MERGA Research Award


The MERGA Research Award is for an individual or a team that has made an outstanding contribution to mathematics education research in the previous three years. Normally, one award will be made each year and presented at the AGM, but the Executive may decide to make more than one award, or no awards, in any one year. An individual recipient will receive a trophy. Teams will receive one trophy to share, and a certificate for each member.  


Recent Winners

2023 Peter Sullivan, Janette Bobis, Ann Downton, Sharyn Livy, and James Russo

 2018 Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities (DMIC) project: Roberta (Bobbie) Hunter, Jodie Hunter, Glenda Anthony, Trevor Bills

2017 Numeracy Across the Curriculum Research Team: Merrilyn Goos, Vince Geiger, Shelley Dole, Helen Forgasz, and Anne Bennison

2017 Katie Makar

2014 Kim Beswick

2011 Early Numeracy Research Project (ENRP) Research Team: Doug Clarke, Jill Cheeseman, Barbara Clarke, Ann Gervasoni, Donna Gronn, Pam Hammond, Marj Horne, Andrea McDonough, Pam Montgomery, Anne Roche, Glenn Rowley, Peter Sullivan, Ann Downton, Annie Mitchell, Rhonda Faragher, and Linda Parish.

Nomination process

A MERGA member or team may be nominated and seconded in writing by another MERGA member. The nominee(s) must accept the nomination in writing. Nominations must be submitted to the VP (Research) by November 1 each year.

MERGA will supply a downloadable nomination form, including space for the nomination and acceptance as well space for the nominees to address each of the criteria. The case should be based on concrete evidence that is easily checked and/or appended to the nomination form where possible.

MERGA Research Award Nomination Form

Selection process


The VP (Research) will call for nominations (a) at the conference, and (b) by newsletter each July. Nominations are due by November 1 each year.

The VP (Research) will establish a panel to judge received nominations. The VP (Research) will recommend membership of the panel to the Executive. The following Executive motion will be used to accept the VP’s nominations; “The Executive accepts the names of the assessing panel as submitted by the VP Research.”

The panel will comprise 4–5 MERGA members from a range of Australian states and New Zealand, including:

  • The VP (Research) as Chair;
  • One early career researcher; and
  • Some experienced MERGA researchers.

The panel will make a decision by February 1 and propose the name(s) of the successful nominee(s) to the Executive. The membership, business and recommendations of the panel will remain confidential. Public announcement of award will be at the next conference.

The panel has the right to seek references or other further information through the VP Research.

Selection criteria


It is expected that the recipient(s) of a MERGA Research Award will have demonstrated the following:

  • Outstanding achievement in mathematics education research within the previous 3 years;
  • Research that has the potential to make an impact  (see Note 1 below);
  • Evidence of dissemination using scholarly and/or professional avenues (see Note 2 below); and
  • Research-related contributions to MERGA.

Notes: [1] The impact may be the potential implementation of the research outcomes, re-shaping of relevant theory and/or debate, directions for future research, etc. See also Note 1 above. [2]  Outlets include books and book chapters, academic and professional journal articles, refereed conference papers, invited addresses, etc. The panel should consider the quality, quantity and diversity of such activities, although no criteria for any one of these three individual aspects are seen to be necessary. In particular, contributions to MERGA conference activities and publications are expected.