time of awarding and determined by the committee according to the terms of the award and taking into account FBT and other matters where applicable.

_{Disclaimer: The benefit amount for this award is approximate. It will be confirmed at the time of awarding and determined by the committee according to the terms of the award.}

Eligibility

The award is open to early career research staff in the School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, with significant caring responsibilities. Staff must hold a continuing or fixed-term position and be research active. Applicants must have completed a PhD degree in their field three to ten years prior to application. This period may be extended for researchers who have had significant career interruption in the past due to caring responsibilities.

Selection

Applications will be judged on the degree to which they meet the intent of the award, and the applicant’s research performance relative to career stage and opportunity.

Application

The award is open for applications from February to November each year in order to respond to needs as they arise. A panel will review each application within two weeks of receipt and provide advice to the applicant within four weeks.

Online Application form

Outcome

A panel will review each application within two weeks of receipt and provide advice to the applicant within four weeks.

Enquiries

biomedsci-hos@unimelb.edu.au

More information

Recipients may be asked to submit a short description on the impact of award on their research momentum or profile within 12 months of the receipt of the funding.