The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Announces Recipients of the 2009 Australian Laureate Fellowships. (June 23, 2009)

Senator Kim Carr yesterday announced the names of the first group of fifteen Australian Laureate Fellows. These well-endowed five-year fellowships are a replacement of the 25 Federation Fellowships that were instituted by the Coalition Government in 2002, and in all 144 Federation Fellowships were offered.

In making his announcement Senator Carr said:

As part of the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme, successful fellows will lead and mentor the next generation of research leaders, helping to build Australia's international competitive research capacity.

The work will focus on areas of national economic, environmental, cultural and social benefit, including:

• high- profile discoveries in Astronomy;

• a revolutionary new approach to combating super bugs and antibiotic resistant bacteria; and

• research into laws that are meant to protect the community from terrorism whilst balancing democratic and human rights values.

Just how restrictive these conditions will be in the research directions of the chosen Australian Laureates remains to be seen.

In all 148 applications were reviewed. Below is a condensed list of the Fellows and their "particulars". For a pdf file giving more details click here.

And for details of selection click here.

Funding Levels and Duration

Australian Laureate Fellowship projects are funded for five years on a full-time basis, subject to sufficient funding being available for the scheme.

In addition to the Australian Laureate Fellowship salary supplement and salary-related (on-cost) support, the ARC may provide Australian Laureate Fellows with additional funding for up to two postdoctoral research associates and up to two postgraduate researchers, and for eligible organisations, project funding of up to $300,000 per annum.

Of the 15 approved Australian Laureate Fellows, the average amount of approved funding is $2,775,183 over 5 years. In addition to the total Australian Laureate Fellowship salary support of $9,600,000, a total of $14,009,011 is approved for postdoctoral research associates and postgraduate researchers and a further $18,018,741 for general project funding.

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The Fifteen 2009 Australian Laureate Fellows