Annual Grants and Prizes (pre-NSC Awards)

Research Funding Background

The Board, in September 2021 approved a new small grants program in order to expand the Research Support strategy of the ASA. Up to 4 grants per annum of $3000 will be available. In 2025 the Board approved to combine the small grants prizes in to one per year. The grant will support original research into the current ASA Research Priority areas: Environment & Anaesthesia, Innovation & Anaesthesia and Safety in Anaesthesia.

Criteria for Eligibility

Applicants must have been financial members of the ASA for over 12 months. Applications from trainee members, and members within 5 years of full membership are strongly encouraged. Applications from teams of researchers are also welcome.

Applicants must have the support of their Department Head or equivalent. This will be confirmed by the SPARC Chair during the assessment process.

Projects must have the appropriate Ethics approval or waiver and be registered with ANZCTR as appropriate. Application will be accepted with Ethics applications in train, but funds will not be released until approvals have been received.

Recipients must be prepared to present their work to an ASA supported public forum eg a future NSC or State meeting, publish in a peer review journal, Australian Anaesthetist or ASA podcast.

Application

The grants are available on a rolling basis and applications are always welcome.

Applicants should complete the application form attaching all attachments indicated on the form.

Adjudicating Panel

The Chair of the SPARC will appoint an adjudicating panel of three ASA members to assess the application. Outcome of the application will be advised within three months of receiving the application.

Form of the Prize

A grant of a maximum of $12,000 will be available once a year

The Board approved the ASA PhD Support Grant Bylaw in 2005 in order to assist members of the Society to complete PhDs and other Higher Degree Research (HDR) programs. In 2020, further funding was made available inline the ASA’s recognition of the need for research support in areas of interest to the Society, and to encourage an increase in higher degree completion in clinical anaesthetists.

Criteria for Eligibility

Application is open to ASA members only, including Trainee Members, who are currently engaged in anaesthesia or research related to anaesthesia, intensive care or pain management. A trainee applicant must have a suitable supervisor who is also full member of the ASA. Preference will be given to applicants enrolled in a Higher Degree Research (HDR) or an emerging post-doctoral researcher (NHMRC guidelines, <10 years full time equivalent after conferral of PhD), although all members are eligible to apply.

The research grant may be used to purchase or lease equipment, facilities or material or to fund administrative or scientific support not normally provided by the institution. A scholarship provides salary support for full or part-time research for members enrolled in a Higher Degree Research (HDR) at a recognised university or research institute may be made available for 1 or 2 years. The stipend and allowances are similar to those described by the NHMRC. A maximum of $75,000 is available.

Applicants must have the support of their Department Head or equivalent. This will be confirmed by the SPARC Chair during the assessment process.

Projects must have the appropriate Ethics approval or waiver and be registered with ANZCTR as appropriate. Application will be accepted with Ethics applications in train, but funds will not be released until approvals have been received.

Recipients must be prepared to present their work to an ASA supported public forum eg a future NSC or State meeting, publish in a peer review journal, Australian Anaesthetist or ASA podcast. All publications and presentations must acknowledge the ASA as a funding source. Applicants must be available as grant reviewers for future grant applications. The recipient must provide a written report to the Board within six months of completion of the funded activity.

Application

The deadline for application is June 30 each year. Applicants should complete the application form, and format and provide all requested attachments as indicated on the application form.

Applications are currently closed.

The Jackson Rees Research Grant commemorates the visit to Australia in 1963 of the late Professor G. Jackson Rees. Following his visit as the Official Visitor of the ASA for that year, he donated a sum of money to the ASA, which was placed in a fund entitled the Jackson Rees Research Fund and used, with supplementation from ASA funds, to support a biannual research grant.

Criteria for Eligibility

Application is open to ASA members only, including Trainee Members, who are currently engaged in anaesthesia or research related to anaesthesia, intensive care, or pain management.

The research grant may be used to purchase or lease equipment, facilities, or material or to fund administrative or scientific support not normally provided by the institution. A maximum of $27,500 is available.

