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Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellowship Program 2009

Background

In 1993, on the recommendation of the Russell and Mab Grimwade Miegunyah Fund Committee, Council established a Miegunyah Distinguished Fellowship Program. Since the start of the program in 1993 seventy-two fellowships have been awarded. For 2008, fellowships have been awarded for visits to the following individuals and purposes.

Visiting Fellow University Host Dept./Faculty Proposed Public Lecture Title
Professor Homi BHABHA Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of Humanities, Department of English, Harvard University School of Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts On Global Memory: Speculations on Barbaric Transmission
Professor Timothy TACKETT Professor of History, Irvine Department of History, University of California School of Historical Studies, Faculty of Arts The First Terrorists: The Origins of a Culture of Violence during the French Revolution
Professor Alexander SMITS Eugene Higgins Professor of Engineering; and Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Princeton University Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering Turbulent Flow: From Forest Fires to Submarines
Professor Gregory JONES Professor of Geography, Department of Geography, Southern Oregon University School of Agriculture and Food Systems, Faculty of Land and Food Resources Where has Burgundy Gone? The Impacts of Climate Change on Viticultural Terroirs
Professor Julian PETO London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Cancer Research, UK School of Population Health, and Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Asbestos Related Cancer Deaths: the Past, Present and Future
Professor Armartya SEN Lamont University Professor; and Professor of Economics and Philosophy, Harvard University. Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University School of Population Health, and Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences TBA

Responsibilities of the Fellow

During their period at the University, Fellows will be required to present a substantial public lecture and several specialist lectures or a short series of seminars on a topic of general interest to the University community, to be available for consultation with staff and students and, if possible, to be engaged in research.

Fellows will be appointed under a relevant University statute and will be asked to prepare a brief report at the conclusion of their visit. In addition, the Miegunyah Fund Committee requests that a copy of the public lecture and a photograph of the Fellow be retained for its records. Note that Melbourne University Publishing reserves the option to obtain copyright for and publish the public lecture. Should there be any objection, please advise the Office of Provost in writing when lodging the nomination.

A Public Lecture

Financial support for the presentation of the public lecture will be provided. With assistance from the Media and Publication Services Office, each public lecture will be promoted in the press and throughout the University, and will be associated with a dinner and/or reception following the presentation of the lecture.

Formal procedures have been established concerning the distribution of invitations to the lectures and, in addition to representatives from the discipline or department concerned, guests will include members of the University Council, Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Executive; members of the Miegunyah Fund Committee; and other appropriate corporate and external invitees. Departments hosting a Miegunyah Fellow will be requested to provide the Protocol Office, the Office of the Provost and the Media and Publication Services Office with a contact person with whom they should liaise to coordinate the function.

Duration of the Visit

It is expected that the duration of most Fellowship proposals will be between four and eight weeks, but the Committee will look favourably on a shorter period if that is all the time that can be given by particularly eminent people.

Level of Funding

The actual value of the award will depend on the proposed length of stay, the cost of the airfare, and associated expenses. The value of each award made will be up to $18,000. (Please note that the selection committee, in its desire to support as many Fellows as possible, has the discretion to allocate awards of less than $18,000.)

Each grant must reserve $3,000 for promotion of the public lecture as well as $2,500 for a dinner and/or reception following the lecture. Beyond the reservation of the $5,500 mentioned, faculties or departments have discretion in determining how the remaining amount of the grant is utilised.

Application Procedure

Heads of Department must submit nominations for 2009 through their Dean.

Please complete the attached application coversheet and budget proforma. (pdf 140kb) Four sets of each nomination are required (an original and three copies).

In making nominations, Deans and/or Heads are to submit the following:

The budget must include the following information.

Fellows should be of exceptional international distinction in a field of study of interest to the University. They should reside outside Australia.

Fellows are expected to contribute to the academic, intellectual and cultural life of the University during their stay, and the proposed activities of the nominated Fellow comprise an important part of the selection criteria. Consideration also needs to be given to the title and description of the proposed public lecture to ensure its appeal is aimed at both the University and the wider community.

For advice on the latest Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) information about visa requirements and payments for prospective Miegunyah Fellows, please contact Ms Chia-Eng Chen in Human Resources on ext. 46048 or chiaeng@unimelb.edu.au. Further information can also be accessed from the Department of Immigration website .

Please note that there are a number of restrictions on payments to visitors. Payments to visitors may be in the form of a Living Away From Home Allowance or reimbursement of costs upon presentation of receipts for costs incurred. There are various payment limits in place with regard to payments to visitors. Further information can be found in the Finance Policy and Procedures Manual in Section 11.2. For assistance, please contact Mr Stuart Smith in Finance on ext. 42967 or smithsj@unimelb.edu.au

Colleges:

Selection Procedure

Selection will be undertaken by a sub-committee of the Miegunyah Fund Committee, comprising:

Miegunyah Fellows will be selected according to the following criteria:

Closing Date

Nominations for Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellowships in 2009 are due by Monday, 26 May 2008.

Please send nominations to:
Office of Provost
Gatekeeper's Cottage (Building 187)
The University of Melbourne, 3010

For further assistance contact Ms Rosa Brezac, 8344 9005 or r.brezac@unimelb.edu.au

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