Jan Watt Memorial Prize for Excellence in Public Health Field Research [F6584]

Definition: For the purpose of these regulations 'field work' means data collection involving interaction between the School of Population Health and the community.

A sum of money having been donated to establish a fund to provide a prize in honour of Mrs Jan Watt, a research nurse and a pioneer in the collection of data from the community for the purposes of epidemiological research, and in recognition of her contribution to public health science and to the development of excellence in field research methods in that subject area, the fund is established and the prize is awarded in accordance with the following regulations.

1. The prize, which is awarded every two years, is called the Jan Watt Memorial Prize for Excellence in Public Health Field Research.

2. The value of the prize is $500.

3.(1) The prize is awarded by the selection committee described in 5 to the individual or group in the School of Population Health who, of those nominated in terms of 7, has, in the opinion of the committee, demonstrated the most exceptional standard of field work over a period of time.

(2) In making its determination the selection committee may take into consideration the extent to which the individual or group concerned has contributed to the fostering of a 'research culture' within the community by assisting those approached to participate in the research process to have a favourable experience of the process and to be more inclined to assist in further public health research as a result.

4. Those eligible to be nominated for the prize are:

(a) postgraduate students conducting their own field work;

(b) individual, or groups of, research staff members conducting field work; and

(c) any staff member involved in the training of field workers.

5.(1) The selection committee for the prize comprises:

(a) the Head of the School of Population Health;             

(b) the School of Population Health elected staff representative; and

(c) a person nominated by the Head of the School of Population Health who must have expertise in field work and who may be internal or external to the school.

(2) Those nominated for the prize, their supervisors and nominators are excluded from membership of the selection committee.

6. Nominations for the prize are called for by the Head of the School of Population Health in September of the awarding year.

7.(1) Supervisors or peers of any of those eligible in terms of 4 may submit nominations for the prize.

(2) Nominators must present a case in support of their nominee.

8. The names of recipients are inscribed on an honour board to be placed in the School of Population Health.