This grant is for research, knowledge-sharing or the development of tools and resources related to geoscience information and data management in Australia.
Background
The Australian Geoscience Information Association (AGIA) grant was established in 2021 with funds made available from the sad closure of AGIA, after more than 40 years of professional service and networking for the geoscience information community. The membership comprised a mixture of geologists, librarians and others interested in geoscience information. AGIA was established in 1976, mainly under the auspices of staff at the then Australian Mineral Foundation (AMF) who regularly organized national conferences and meetings on Australian geoscience information.
Des Tellis
Before migrating to Australia in January 1967, Des Tellis was Officer-in-Charge of the Technical Information Centre, Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, Bangalore, India. On arrival in Adelaide he joined the Research Service of the State Library of South Australia, later moving to Amdel as Report Editor. In 1973 he joined the Australian Mineral Foundation (AMF) as the inaugural Librarian and later Information Services Manager where he developed the Foundation’s library services and led the team that created, maintained and managed AESIS. His work at AMF had wide recognition. In 1984 he received the Robert D. Williamson Award for outstanding contribution to information science in Australia. In 1985 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Information Scientists, London, and in 1989 was elected a Fellow of the Australian Library and Information Association. Between 1986 and 1989 he was involved as a Unesco/UNDP/ESCAP consultant on projects in India, Pakistan, Indonesia and New Caledonia, and as an independent consultant, led a course for the Indonesian Department of Mines in Jakarta in 1992. During the 1980s he served on numerous national library and scientific information councils and advisory committees. He is a founding member of AGIA and received AGIA’s Certificate of Recognition in 1991. He retained his interest in geoscience information development as President of the South Australian Branch of AGIA.
Grant Details
Aims
The Grant will provide financial assistance for projects that have one or more of the following objectives:
- Research that explores the potential for the further development of geoscience information and data management in Australia
- Knowledge sharing that increases the understanding of geoscience information and data management in Australia, through publications, conference presentations or other professionally recognised methods
- Development of tools, applications, and resources for use in geoscience information and data management in Australia.
Value
The total value of the grant will be up to a total of $2,500 per year, to be awarded in full to one applicant, or in part to multiple applicants.
Eligibility
The Grant is open to ALIA Members who are Australian residents engaged in the practice or study of geoscience information and data management. Information and data management is the range of activities which ensure long-term access to geoscience data and information in a usable form, and includes the selection, storage, organisation, preservation and provision of ongoing access to data and information, and the development of technology, practices and standards related to these activities.
Current Grant Administrators/Selection Panel are ineligible to apply.
Application Process
Applications are to be submitted using this application form, returned to [email protected] by 30 June each year.
Application Content
- The application should deal with one specific project only
- Details of principal applicant (name, address, qualifications)
- Details of other applicants (if applicable)
- Title of project
- Description (e.g. aims, methods, processes etc)
- Outcome (e.g. publication, resource etc)
- Proposed start date and expected duration
- Significance (the anticipated practical benefits)
- Plan and timeframe
- Itemized budget (including staff, travel, equipment etc)
- Amount of funding sought (up to $2,500)
- Financial support sought or obtained from other sources (if any)
- Two referees
- Curriculum Vitae of applicant(s) including details of experience with geoscience information and data management
Grant Conditions
- The decision of the Selection Panel in making the Grant is final
- The Grant will be announced in ALIA Weekly
- The Administrators reserve the right to withhold/withdraw funds if progress is not as negotiated and/or not acceptable to them
- Grant recipients must agree to use the funding for the purposes specified and to provide a reconciliation of expenditure (including original receipts)
- The completed research, project output or final report (2500-5000 words + illustration) will be published in the Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association or another ALIA publication. Submissions should be made within three months of the completion of the project.
- Project outputs and publications on work arising from the Grant must agree to acknowledge the support of the ALIA Des Tellis AGIA Grant.
Selection Process
The awarding of the Grant is to be managed by a selection panel of three, comprising at least one ex-AGIA Committee member or their nominee. If no ex-AGIA members are available, responsibility may be passed to one of ALIA’s existing groups e.g. AGLIN or the ALIA Research Advisory Committee.
The Committee will meet as required to confirm the eligibility, criteria and application details. It will also make the decision about who receives the Grant or decide not to award a grant if there are no suitable applicants.
Assessment Criteria
- Does the application meet the aims and conditions of the grant?
- Is the project likely to be relevant to most geoscience information management professionals?
- Does the project break new ground in geoscience information management?
- Is the project unlikely to attract funding from other sources?