Goal: The aim of the AS4SAN Emerging Researcher Project Grant is to support emerging researchers in the early stages of their social or affective neuroscience research careers.

Who is eligible? Australasian emerging researchers (up to 10 years post-PhD submission, accounting for career disruption) who are currently conducting, or plan to conduct research projects in the field of social and affective neuroscience. Eligible candidates must be current AS4SAN members or join as a member prior to applying (membership fee is $50 per year). Eligible candidates must hold an 0.3 FTE or greater position at an academic institution or research centre for the 12-month duration of the grant.

How much? The successful applicant will receive AU$5000 which can be spent on direct project costs. Funds cannot be used for the applicant’s salary, travel, or journal article processing charges.

(A) Research project proposal (max. 2-pages, not including references). This project may be stand-alone, or it may form part of an existing/larger project. Critical information that needs to be addressed in the application includes:

1. Project aims, background, methods, and use of funds (1 page, project quality and innovation 50%)

2. Applicant capability, relative to opportunity (20%) *

3. Project benefit/significance (15%) *

4. Feasibility (15%) *

Formatting rules: Times New Roman, 12-point font; minimum 1.5 cm margins.

* Approximately 1/3 page each.

(B) Career disruption statement, if applicable for eligibility purposes (max. 200 words)

(C) Diversity and equity statement to highlight issues or barriers to career progression, if relevant (max. 200 words)

(D) Short academic CV (max. 2 pages, no formatting rules)

Please email your application as a single document attachment to as4saninc@gmail.com, together with proof of current AS4SAN membership.

Conditions of award: The successful applicant will need to provide us with a 1 page progress report at the end of the 12-month period. While the funding period is 12 months, the project does not need to be completed within 12-months (e.g., if it is part of an existing/larger project). The successful applicant must also agree to present their research findings at an upcoming AS4SAN Annual Meeting. The work will also be featured in one of our quarterly newsletters.

Application opens: 2nd Sept 2024

Application closes: 1st Nov 2024

Funding period: January - December 2025.

Application outcomes: The winner will be announced by early December 2024.

2022

Dr Kate Bray, from the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Melbourne, received $5000 to integrate data from laboratory-based measures with ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in the translation and validation of a promising video-based measure of social-affective and social-cognitive processes (e.g., empathy and theory of mind) for use in English-speaking adolescents.