Early and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCR) Accelerator Group
About EMCR Accelerator Group
The Australian Dementia Network Early and Mid-Career Researchers (ADNeT EMCR) Accelerator Group supports and advocates for early and mid-career dementia researchers and helps develop future leaders. The Accelerator Group was formed as part of the concluded NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research (NNIDR) in 2018 and is delighted to continue working under the auspices of ADNeT since 2020.
Our principal initiatives include:
- Consolidating grant opportunities for EMCRs
- Coordinating sponsorship programs for early-career researchers (ECRs) and mid-career researchers (MCRs)
- Convening webinars
- Conducting surveys to evaluate the productivity and needs of EMCRs
- Managing the EMCR Directory to raise the profiles and provide opportunities to early-to-mid career researchers
You can follow the ADNeT EMCR Network on Twitter: @AusDementiaEMCR
Membership
A/Prof Nadeeka Dissanayaka (Co-chair)
NHMRC Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellow, the University of Queensland
Dr Mouna Sawan
Pharmacist and Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration Research Fellow, University of Sydney
A/Prof Tuan Nguyen
Principal Research Fellow, National Ageing Research Institute (NARI)
Dr Stephanie Wong
(Co-chair)
NHMRC Research Fellow and Clinical Neuropsychologist, Flinders University
Dr Suraj Samtani
Postdoctoral Fellow, CHeBA (Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing),
University of New South Wales
Dr Diana Matovic
Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Ageing, Cognition and Wellbeing,
Macquarie University
EMCR Grant Opportunities
Are you an early to mid-career dementia researcher looking for grant opportunities, but not sure where to start? The ADNeT EMCR Accelerator Group have put together a list of both dementia specific and general EMCR grant opportunities, which can be accessed via the following link:
List of dementia and general grants
We endeavour to update this list regularly with dates and status of application rounds. If you know of any other grant opportunities that should be included here, please do not hesitate to contact the Accelerator Group representatives:
Ayeisha Milligan Armstrong (ayeisha.milligan@postgrad.curtin.edu.au), or
Andrew Shoubridge (Andrew.Shoubridge@sahmri.com)
Sponsorship Program
In 2019, the Accelerator Group piloted a new sponsorship program to provide NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellows with strategic guidance as these researchers navigate the next stage of their careers.
In 2020 we expanded the program to all Australian dementia ECRs and MCRs to support the Australia’s Boosting Dementia Research initiative in creating Australia’s dementia research leaders of the future.
The 2019 and 2020 programs introduced great career development opportunities for active participants and provided additional benefits to professional development through networking and invitations to speak at other institutions.
Benefits of joining the program
- Gain opportunities to expand your network and build new collaborations with senior dementia researchers.
- Gain insights into your own skills and capabilities, boost your self-confidence in the things you do well, whilst also identifying areas for growth and improvement.
- Learn about the different paths one can take in research, helping you refine strategies to take the next step in your own career development.
How does the program work?
We will match you with a senior researcher who will agree to meet with you (in person or virtually) four times over the year to provide strategic career advice and opportunities.
You will need to:
- have submitted your PhD to participate in this program.
- nominate three senior researchers in the field of dementia, or ageing, or health whom you would like to have as a sponsor. Your nominations should reflect people with whom you do not already have an existing mentoring relationship with, in order to encourage new connections outside your group and institution.
- organise these meetings and set an agenda to get the most out of them.
Please note we cannot guarantee that any of the nominated sponsors will be available to participate. Should your nominated sponsors not be available, we will identify an alternative sponsor from a similar background or area of interest/expertise.
To express interest in joining the program, you will need to complete this form. You will be asked to provide information that will assist your proposed sponsor(s) in understanding your background and career highlights in order to determine whether they are a good ‘fit’ as a sponsor, as well as to provide some context to building up to a sponsor/sponsee relationship over the course of the 12-month program. For this purpose, via the form, you will be asked to:
- provide your details,
- provide details of three sponsors whom you would like to work with, and
- upload your CV in .pdf format.
Registration for the 2025 program will open on 1st December 2024 and close 31st January 2025.
Please contact Jacqueline Wesson jacqueline.wesson@sydney.edu.au, Marianne Coleman Marianne.coleman@monash.edu or Diana Matovic diana.matovic@mq.edu.au if you have any queries.
Our Webinars
The EMCR Accelerator Group organises 2-3 webinars per year, with contributions from experts in dementia research. You can access the recordings of previous webinars through the past webinars page
Subscribe to EMCR Newsletter
Contact Us
If you would like to know more about the work of the ADNeT EMCR Accelerator Group, please email us at adnet-emcr@outlook.com