Awards

2026 ANZOS RISING STAR AWARD

The Rising Star Award is the most prestigious of the ANZOS research awards, made to recognise and encourage the research careers of emerging scientists active in obesity-related research. The Rising Star Award (formerly known as the Young Investigator Award) is based on a consideration of the originality, ingenuity and productivity of the applicant over the early phase of their research career. Final judgment of the successful applicant will include the ANZOS Award Subcommittee’s assessment of that contribution, as well as the potential of the applicant to contribute to improvements in our understanding of obesity issues into the future.

The Award is associated with a prize of $5000 to be used by the successful applicant to support their research endeavours.

The award is open to researchers who:

• Have been financial and active members of ANZOS for at least the last 2 years

• Are within 10 years post PhD (or equivalent award) including allowance for career disruption

• Are available to receive the award during the ANZOS Annual Scientific Meeting and to give a presentation outlining their current work and their career pathway

• Have not been a previous recipient of the ANZOS Young Investigator Award

• Currently undertaking active obesity research within Australia or New Zealand

Applications:

• Applications close August 31, 2026

• Applicants are asked to submit a curriculum vitae together with up to 3 original research papers or abstracts published (or accepted for publication) in the previous 5 years. This should be supported by 2 separate letters - one from the mentor of the candidate supporting their application, and another from a recognised expert in their field of work who is not associated with their current institution, who comments on the significance of the work program of the applicant, including the work set out in the submitted papers or abstracts.

• If the candidate is not the sole author of a paper submitted, they must be the first author and the manuscript must be accompanied by a letter from the senior co-author/s attesting to the applicants lead role in the investigation described in the manuscript.

• The research work of the applicant must have been performed predominantly in Australia and New Zealand.

• The application should contain a short section detailing how they might use the prize to support their research career.

• An electronic copy of the application (preferably as a single PDF) should be sent to the Executive Officer, Professor Tim Gill (see below) and must include the relevant publications. Page proofs are acceptable. If the work is 'in press' documentation of final acceptance must be supplied.

Judging:

The ANZOS Rising Star Award is judged by a sub-committee of Council consisting of the Chair of the ANZOS Awards Subcommittee (unless a conflict of interest occurs), and 2 other nominated members.

The award will be primarily judged on the quality and originality of the program of work and the productivity and progress they have made in their field relative to the opportunity they have been afforded since the commencement of their PhD (or equivalent award). Previous contribution to ANZOS may also be considered in the judging.

The sub-committee has a duty to apply the criteria equitably to all applicants.

Conditions:

The award will be presented at a special session of the ANZOS Annual Scientific Meeting at the Voco Hotel, Brisbane, October 21-23, 2026, at which the awardee is expected to give a brief presentation.

2026 Applications should emailed by August 31 to: Executive Officer - tim.gill@sydney.edu.au