Promoting Excellence in Higher Degree Research

Background and Description

The Annual HCSNet Graduate Student Placement Award is designed to promote excellence and opportunity in Higher Degree Research (HDR) training and development. Each year, the competitive scheme provides financial support for an HDR student to spend a block of time (two weeks or longer) at another HCSNet Research Laboratory, Centre, Group, Department or Industry Facility in Australia. The proposed visit should be designed to enhance the student's knowledge or skills base, build professional networks, and provide an opportunity to discuss research with experts in the field. Longer-term goals to be encouraged are a joint publication involving the student and host institution, and/or presentation of a joint paper at an international conference with publication of the paper in the conference proceedings.

In applying for the award, the student in consultation with their HDR supervisor, and a researcher at the host institution should outline a plan and program of activities to be undertaken at the host institution. Activities might include the conduct of an experiment or data collection, training in specialist skills or methods, presenting seminars on their research, working in a discipline other than their own, and meeting with research experts. Applications will need to identify clear outcomes, demonstrate interdisciplinarity and relevance to Human Communication Science, and include a proposed budget.

As the spirit of the scheme is to promote excellence in research, the process will be competitive and awarded on merit. There will be a call for applications in March. Financial support from HCSNet is up to $2,500 to the student plus $500 to the host institution to assist with local expenses. The winning student and host institution will receive a certificate and student winners will present a keynote address at SummerFest.

Please click here to view a list of research laboratories, centres and groups represented in HCSNet.

How to Apply

1. The student should make contact with the nominated person in the host Lab/Centre/School/Industry Facility and, together with their supervisor and the host supervisor, apply to the HCSNet Graduate Student Placement Award. Participating laboratories and facilities may also call for applications in a particular area via the HCSNet Bulletin Board.

2. Applications for the HCSNet Graduate Student Placement Award (maximum 4 pages plus CVs) should include: name, affiliation and contact details of the student, their supervisor, and supervisor at the host institution; year of student enrolment (e.g., 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd); a statement outlining the relevance of the visit for the student's doctoral project; a program of activity at the host institution (e.g., seminars, meetings, data collection, skill acquisition, joint paper at SummerFest and/or journal and/or International Conference Proceedings); anticipated outcomes of the visit; a budget showing costs including any cash and/or in-kind support from either the host or source institution; CVs from the student applicant and the student visit supervisor at the host institution; and written and signed recommendations from the student's supervisor and the host institution.

Please click here to submit an application for this award.