Nominations are now open for the 2022 Researcher of the Year awards. Organised by the Irish Research Council, the awards seek to commend those researchers making, highly significant and valuable contributions to knowledge, society, culture, or innovation.
The awards will also celebrate the mentors, supervisors, research officers, and technical support staff across the Irish higher education and research system.
Nominations are invited under four categories:
Category one — Researcher of the Year
One award will be made to a well-established and highly accomplished researcher currently working in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or a Research Performing Organisation (RPO), who is, or has previously been, a named awardee of the IRC, and who has made an exceptional contribution to research in their field.
Read about the 2021 Researcher of the Year, Professor Yvonne Buckley (TCD), here.
Nomination Form for Category 1
Category two — Early-Career Researcher of the Year
One award will be made to an early-career researcher currently working in research in a HEI or an RPO, who is, or previously has been, a named awardee of the IRC, and who has demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement in their field at this stage in their career.
Nomination Form for Category 2
Category three — Impact Award
One award will be made to a current or former IRC-funded researcher, working within or outside a HEI/RPO, whose work has made a significant impact beyond academia. Eligible nominees need not currently be working specifically in a research-driven role.
Nomination Form for Category 3
Category four — Research Ally Prizes
These prizes will be awarded to mentors, supervisors, Research Officers, and technical support staff in the Irish higher education system who have played a vital role in supporting the academic research community across all career-levels. Postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and academic staff are welcome to nominate the mentors, supervisors, research officers and technical support staff who have helped them in their research and careers. Nominators do not need to be based in academia at the time of their nomination and do not need to have been previously funded by the IRC.
Nomination form for Category 4
Award Presentation
Category 1 – 3 awardees will be presented with a commemorative plaque in late 2022. Category 4 awardees will receive an official certificate of commendation in late 2022. The winners will also be profiled through an extensive media and online communications campaign.
Key Dates
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Call open | 15 July 2022 |
| FAQ deadline | 23 September 2022 |
| Nomination deadline | 4pm (Irish time) 30 September 2022 |
| Call Announcement | December 2022 |
