Content
Scientific Research that Contributes to Animal Protection
Contents
Sponsor
The Voiceless Eureka Prize for Scientific Research that Contributes to Animal Protection is sponsored by Voiceless.
Description
The Voiceless Eureka Prize for Scientific Research that Contributes to Animal Protection is awarded to an individual or team for scientific research that has contributed, or has the potential to contribute, to animal protection.
prize
$10,000
Purpose
The Voiceless Eureka Prize for Scientific Research that Contributes to Animal Protection is designed to encourage scientific research that makes a contribution to the protection of animals.
Research entered for this prize could cover a range of scientific disciplines, including:
- Scientific research that reduces or eliminates the use of animals or animal products in laboratory-based research, education and testing. For example:
- research into the development, testing, application and validation of alternatives to the use of animals or animal products for scientific or teaching purposes
- research that supports efforts to reduce the numbers of animals used through better experimental design, or that refines procedures so that the suffering of animals is minimised.
- Scientific research that reduces suffering of wild animals, including native animals, pest species or feral animals. For example:
- research into non-lethal management of over-populated or feral species
- research into the effects of hunting or poisoning on animal welfare
- research into the development of systems to manage disease in populations of native animals (e.g. in relation to the treatment of sarcoptic mange in wombats or the facial tumour disease affecting Tasmanian devils)
- Scientific research that reduces suffering of farm animals. For example:
- research into the affects of factory farming (intensive farming) on animal physical or psychological wellbeing, such as mutilation without pain relief, confinement indoors , solitary confinement etc
- Research that addresses community values, attitudes or behaviour towards animals or animal protection
- Scientific research in other applicable fields including, inter alia, biomedical science, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary sciences and psychology.
Research entered in this prize should be consistent with the ethos of Voiceless - a world in which animals are treated with respect and compassion. Further information about Voiceless can be found at www.voiceless.org.au.
Judging Criteria
Entries should specifically address how their work meets the following judging criteria:
1) Innovation
Describe to what extent the research and/or the results of the research are innovative.
Explain how the research has developed or extended techniques or methods not normally used.
2) Rigour of the research program and scholarly excellence
Describe and give examples of how your research exemplifies scientific rigour and scholarly excellence.
Preference will be given to work published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed communication forum.
3) Impact
Describe what contribution the research will make to animal protection.
Explain how effectively the research has been communicated to appropriate audiences.
4) Consistency with the Voiceless ethos. Describe how the research is consistent with a vision which emphasises a world in which animals are treated with respect and compassion.
Conditions of entry
1) Research which has been obtained by deliberately inflicting pain or suffering on an animal and which the Judges determine has compromised an animal's welfare in an inappropriate, unjustifiable or improper manner, will not be considered. The purpose of this prize is to alleviate animal suffering. It is recognised, however, that the process of genuine scientific research can involve the establishment of control groups, and that judges may be required to make assessments on this issue on a case-by-case basis.
2) The prize is open to individuals, groups or teams. Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by others.
3) Research entered for this prize must have been undertaken in Australia, no more than five (5) years prior to the closing date for entries.
4) For a team entry, the team leader must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time the research entered was undertaken. Members of the team do not have to be Australian residents or citizens, however, they must have resided predominantly in Australia at the time the research/activity entered was undertaken.
5) For an entry that is not a team, all entrants must be an Australian citizen or resident at the time the research/activity entered was undertaken.
6) You must submit an online entry form including all supporting documentation by midnight AEST Friday 4 May 2012 to be eligible for this prize.
7) Entries with insufficient sets of supporting documentation will not be considered. Submitted material will not be returned.
8) Any entries received after midnight AEST Friday 4 May 2012 will not be considered.
9) Hard-copy applications will not be considered.
10) The research entered/nominated for this prize may not be entered/nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
11) The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.
12) Information provided by the entrant(s) in relation to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (including photos), may be used by the Australian Museum for promotional/publicity purposes.
13) Personal information provided in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be used only by the Australian Museum and only in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
How to enter
STEP 1. You must prepare one document that contains the following information:
a) Research Summary: a brief description of the research entered, including objectives and results to date (two page maximum)
b) Judging Criteria: a brief description of how the entrant's activity addresses each of the judging criteria (two page maximum)
c) CV: curriculum vitae of entrant(s) (maximum 2 pages per CV)
d) Assessor Reports: a minimum of one (1) and a maximum of four (4) written reports addressing each of the judging criteria from assessors who are familiar with the entered research (two page maximum per report). NOTE: Judges rely on assessor's reports to provide additional perspective and informed opinion on entries. Therefore, assessors should not be personally or directly involved in the activity entered in this prize.
e) Publication: You may if you wish also include a copy of your work from one externally-refereed scientific publication.
This document can be uploaded in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.
STEP 2. Submit an online entry form by midnight AEST Friday 4 May 2012
Complete the online entry form which must include your supporting document and submit by midnight AEST Friday 4 May 2012.
If you require further information or help, please call the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes on +61 2 9320 6483 or email mailto:eureka@austmus.gov.au.
