February 2016 Newsletter
Note from the Manager
Several SIEF-funded Research Projects will conclude in 2016 and great progress has been made in achieving research outcomes and creating impact in areas of our nation’s research priorities. Another cohort of Postdoctoral Fellows commences in 2016 and SIEF continues to contribute to some of Australia’s most significant Research Infrastructure projects.
We welcome Merrilyn Larusson and Susan Soleil to the team and advise that Catherine Barkley is currently on parental leave.
From the entire SIEF Team, we look forward to your continued interest in SIEF this year.
Dr Melissa Straffon
SIEF Manager
Melissa.Straffon@sief.org.au
(03) 9545 7952 or 0408 134 581
SIEF Promotion of Science
Milestone Reports
Milestone Reports for all Promotion of Science activities (Fellowships and Scholarships) are due by 1 April 2016. The reporting templates are available on the SIEF webpage. Please note that late reports may result in a delay in payment of SIEF funding.
John Stocker Postdoctoral Fellowships
We congratulate the six recipients of the 2016 John Stocker Postdoctoral Fellowships. SIEF received 179 proposals for the 2016 round, showcasing the diversity of Australia’s national innovation system. Most Australian states and territories were represented in the pool of eligible proposals; 25 of 39 Australian universities, and five research organisations were represented as lead organisations, with 160 (89%) proposals collaborations between at least two organisations.
SIEF does not expect to offer any further rounds of John Stocker Postdoctoral Fellowships. Should the Trustee decide to open applications for the Fellowships in the future, the information will be posted on the SIEF website and a Bulletin sent to the SIEF Mailing List. On behalf of the Trustee, thank you to all applicants for the time and effort put into preparing the applications and your interest in the program. If you have any queries please contact your Research Office in the first instance.
Former SIEF Recipient reaches milestone
Former SIEF recipient Dr Max Day AO FAA celebrated a milestone 100th birthday in December 2015. Dr Day is a respected ecologist and entomologist whose career began in 1938, when he was employed as an Assistant Research Officer by the CSIR Division of Economic Entomology. Assigned to work with Professor Lemuel Roscoe Cleveland of Harvard University who was visiting Australia to study protozoa of the termite gut, Max was invited to Harvard as Cleveland’s assistant and to study part-time. Max received support from SIEF by way of a round-the-world ticket and fees for his course at Harvard University.
Max is perhaps best known for being influential in developing the Myxomatosis virus with Professor Frank Fenner in the 1950s. In 1976 he was appointed the first Chief of the CSIRO Division of Forest Research and remained in that position until his retirement in 1980. Now in his 100th year, he continues his entomological research as an Honorary Fellow at CSIRO and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
To read more about Max Day and other interesting stories from SIEF’s history, please visit the ‘Did you know?’ webpage