McMichael Award
The McMichael Award and Fellowship Program will create and foster a global network of future leaders for a flourishing world.
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About
The impact of climate change on the environment is escalating.
As the world experiences more extreme weather events, and ecosystems come under increasing pressure, there is a growing need for leadership to protect the health of the planet and the people who depend on it. The McMichael Award and Fellowship Program supports the next generation of researchers working at the intersection of human and environmental health, and helps position ANU as a leader in this field.
Over the year of the award, recipients are expected to:
- develop and take part in research that builds foundational knowledge for community programs and policy change;
- engage with communities to identify, assess and reduce the harms linked to climate change; and
- begin programs and projects that continue beyond the year of the award, adding to the growing network and influence of McMichael Award recipients.
The award is valued at $30,000 and contributes to the recipient’s agreed research over a 12-month period. It is paid in two instalments.
Award benefits
The McMichael Award supports research and career development through a global network of mentors and through leaders connected to NCEPH through the late Emeritus Professor McMichael’s legacy. Up to $30,000 will be offered to the successful applicant to contribute to their agreed-upon research over 12 months.
The University distributes the funding to the recipient. Funds are made available on receipt of the signed Award Acceptance page, which acknowledges acceptance of the Conditions of Award. Awarded funds must be spent within 12 months from the date of the inception meeting unless prior approval is given by the Director of the Awards Program. Any unspent funds are returned to the endowment.
Who can apply
As the urgency to address the impact of climate is, so is the need to develop the next generation of leaders.
Our early and mid-career researchers (3–9 years FTE from PhD completion) have the exciting opportunity to carve out new fields of research and find solutions to the challenges we all face because of climate change.
The Award is open to any domestic salaried ANU researcher working in diverse and interdisciplinary fields. These include, but are not limited to, population health, planetary health, climate change and its impacts on population health, equity and health, and related disciplines such as philosophy, music, the arts, law, gender studies, engineering, business, medicine, environmental science, social science, public policy and sustainability science.
This is a non-exhaustive list. We encourage applicants from all faculties and research groups across ANU where the research explores human–environment interactions with a focus on climate change and its harms.
When to apply
Applications open on Tuesday 1 September 2026, and close on Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Applicants are notified of the outcome by November 2026.
How do I apply
Please complete the application form and submit it via email to mcmichaelaward.nceph@anu.edu.au and aparna.lal@anu.edu.au. When you write your responses to the selection criteria, please avoid naming yourself where you can – the coordinator de–identifies the criteria responses before the panel sees them.
If you have not received an acknowledgement of your application within 48 business hours, please email Associate Professor Aparna Lal to confirm it has been received.
Submit the completed application form
Meet our awardees
Award Endowment
Funding for the Award is by a generous donation from Associate Professor Judith Healy, with a gift match from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health to endow the Tony McMichael Award. The McMichael Award is named in honour of Judith’s late husband, Emeritus Professor Tony McMichael AO.
We are seeking funding partners to help build the McMichael endowment to create an international award and fellowship program for the next generation of public health leaders, to protect the health of people and the environment.
All gifts are important for helping us achieve our goal, with gifts of 5 and 6 figures, and up, making a significant impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many awards will be delivered each year?
One award is offered in 2026. From 2027, the program intends to offer two awards each year; this is a forward plan and subject to confirmation.
Am I eligible? What do I need to apply?
You must be a domestic researcher (an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or a permanent humanitarian visa), and an early to mid-career researcher within the first three to nine years (full-time equivalent) of academic or other research-related employment following postgraduate research training. Documented career interruptions, such as parental leave, illness or carer responsibilities, are taken into account on a full-time-equivalent basis.
You must also be a salaried ANU researcher (continuing, or with at least 12 months remaining on your contract at receipt of the award), and not on a period of extended leave without pay. At the time of the award, you must not hold a Category 1 fellowship or equivalent (for example a Westpac, Bupa or Heart Foundation fellowship).
What can I use the funds for, and what kinds of projects are suitable?
The award supports research that advances understanding and action at the intersection of human and environmental health. Funding can be used for a range of activities, including empirical research, methodological development, community engagement, policy translation and capacity building. Projects might examine the health impacts of climate change, develop tools or frameworks for more sustainable and equitable systems, or build interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, environmental science, the social sciences and policy.
Funds may also support fieldwork, data collection, employment of research staff, and analysis. We encourage applicants to think about how their work can reach beyond academia, through partnerships, public engagement, or contributions to policy and practice.
How do I work out my funding request?
Prepare a draft budget of up to $30,000 as part of your application. If your application is successful, the McMichael Award team will work with you to finalise it. The budget should include the costs associated with your planned research activities (for example conference and short-course fees, equipment and consumables, travel, and publication and dissemination costs). Your application is not assessed on the size of the request, but on the thought behind your plans.
Can I include letters of support?
Yes. Letters of support are optional but encouraged, particularly for community-facing projects. You may include a short letter or email from a community partner, organisation, mentor, research group or collaborator confirming a relationship and a commitment to work together. They are not required, and applications are not disadvantaged for not including them. Early-stage collaborations are welcome.
How are applications assessed?
Applications are assessed against four weighted criteria:
- Significance, originality and contribution (30%); how the research advances human–environment health and builds Australia’s capacity in this area.
- Research design, feasibility and planning (20%); the methods and a realistic plan to deliver within 12 months, including timeline, resources, risks and outputs.
- Leadership, capability and growth (30%); the applicant’s capacity to lead and take the project forward, and how the award supports their development.
- Communication, engagement and public value (20%); how findings will be shared and applied, including with communities, practitioners and policymakers, and through channels beyond traditional academic outputs.
The award is offered by a Selection Committee chaired by the Director of the McMichael Award and Fellowship Program, and including a member from outside ANU, the Director of NCEPH or nominee, the Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Governance (RegNet) or nominee, and representatives from at least two further ANU Schools. Other factors such as educational access or disadvantage, financial need, gender, geographic region, Indigenous status, and rural or regional status may also be taken into account.
How do you keep the process fair?
Applications are assessed as anonymously as practical. The coordinator gives each application an identification number and removes identifying details from the criteria responses. Each panel member scores all eligible applications independently before any discussion.
After scoring, members declare any conflicts of interest – for example a supervisory relationship, close recent collaboration, a personal relationship, or having funded the applicant’s research. Where a member is conflicted, their scores for that applicant are set aside, and the applicant’s result is the average of the remaining members’ scores, so no one is disadvantaged by having fewer reviewers.
I need more help with my application. Who can I contact?
Please send any questions to mcmichaelaward.nceph@anu.edu.au OR aparna.lal@anu.edu.au
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