Awards and grants

Travel grants-in-aid are offered to student members of Hypertension Australia to encourage participation in the Hypertension Australia Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM).

Eligibility
Applicants must be:

  • A student member of Hypertension Australia by 30 September in the year of application.
  • A full-time student in Australia or New Zealand and presenting at the meeting.
  • Presenting at the Hypertension Australia ASM.
  • Students must be traveling interstate.

Applications
Applicants must indicate on the Presenting Author Form when submitting their abstract if they would like to be considered for a travel grant.

Award

  • 8x travel grants are available and are awarded at AUD $200 each.
  • If a travel grant is approved, available funds will be distributed following attendance to the meeting in the amount approved by the Executive Committee. Applicants will be notified at the time of program announcement.

Supported by the Hypertension Australia.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

  • Be a student currently enrolled in an Honours, Masters or PhD program in a field relevant to the award.
  • Be a financial member of the Hypertension Australia in the year of application.
  • Be the first author of the abstract.
  • NOT have published the work presented in the abstract in other than electronic form, at the time of submission.
  • NOT to have won an award in the same category previously.

Prizes

  • Best oral award: A certificate and a cash prize of AUD $3000 or attendance at another society, will be awarded to the best presentation in the student oral award finalists’ session.
  • Best poster award: A certificate and a cash prize of AUD $500 will be awarded to the best student poster presentation.

Applications
All abstracts submitted for the ASM will be considered for this award.

Judging
All finalists are selected based on the ‘blind’ ranking of their abstracts and will present at the ASM in their category. The winner of each prize will be decided by a judging panel based on the quality of the data and the presentation.

Supported by Hypertension Australia.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

  • Be an early career scientist (up to 10 years post-doctorate, with consideration given for career interruption).
  • Be a financial member of Hypertension Australia in the year of application.
  • Be the first author of the abstract.
  • NOT have published the work presented in the abstract in other than electronic form, at the time of submission.
  • NOT to have won an award in the same category previously.

Prizes

  • Best oral award: A certificate will be awarded to the best presentation in the Early Career Researcher Oral Award Finalists Session. In addition, the recipient of this prize is eligible for the British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) award.
  • Best poster award: A certificate and a cash prize of AUD $500 will be awarded to the best Early Career Researcher poster presentation.

Applications
All abstracts submitted for the ASM will be considered for this award.

Judging
All finalists are selected based on the ‘blind’ ranking of their abstracts and will present at the ASM in their category. The winner of each prize will be decided by a judging panel based on the quality of the data and the presentation.

Supported by Hypertension Australia and the British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS)

Eligibility
This award underlines the society’s strong alliance with the BIHS and is a single award to the highest scoring presentation from the Early Career Researcher Oral Award Finalists.

Prize

  • A certificate will be awarded to the BIHS awardee at the ASM.
  • The prize is a formal invitation to attend and present at the following UK BIHS Annual Scientific meeting in September.
  • The award comprises an amount of up to AUD $3,000 towards travel expenses.
  • Accommodation and registration will be provided by the BIHS during the meeting in the UK.

Conditions

  • The recipient is also expected to visit laboratories with like research interests before or after the meeting (it is compulsory to visit at least one laboratory). 
  • The winner is not eligible for this award in subsequent years.

The Robert Vandongen Travel Award was established in recognition of Dr Robert Vandongen’s contribution to the Council and is awarded annually to the researcher from Western Australia who achieves the highest abstract score.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

  • Reside in Western Australia.
  • Be a financial member of Hypertension Australia in the year of application.
  • Submit an abstract for the Hypertension Australia ASM.
  • Be the first author of the abstract.
  • NOT have published the work presented in the abstract in other than electronic form, at the time of submission.
  • NOT to have won an award in the same category previously.

Prize
The awardee will be announced at the ASM, where this person will receive a certificate, in addition to a AUD $250 cash prize.

Applications
All WA based abstracts submitted for the ASM will be considered for this award.

Judging
The awardee will be selected based on the ‘blind’ ranking of their abstract and will be the one who achieves the highest abstract score.

