Research support staff from across faculties and disciplines receive excellence award

Group photo with award
Picture L-R: Laura Juliff, Annette Herrera, Veronica Loew, Jonathan O’Donnell, Suzy Ryan, Libi Vojinovic, Daniel Jenk, Bernardo Jarrin.

A team from the University of Melbourne has been awarded the 2022 Paul Taylor Award for Excellence in Research Management Practice.

The team were recognised for their development and delivery of the first comprehensive, University-wide ARC Fellowship Development Program, including targeted seminars and workshops, peer review and mentoring. The program was available to all University of Melbourne applicants to the 2021 Discovery Early Career Researcher Award and Future Fellowship schemes funded by the Australian Research Council.

Dr Suzy Ryan, who accepted the award on behalf of the team, said this award acknowledged the importance and the potential of cross-institutional teams working together.

“This project brought together a network of research management professionals from across the University, capitalising on the diverse strengths within faculties and recognising synergies in grant development strategies,” she said.

“It was only possible because of the collaborative approach taken by our team of experts.”

The team incorporated representatives from the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Science, Architecture, Building and Planning, Business and Economics, Engineering and Information Technology, Fine Arts and Music, and Arts, plus the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and the Chancellery Research and Enterprise, and Research, Innovation and Commercialisation teams.

Members included:

  • Dr Suzy Ryan
  • Jonathan O’Donnell
  • Ceira Barr
  • Christianne O’Donnell
  • Dr Nathan Bond
  • Dr Neil Owens
  • John-Paul Hougaz
  • Veronica Loew
  • Dr Alex Burns
  • Daniel Jenk
  • Bernardo Jarrin
  • Peter Blight
  • Anna Coppel
  • Nikki Fisher
  • Jan Seesod
  • Stephanie Flanagan
  • Jeanette Wrench
  • Nicole Barbee
  • Libi Vojinovic
  • Laura Juliff
  • Kerewin Huck
  • Annette Herrera
  • Jessica Alcamo
  • Elizabeth Morfe

The award honours Dr Paul Taylor, a highly regarded and inspiring management professional, well known for his determined leadership on the conduct of research, who passed away in November 2018.