2026 Natural Hazards Research Australia Research Awards

Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) drives collaborative, end-user driven research with real-world impact. These awards celebrate exceptional research and teamwork that enables research to be used to support better decision making to save lives and protect communities. Awards will be presented at the 2026 Natural Hazards Research Forum in Adelaide, 10-12 June 2026.

Three award categories are open for nomination: 

1. Natural Hazards Research Australia Research Team Award 

2. Natural Hazards Research Australia Postgraduate Student Award 

3. Natural Hazards Research Australia Leading to Impact Award. 

Natural Hazards Research Australia Research Team Award 

A research project that demonstrates excellence in: 

• Outstanding research quality 
• Collaboration and engagement between researchers and end-users to ensure the research is useful 
• Translation of the research findings to ensure the research is usable 
• Research outcomes and impact ensuring that the research is used. 

Eligibility 

• Recipient of funding from Natural Hazards Research Australia or the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC at time of submission 
• Within five years of research completion 
• Submission must include two referee statements of support (as PDF attachments). 

Assessment criteria

• Outstanding research quality (25%) 
• Collaboration and engagement between researchers and end-users to ensure the research is useful (25%)  
• Translation of the research findings to ensure the research is usable (25%) 
• Research outcomes and impact ensuring that the research is used (25%). 

Nominate for the Research Team Award.

Natural Hazards Research Australia Postgraduate Student Award 

A postgraduate student project that demonstrates excellence in: 

• Outstanding research quality, including but not limited to publication in high quality publications 
• Collaboration and engagement between researchers and end-users to ensure the research is useful 
• Translation, or potential to translate, the research findings to ensure the research is usable 
• Research outcomes and impact ensuring that the research is used. 

Eligibility 

• Recipient of a Natural Hazards Research Australia scholarship or membership of the Associate Program 
• Within three years of completion of postgraduate studies 
• Submission must include two referee statements of support (as PDF attachments). 

Assessment criteria

• Outstanding research quality, including but not limited to publication in high quality publications (25%) 
• Collaboration and engagement between the postgraduate student and end-users to ensure the research is useful (25%) 
• Translation, or potential to translate, the research findings to ensure the research is usable (25%) 
• Research outcomes and impact ensuring that the research is used (25%). 

Apply for the Postgraduate Student Award.

Natural Hazards Research Australia Leading to Impact Award 

The Leading to Impact Award recognises an individual or organisation that: 

• Demonstrates exemplar leadership and engagement in research translation for impact   
• Translates research into practice 
• Delivers measurable impact 
• Contributes to improved disaster resilience across Australia. 

Eligibility 

• Open to individuals, teams or organisations classified as end users (e.g., emergency services, government agencies, community organisations, industry). 
• Nominee must have engaged with Centre-supported research within the past five years. 

Assessment criteria

• Clear evidence of how research has been applied to policy, planning, operations or community outcomes (30%) 
• Collaboration and partnerships strengthened across sectors (20%) 
• Innovative approach(es) to translating research into practice and developing new tools (15%) 
• Leading evidence-based decision making and mentoring (15%) 
• Long-term change (10%) 
• Active participation in Centre programs, advisory groups, workshops and/or events, sharing knowledge and lessons learned with the broader Centre community, supporting the Centre’s mission and values (10%). 

Nominate for the Leading to Impact Award.

Key dates 

Award submissions open 31 March 2026 and close at 11.59pm (AEST) 10 May 2026. 

Awards will be presented at the 2026 Natural Hazards Research Forum in Adelaide, 10-12 June 2026.

Contact

Please contact [email protected] with any queries.