Victoria prize open for action

Victoria's leading and emerging scientists, engineers and innovators are invited to nominate and apply for the prestigious 2008 Victoria Prize and Fellowships.

The $50,000 Victoria Prize and six $18,000 Victoria Fellowships are awarded for excellence in and dedication to Victorian science, engineering and innovation.

"These awards are an acknowledgement of the excellence of science and engineering in Victoria and an incentive to emerging innovators to build and enhance our considerable expertise in these areas," Victorian Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings, said.

The 2007 Victoria Prize was awarded to Laureate Professor Colin Masters, one of the world's foremost neuroscientists, for his pioneering research into Alzheimer's disease.

Previous winners include WEHI's Professor Donald Metcalf, for his work on colony stimulating factors and how they regulate the production of white blood cells

The $100,000 Anne & Eric Smorgon Memorial Award is also presented to a research institute supporting the work of the Victoria Prize recipient.

Jennings said the Victoria Fellowships were open to any young Victorian working in science, engineering or technology in industry or as a postgraduate nearing the completion of studies.

"The Fellows receive grants of up to $18,000 for an international study mission to enable them to develop a commercial idea, further their research or undertake specialist training not available locally," he said.

Nominations and applications close on April 7, 2008. Winners are expected to be announced in August.

Application and nomination forms are available from www.business.vic.gov.au/vicprize