Australian SHAPE Futures Network Launches
SHAPE Futures: A new network for early and mid-career researchers in the humanities, arts and social sciences
Launching today, the SHAPE Futures Network is an exciting initiative to strengthen the humanities, arts and social sciences in Australia by fostering a peer network, promoting opportunities, and giving a national voice to Early- and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCRs).
“This initiative will help to promote and strengthen the SHAPE disciplines in Australia. SHAPE – Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts for People and Environment – is a new framing for our disciplines, initially developed by the British Academy to provide a more outcomes-focused alternative to HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences).
It is exciting that the new Federal Government has signalled the high value it places on research for our nation across SHAPE and STEM. Our Network sees the role of SHAPE as critical to Australia’s strategic engagement with the communities that shape us at local, regional and global levels. It’s also vital to the future prosperity and equity of the nation.
As we launch the Network, a crucial part of our work will be to better understand the EMCRs we represent. To do this, and learn about what Australian EMCRs are most concerned about, we are also launching the EMCR survey. This will help to build understanding of the needs of this diverse group and we will use the data collected to develop strategies for EMCR representation, advocacy, opportunities and network-building.”
SHAPE Futures Chair, Associate Professor Melissa Day.
Interested parties are encouraged to complete the survey and to circulate widely among their own
networks. The survey is available here, and can also be accessed through our website.
The SHAPE Network website – www.shapefutures.com.au – introduces the Network and provides useful resources and ways to get in involved.
SHAPE Futures is open to any academic or professional researcher in the early- or middle stage of their careers (typically up to 15 years post-PhD, excluding career interruptions). The term ‘researcher’ is interpreted broadly, and the Network firmly welcomes anyone who identifies as a researcher to become a member. Many EMCRs work in industry, in local, state or federal government, NGOs, and in the community. The SHAPE Futures Network encourages these researchers to participate in our newly formed community alongside EMCRs located in universities.
Read our full media release below.
