A MERGA Career Research Medal (MCRM) is to be awarded as required (not necessarily annually) to a long-term and active MERGA member who has made a sustained and distinguished contribution to research in mathematics education in Australasia and internationally. The award of this medal reflects MERGA’s pride in a MERGA member’s outstanding research. Normally, the medal will be awarded at the MERGA conference dinner. Recipients will receive a framed citation, MCRM medallion and a matching MERGA lapel pin.
Past Winners
Nomination process
The existence of the MERGA Career Research medal will be made known to MERGA members through the newsletter and website. Nominations will be accepted at any time of the year. A MERGA member may be nominated and seconded by other MERGA members. S/he must accept the nomination in writing.
MERGA will supply a downloadable nomination form, including space for the nomination and acceptance as well as 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.
Selection process
Before the beginning of each year, the VP Research will invite a panel that includes
- The VP (Research);
- Two Australasian MERGA members (not current Executive members) who are experienced researchers, one of whom will be nominated by the VP (Research) as Chair of the panel; and
- One well-respected international researcher.
The names of the panel members will be reported to the Executive, but not to MERGA members. 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.”
If and when nominations are received, the VP (Research) will:
- Within 1 month of receipt, arrange for the panel to judge the applications; and
- Recommend (or not) the award of a MERGA Career Research Medal to the Executive.
The panel, through the VP Research, has the right to seek further references or information from the member who proposed the nomination, or the nominated member, or both. The membership, business and recommendations of the panel will remain confidential.
Selection Criteria
It is expected that the recipient of a MERGA Career Research Medal will have had a career that exhibits the following:
- Sustained and distinguished achievement in mathematics education research programs;
- Research that has made a broad impact (see Note 1 below);
- An outstanding record of quality of scholarship (see Note 2 below); and
- Research-related contributions to MERGA over a period of time.
Notes: [1] The impact may be in mathematics education, education more generally, research programs of others and/or the development of novice researchers. Impact on the research could mean that the nominee’s research has lead to related research agendas and/or programs of other researchers, or that the tools, findings, etc., of the research have been used as the basis for further research by others. Impact may also be argued on the basis of practical changes in school systems, uptake by Education Departments, teacher education, or other practical outcomes. Impact through development/training of novice researchers includes fostering the development of less experienced researchers and significant involvement in research training (usually as supervision).
[2] Evidence of quality of scholarship could include the dissemination of research through monographs, book chapters, academic and professional journal articles, refereed conference papers, invited addresses, citations, awards, reviews of the nominee’s work, international study groups, etc. The panel should consider the quality, quantity and diversity of such activities, although no criteria for any of these three individual aspects are seen to be necessary.