Applicant Guidance for Technical Society Awards
The Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE) is excited to offer a suite of awards to recognise outstanding contributions to engineering education in Australasia. These awards, to be presented at the AAEE Annual Conference dinner, are judged by a panel of experts drawn from across Australasia. AAEE is pleased to invite nominations for Engineering Education Excellence, Engineering Education Research Design, and Engineering Education Engagement.
Successful applications will be posted on the AAEE website as a way of disseminating the work that has been recognised by an award. Award winners will be invited to produce a video presentation and/or present at the AAEE Awards Roadshow to showcase their work to the AAEE community.
Eligibility for all Technical Society Awards
Each category is intended to recognise work that goes beyond good teaching practice. Award-winning work should have an actual impact or potential for impact on engineering education at a cross-institutional or sector-wide level.
Eligibility requirements apply for all award categories:
- The award will be presented at the AAEE Annual Conference dinner. Applicants, or at least one member of a team application, must be present at the dinner to accept the award.
- Previously unsuccessful applicants are eligible to apply.
- The same body of work cannot be submitted as an application in two categories even if seemingly appropriate for both categories.
- It is not necessary to meet all selection criteria of an Award to be eligible to apply for an Award.
- Nominees must be current AAEE members at the time of application. Instructions to check your membership status or to join are here (note that staff and students of Australian and New Zealand universities can become members at no cost).
- The work must have been mostly conducted in Australia or New Zealand.
- Winner or Highly Commended recipients from the last two years are only eligible to apply if the work completed is significantly different from previous applications or the application is in a different category.
- Team nominations can only include members with a contribution of 20 percent or higher. This means that the maximum number of team members is 5 either from the same institution or collaborating institutions. All team members must be AAEE members at the time of application.
Application Details
To apply, please visit Engineers Australia’s Awards Portal (linked below). Nominations open April 4, 2023 and close 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) September 15, 2023. Further important information for each individual award is included below.
Australian Council of Engineering Deans National Award for Engineering Education Excellence
About the Award
Awarded for demonstrated excellence in Engineering Education, which may include curriculum design, student support, peer support, or other significant initiatives with enduring positive impact. This award is intended to recognise significant and sustained contributions to Australasian Engineering Education at a multi-institutional or sector-wide level. Applicants may be individuals or small teams who can demonstrate sustained excellence using appropriate evidence.
Judging Criteria
- Focus and relevance – clearly articulate the challenges addressed and the outcomes achieved, focusing on the significance of the work to engineering education practice at an institutional and/or national level.
- Context – situate the work within relevant bodies of knowledge and describe how it draws on this to address our understanding of teaching and learning in your context.
- Contribution – Clearly demonstrate how the work has contributed to Australasian Engineering Education and in particular the AAEE community
- Evidence of continuous monitoring and evaluation – present original ideas and results of significance supported by clear reasoning and compelling evidence over a sustained period.
- Clarity and readability – exhibit clear, concise, and precise exposition that appeals to a broad readership interested in engineering education research and practice, and provide tables and figures, as needed, that meaningfully add to the narrative.
Submission Guidelines
You must provide the following for your submission:
- Profile image
- Short biography (200 words)
- Abstract summarising nomination (150 words)
- For team nominations: Statement communicating the percent contribution of each team member and a summary of what each team member’s contribution was to the substantive work.
- Statement addressing the criteria (maximum of five A4 pages with minimum 12-point font)
Prize
$5000, plus a framed certificate
Award for Engineering Education Engagement
About the Award
Awarded for fostering an excellent standard of purposeful and successful engagement with multiple stakeholders in Australasian Engineering Education, such as colleagues, industry, and students. The award recognises a collegiate approach to quality learning and teaching practice and/or research and a sharing of educational expertise across multiple contexts.
Applicants may be individuals or small teams. Nominations of colleagues for this award are encouraged.
Applications could consider areas such as strategic collaboration in teaching, capacity building in engineering education practice and/or research, facilitating engineering education special interest groups, and engaging other disciplines, the profession, and other key stakeholders in engineering education and research. Evidence of outcomes of engagement and broader impact is essential.
Judging Criteria
- Focus and relevance – Clearly demonstrate the nature, extent, and importance of engagement with stakeholders in Australasian Engineering Education, such as colleagues, industry, and/or students.
- Evidence and impact – Present compelling evidence of positive impact within Australasian Engineering Education stemming from the approach to stakeholder engagement including how the contribution has been disseminated within the AAEE community.
- Clarity and readability – exhibit clear, concise, and precise exposition that appeals to a broad readership interested in engineering education.
Submission Guidelines
You must provide the following for your submission:
- Profile image
- Short biography (200 words)
- Abstract summarising nomination (150 words)
- For team nominations: Statement communicating the percent contribution of each team member and a summary of what each team member’s contribution was to the substantive work.
- Statement addressing the criteria (maximum of five A4 pages with minimum 12-point font)
Prize
$2500 plus a framed certificate
Award for Engineering Education Research Design
About the Award
Award for rigorous, innovative, and transferable research design in the field of Engineering Education. Applicants may be individual or small teams.
Judging Criteria
- Focus and relevance – state the questions or propositions addressed and the significance of the research to engineering education research or practice.
- Context and contribution – situate the research within relevant bodies of knowledge and describe how it contributes to new knowledge (Note: the relevant body of knowledge should be wider than engineering education and relates to the wider context of education research, frameworks, methodologies, etc.).
- Research validity/credibility and reliability/dependability – describe research designs, methods, theories, and/or practices appropriate to the research performed or planned and the transportability of the processes (research validity and reliability or credibility and dependability).
- Results and generalisability/transferability – present original ideas or results of general significance supported by clear reasoning and compelling evidence.
- Clarity and readability – exhibit clear, concise, and precise exposition that appeals to a broad readership interested in engineering education research and practice, and provide tables and figures, as needed, that meaningfully add to the narrative.
Submission Guidelines
You must provide the following for your submission:
- Profile image
- Short biography (200 words)
- Abstract summarising nomination (150 words)
- For team nominations: Statement communicating the percent contribution of each team member and a summary of what each team member’s contribution was to the substantive work.
- Statement addressing the criteria (maximum of five A4 pages with minimum 12-point font)
Prize
$2500, plus a framed certificate