Applicants must have the support of their Department Head or equivalent. This will be confirmed by the SPARC Chair during the assessment process.

Projects must have the appropriate Ethics approval or waiver and be registered with ANZCTR as appropriate. The application will be accepted with Ethics applications in train, but funds will not be released until approvals have been received.

Recipients must be prepared to present their work to an ASA supported public forum eg a future NSC or State meeting, publish in a peer review journal, Australian Anaesthetist or ASA podcast. All publications and presentations must acknowledge the ASA as a funding source. Applicants must be available as grant reviewers for future grant applications. The recipient must provide a written report to the Board within six months of completion of the funded activity.

Application

The deadline for application is June 30 every other year. Applicants should complete the application form, and format and provide all requested attachments as indicated on the application form.

Background

This prize commemorates the late Dr Kevin McCaul who was, for many years, the Director of Obstetric Anaesthesia at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. He had a major and lasting influence on obstetric anaesthesia throughout Australia. The prize was instituted in 1978 on the occasion of his retirement as Director. In 2025 the Board approved to award the Kevin McCaul prize biennially and alternate years to Jackson Rees .  

 Terms of Reference

The prize is administered by the ASA and is open to ASA members or ASA trainee members. The grant is awarded for research proposals in obstetric anaesthesia or obstetric perioperative care.”

Value

The value of the prize is determined by the ASA Board following recommendation from the SPARC Committee. In 2025, this was reformatted to be awarded once every two years, alternating with the Jackson Rees Research Grant. Currently the value is $22,000 once every two years. This Prize will be passed in if applications are not of sufficient quality. The conditions of the prize are determined by the ASA and reviewed on a regular basis, at least every two years.

Format of Application

Applications will address the information listed in points (a) to (h), see “Format of Applications” (above). The paper should be in a format which would be acceptable for publication in a medical journal.

Form of the Prize

The prize comprises monies of $22,000. The prize is awarded once every two years. The value and conditions of the grant are reviewed every three years by the SPARC. If applications are not deemed of sufficient scientific quality and rigour as to further the ASA research priorities and profile- the prize will be passed in and monies accumulated to combine in future years at the Board’s discretion.

The Jeanne Collison Prize for Outstanding Research in the Fields of Anaesthesia and Pain Management was established in 2007 following the bequest of $50,000 by Dr. Neville York in memory of his wife Dr Jeanne Collison who was a member of the ASA for 52 years. The ASA is the custodian of the bequest and will administer it in accordance with this Bylaw. The Jeanne Collison Prize is for an application for a research project in the field of pain management.

In 2025 the Board approved the prize money be passed in if applications are not of sufficient quality. This may result in this prize becoming 3-4 yearly and $22,000. If applications are not deemed of sufficient scientific quality and rigour as to further the ASA research priorities and profile- the prize will be passed in and monies accumulated to combine in future years at the Board’s discretion.

Criteria for Eligibility
Application is open to ASA members or Trainee Members, with an interest in or sub-specialising in pain management.

The research grant may be used to purchase or lease equipment, facilities or material or to fund administrative or scientific support not normally provided by the institution. A maximum of $11,000 is available.

Applicants must have the support of their Department Head or equivalent. This will be confirmed by the SPARC Chair during the assessment process.

Projects must have the appropriate Ethics approval or waiver and be registered with ANZCTR as appropriate. Application will be accepted with Ethics applications in train, but funds will not be released until approvals have been received.

Recipients must be prepared to present their work to an ASA supported public forum eg a future NSC or State meeting, publish in a peer review journal, Australian Anaesthetist or ASA podcast. All publications and presentations must acknowledge the ASA as a funding source. Applicants must be available as grant reviewers for future grant applications. The recipient must provide a written report to the Board within six months of completion of the funded activity.

Application
The deadline for application is June 30 every other year. Applicants should complete the application form, and format and provide all requested attachments as indicated on the application form.