Nominations Open for the Science and Innovation Awards

Deadline: 1-Oct-21

Grant applications are now open for the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry! If you’re 18-35 and want to make a difference for Australia’s agriculture industries, this is your chance to apply for a grant of up to $22,000 to fund your project.

The Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is a competitive grants program that supports young people to undertake a project on an innovative or emerging scientific issue, including biophysical and social sciences that will contribute to the ongoing success and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture industries.

The Science Awards encourage science, innovation and technology in rural industries, and help to advance the careers of young researchers, scientists, producers, innovators and those active in agriculture through national recognition of their research ideas.

Funding Information

There are 12 industry category Science Awards in the 2022 round, each with a maximum grant amount of $22,000 inc GST.

What are the Award categories?

There are 12 industry award categories: biosecurity and digital innovation; cotton; eggs and poultry (layers); established, new and emerging rural industries; fisheries and aquaculture; forest and wood products; grains; horticulture; pork; red meat processing; viticulture and oenology; and wool. Each category includes a $22,000 grant, and is generously supported by their Science Award partners from the research and development corporations and industry organisations.
Winners of the industry category Science Awards are then invited to apply for the Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia’s Award, which provides additional funding for an extended research project.

Eligibility Criteria

The Science Awards support young innovators, scientists, researchers, extension officers, industry advisers and others actively engaged in the agriculture sector who have an original project that will contribute to the ongoing success and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture industries. To be eligible you must be aged 18-35 and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Applications are open to those aged 18 and 35 years and who are working, employed or studying in agriculture, fisheries or forestry related industries.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive) on Friday 1 October 2021
- be Australian citizens or permanent residents (proof required) by Friday 1 October 2021
- be working, employed or studying in an agriculture, fisheries or forestry related industry (including food and sustainable natural resource management) in Australia. Proof such as a letter of employment, scholarship or pay slip may be requested
- not be employed by a sponsoring organisation in the award category they are applying for, and not have an immediate family member (e.g partner, sibling or parent) who is employed by a sponsoring organisation in their selected award category
- not be employed by an Australian Government agency classified as a Non-Corporate Commonwealth Entity under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
Note:
- Employees of entities that are classified as Corporate Commonwealth entities are eligible for the Awards.
- Employees of entities classified as Non-Corporate Commonwealth entities are ineligible for the Awards.