Past Robert Vandongen Travel Award recipients:
2016: Denise Demmer
2018: Jacquinta Affandi
2019: Revathy Carnagarin
2020: Ashish Yadav
2021: Lakshini Heart
2022: Markus Schlaich
2023: Justin Chan

Prof Judith Whitworth was the first woman to be elected as the president of the HBPRCA (1999-2001). Throughout her career, Prof Whitworth not only contributed to a major way to high blood pressure research herself, and in particular to the mechanisms involved in steroid-related hypertension, but broke numerous barriers and paved a path for women in research, clinical practice and policy making.

The highest ranked abstract for which the first named author is a woman will receive the Judith Whitworth Women in High Blood Pressure Research Award. Only current Hypertension Australia members are eligible.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

  • Identify as a female.
  • Be a financial member of Hypertension Australia in the year of application.
  • Submit an abstract for the Hypertension Australia ASM.
  • Be the first author of the abstract.
  • NOT have published the work presented in the abstract in other than electronic form, at the time of submission.
  • NOT to have won an award in the same category previously.

Prize
The awardee will be announced at the ASM, where this person will receive a certificate and a AUD $500 cash prize.

Applications
All female based abstracts submitted for the ASM will be considered for this award.

Judging
The awardee will be selected based on the ‘blind’ ranking of their abstract and will be the one who achieves the highest abstract score.

Past Judith Whitworth Award recipients:
2018: Hamdi Jama
2019: Jordyn Thomas
2020: Quynh Nhu Dinh
2021: Buddhila Wickramasinghe
2022: Bhavisha Bakrania
2023: Leticia Camargo Tavares

Prof Jaye Chin-Dusting was the second woman to be elected as the president of the HBPRCA (2011-2016). As a founder of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, Prof Chin-Dusting was deeply concerned with the funding available for cardiovascular disease, which affects particularly those in the early- and mid-stages of their career. During her presidency of the HBPRCA, she also established the young investigator subcommittee of the HBPRCA, to improve training, networking, and opportunities for early and mid-career high blood pressure researchers.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

  • Be a mid-career scientist between 5-20 years post-PhD.
  • Be nominated by a Hypertension Australia member (self-nominations will not be accepted).
  • Be a financial member of Hypertension Australia.
  • Attend the Hypertension Australia ASM (attendance may be excused under certain circumstances).

Prize
The awardee will be announced at the ASM, where this person will receive a certificate in addition to a AUD $250 cash prize.

Judging
A sub-committee of 3-5 members of the Hypertension Australia executive committee will select the most suitable nominee each year.

How to apply

  • An email will be sent to all financial Hypertension Australia members in early October each year requesting nominations.
  • A one-page nomination must be received outlining the contributions to high blood pressure research and Hypertension Australia. 

Past Jaye Chin-Dusting Award recipients:
2018: Bradley Broughton
2019: Sheila Patel
2020: Francine Marques
2021: James Sharman
2022: Antony Vinh
2023: Dr Helena Qin

Prof Paul Korner was one of the founders and a former president of the HBPRCA (1987-1989). He devoted a large part of his career to researching the causes of essential hypertension, with a special focus on underlying neural and cardiovascular mechanisms.

Eligibility
To be eligible nominees must:

  • Be a senior scientist (>20 years post-PhD) who is an active researcher and has made a significant contribution to high blood pressure.
  • Be nominated by a Hypertension Australia member (self-nominations will not be accepted).
  • Be a financial member of Hypertension Australia.
  • Attend the Hypertension Australia ASM (attendance may be excused under certain circumstances).

Prize
The awardee will be announced at the ASM, where this person will receive a certificate and an engraved medal.

Judging
A sub-committee of 3-5 members of the Hypertension Australia executive committee will select the most suitable nominee each year.

How to apply

  • An email will be sent to all financial Hypertension Australia members in early October each year requesting nominations.
  • A one-page nomination by a Hypertension Australia member must be received outlining the contributions to high blood pressure research and Hypertension Australia and mentoring of basic or clinical researchers in high blood pressure.

Past Paul Korner Medal recipients:
2018: Stephen Harrap
2019: Louise Burrell
2020: Murray Esler
2021: Geoffrey Head
2022: Lawrie Beilin
2023: Brian Morris