Purpose
The Quality of Research Communication Award is intended to recognise superior communication of concepts or knowledge in any subject matter of professional specialisation (i.e. teaching, research, policy analysis, or extension) in agricultural and resource economics to a specified audience. The award is particularly aimed to recognise skilled communicators who are able to explain economic principles to an outside audience and encourage others such as farmers, resource managers and policy makers to adjust their management, activities or policies in response.
Amount of Prize
The winning nomination will receive a $500 cash award to be presented at the Society’s annual conference dinner.
Eligibility
At least one of the co-authors of the work must have been a member of AARES when the work was published.
Entries
Submissions should include evidence of materials, activities and/or programs that relate to at least one of the following fields: agriculture-, environmental-, food-, resource-economics and agribusiness (AEFREA). Applicants should provide evidence of the:
- Type of communication activities and materials
- Quality of materils and communication approach
- Effectiveness of the communication, and
- The outcomes or changes that occurred as a result.
The publication may communicate the author’s original research or include that of others, and the communication may be directed to audiences inside or outside the profession.
Entries are to be submitted to the AARES Central Office in electronic format. The application should include an example of the communication material or activity. Up to three pages of other supporting evidence, including items such as a statement about the nature of the work and why it is prize-worthy, or letters of support by third parties, may be submitted as well.
Entries must be received by 15 November of the year of nomination (for items In Press, page proofs may be submitted along with a letter from the editor or publisher, indicating the date when the work will be published).
Selection Criteria
Five major areas are to be considered in evaluating nominations as follows:
- Importance of topic
- Timeliness of topic
- Excellence in communication to an audience that is primarily outside the profession
- Significance of contribution to the literature or other media
- Economic content of communication
General
A maximum of one award will be given per year; however the Society reserves the right to make no award in the event that no entry is judged to be of sufficient merit.
The decision of the Council of the Society will be final and no correspondence will be entered into with entrants. Submission of a publication to be considered for the Prize implies acceptance of all of the conditions of the Prize.
Instructions to the Prize Committee
The committee will include three members. Normally, one member will be replaced each year, so the usual length of tenure of a member is three years. Normally, each member chairs the committee in his/her third year as a member.
The committee will determine the system to be used in judging entries and the specific criteria to be applied.
| Year | Recipient | Publication Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Anthea Coggan (CSIRO) SEABORNE Team: Petina Pert Jeremy De Valck Diane Jarvis Tori Graham with contribution from Maxine Newlands, Ella Schirru, Mara Emmerling | Communication of research from the sustainable use and benefits for marine (SEABORNE) project |
| 2023 | Sarah Wheeler and team members: Ying Xu, Alec Zuo, Juliane Haensch and Constantin Seid | Identifying water-related economic values of the Murray-Darling Basin and rating the quality of water economic studies |
| 2022 | Pike Stahlmann-Brown | Survey of Rural Decision Makers |
| 2021 | Julie Alston Philip Pardey Xudong Rao | Rekindling the slow magic of agricultural research and development |
| 2020 | David C Cook Janet Haddock-Fraser Robert W Fraser | The WTO and Environment – Related International Trade Disputes: Biosecurity and Ecosystem Services Risks |
| 2019 | No nominations received | |
| 2018 | Sayed Iftekhar, Maksym Polyakov, James Fogarty & David Pannell | Use of economic analysis in water management in Western Australia |
| 2017 | Sarah Wheeler & Alec Zuo | Informing national water policy issues in Australia |
| 2016 | Ross Kingwell | Russian and Ukraine wheat markets |
| 2015 | Not awarded | |
| 2014 | Katrina Davis, Marit Kragt, Steve Schilizzi, Stefan Gelcich and David Pannell | Various items on accounting for enforcement costs when allocating spatial marine zones |
| 2013 | Abbie Rogers, Marit Kragt, Fiona Gibson, Michael Burton, Liz Petersen and Dave Pannell | Various articles on Non-market Valuation |
| 2012 | John Mullen | ‘The Future Productivity and Competitiveness Challenge for Australian Agriculture’ |
| 2011 | Kym Anderson, Joanna Croser | Various papers examining trade restrictions and economic welfare in a number of countries |
| 2011 | David Pannell | ‘Pannell Discussions’ – David’s long-running blog |
| 2010 | Julian Alston, Bruce Babcock, Philip Pardey | ‘The Shifting Patterns of Agricultural Production and Productivity Worldwide’ |
| 2009 | Ross Garnaut | For his many communications on Climate Change and Climate Policy |
| 2008 | D Pannell, G Hailu, A Weersink, A Burt | ‘More reasons why farmers have so little interest in futures markets. Agricultural Economics’ 39(1): 41-50. |
| 2007 | No nominations received | |
| 2006 | Phil Pardey, Julian Alston, Roley Piggott | ‘Agricultural R&D Policy in the Developing World: Too Little, Too Late?’ |
Prize Committees
| Year | Prize Committees |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Alexandra Peralta (Chair), Trent Smith, David Fleming-Munoz |
| 2024 | John Gibson (Chair), Alexandra Peralta, Trent Smith |
| 2023 | John Gibson (Chair), Stephanie McWhinnie, Trent Smith |
| 2022 | Stephanie McWhinnie (Chair), Darla Hatton MacDonald, Jeremy De Valck |
| 2021 | Darla Hatton MacDonald (Chair), Alec Zuo, Maksym Polyakov |
| 2020 | Susan Hester (Chair), Peggy Schrobback, Tiffany Reed-Marshall |
| 2019 | F. Jotzo (Chair), P. Schrobback, S. Hester |
| 2018 | F. Jotzo (Chair), P. Schrobback, S. Hester |
| 2017 | S. McWhinnie (Chair), F. Jotzo, R. Kingwell, P. Schrobback |
| 2016 | G. Kerr (Chair), R. Greiner, S. McWhinnie |
| 2015 | P. Burke (Chair), R. Stringer, G. Kerr |
| 2014 | R. Kingwell (Chair) / H. Scarborough / P. Burke |
| 2013 | J. Alston (Chair) / R. Kingwell / H. Scarborough |
| 2012 | J. Freebairn (Chair) / J. Alston / R. Kingwell |
| 2011 | M. Harris (Chair) / J. Mullen / J. Freebairn |
| 2010 | J. Mullen (Chair) / M. Harris / R. Kingwell |
| 2009 | C. O’Donnell (Chair) / J. Alston / J. Quiggin |
| 2008 | A. Rae (Chair) / R. Cullen / C. Tanner |
| 2007 | J. Mullen (Chair) / C. Tanner / K. Anderson / J. Bennett |
| 2006 | T. Ancev / L. Pechey / R. Cullen / J. Mullen |