Forrest postdoctoral fellows are more than just intellectually brilliant. They are adventurous, curious, open to ideas from anywhere. They embrace unusual approaches to problem-solving and take risks that others may not. They enjoy breaking with convention – the path less travelled is appealing because new frontiers offer new opportunities for discovery. They are intellectually generous and take time to understand and challenge ideas, collaborating to improve outcomes for the community and the world.
Forrest Fellowships are offered to early-stage postdoctoral researchers who have outstanding academic profiles and who have already made significant personal research contributions within and beyond their discipline. Forrest Fellows will have been among the top performing students in their undergraduate and graduate cohorts. They will already have gained high-level research experience through studying and researching in several different institutions, and their innovative doctoral research will be recognised well beyond their current institutional home. Forrest Fellows will wish to extend their postdoctoral research well beyond the focus of their doctoral dissertation and will aim to do so in a way that builds intellectual bridges within and between disciplines. Forrest Fellows are also committed to communicating their research to others, to have a positive impact on the world around us.
The Foundation ran an information session for prospective applicants and graduate research staff. The recording is now available here:
Forrest Fellowship Information Session Recording
The Forrest Research Foundation will provide funding for:
Forrest Fellows will provide up to 1 day per week to advance the general mission of the Forrest Research Foundation which could include providing mentoring, ambassadorial and leadership to Forrest Scholars, Forrest Hall and the Forrest Research Foundation. Appointments at Level B will be considered if supported by the employing university.
To be eligible to apply applicants must be in their final year of PhD or no more than two years post PhD conferral.
For the full set of Fellowship guidelines, including eligibility criteria, please see here: https://forrestresearch.org.au/fellowship-guidelines/
Click the “Apply” tab on the Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship web page, where you will be directed to the applications portal. This link will only be made available when the fellowship round is open.
All applications must be submitted online through the Forrest Research Foundation application portal (available only when the Foundation is accepting applications). If you experience any issues submitting your application through the portal, contact the Forrest Research Foundation here as soon as possible.
The Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship round varies annually, however typically applications open in mid to late May and close in June each year. We suggest you subscribe to updates from the Forrest Research Foundation using the form at the bottom of this page, so that you will receive an alert once applications open.
Applicants are required to provide contact details for three referees (at least two should be academic) – please note that referee reports will most likely be required only if you make the interview stage.
You should ask people who will best support your application and are familiar with both your research and broader engagement activities. Where possible this should include your academic supervisors, colleagues, and key contacts who can provide relevant information about your academic achievements and professional attributes, especially in relation to the selection criteria. You are encouraged to provide referees that are not all from the same organisation, school or faculty.
If you choose to nominate personal referees, they should be persons able to comment on personal characteristics and strengths as displayed, for example, in your extra-curricular activities at university, or in your previous employment. Personal referees should not be related to you.
Referees may be contacted directly by the Forrest Research Foundation after the application round is closed. Please note that referee reports will most likely be required only if you make the interview stage.
A Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship may not usually be deferred; we prefer successful awardees to commence their Fellowship early during the first year of the award (2025). The Governors of the Forrest Research Foundation may consider a request for deferral by a successful applicant in extenuating circumstances. You will need to write a letter requesting any deferral directly to the Director of the Forrest Research Foundation, which outlines your specific circumstances, who will then discuss your formal request with the Governors.
Forrest Research Foundation accepts Fellowship applications once a year, typically between May and June. The application form will ask for the following information:
There is no “formula” for a successful application. Each application should be about the particular candidate and the proposed research, while ensuring you also address the selection criteria and submit all formal requirements including uploading the documentation.
Remember: we are looking for applicants who are academically excellent, want to be part of our vibrant intellectual community, are curious and have a desire to engage with the public.
As a Forrest Postdoctoral Fellow, you will also be expected to show leadership within the Foundation through mentoring, community engagement, and leading one of our internal committees.
It is a requirement that each applicant contact their proposed mentor to discuss their Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship application and ensure they are willing to mentor you. Applicants who do not have a nominated mentor (or who have not been in contact with their mentor) will not be considered.
The Selection Committee will seek the views of proposed mentors prior to interviewing shortlisted candidates.
Forrest Fellowships are open to both domestic and international applicants.
The Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship Guidelines stipulate all the eligibility criteria.
It should be noted that each Western Australian university may have subtle differences and if you have any specific questions, we encourage you to contact their research offices. Contact details for the different research offices can be found here:
Curtin University Edith Cowan University Murdoch University The University of Notre Dame Australia The University of Western Australia
No. Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to applicants from all disciplines.
It isn’t necessary to include references in your project proposal. However, where you cite specific literature or figures, you can mention the organisation or authors within the text.
Successful Fellowship applications include proposals that are easily understood by someone outside of their field. They take a broader view of the topic and don’t include too much technical detail. If there are specific statistics that support your proposal you can include those, but it’s better to focus on ideas and impact.
Your success will not be determined based on your choice of university or mentor. It is recommended that you nominate your proposed university and mentor based on the research environment and facilities that are most relevant to your proposed fellowship.
Please note that multiple applications will not be considered.
Applications will be shortlisted by the universities by the end of July 2024. The Foundation’s selection committee will then complete a further round of shortlisting. Interviews will be in late August and awardees contacted by the end of August.
