Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards: Call for Expressions of Interest

I’m afraid this blog is going through a slow period again as I catch up with a backlog of work. I did want to pass on some information on this exciting postdoc opportunity in Media & Communication at Queensland University of Technology, though: we’ve recently been ranked as the leading media research institution in Australia (“well above world standard”), and we’re now calling for expressions of interest from researchers who are interested in joining our team under the new Discovery Early Career Researcher Award scheme.

More information, and details for the key QUT people to contact, below. On a personal note – I’d be especially interested in postdoc researchers looking to explore aspects of produsage, social media, and online journalism, and I’d be happy to chat to you informally about a potential application before you contact my QUT colleagues.

We’ve also posted a notice about this over at the Mapping Online Publics blog – postdocs interested in exploring methodological innovation in studying online social networks are particularly welcome.

In 2011, the Australian Research Council is introducing a new funding scheme for early career researchers, the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), for funding commencing in 2012. We hereby call for expressions of interest from eligible researchers wishing to conduct their DECRA research at QUT in the communication, media, cultural studies and journalism disciplines.

We are the leading media research institution in Australia, having been awarded a ranking of 5 out of 5 (well above world standard) in the Language, Communication and Culture code overall, including a ranking of 5 in the sub-field Communications and Media Studies (one of only two), and a 4 (above world standard) in the Cultural Studies field, in the recent ERA assessment conducted by the Australian Government.

QUT is the headquarters of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI), the only nationally-funded centre in the media and communication field, with strong ties to law, economics, business, and education, thus allowing for multiple cross-disciplinary options for research. Successful DECRA applicants will benefit from the vibrant scholarly environment at QUT, and work closely with world leaders in media, communication, cultural and journalism studies.

For more information on how to develop a DECRA application for research in these discipline areas at QUT, contact:

Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham, s.cunningham@qut.edu.au
Professor Terry Flew, t.flew@qut.edu.au
Professor Brian McNair, b.mcnair@qut.edu.au