Sleep Health Foundation Emerging Sleep Hero Award
21 July 2022
Background
The Emerging Sleep Hero Award is an initiative of the Sleep Health Foundation (SHF). A total of five finalists will present their research during a one-hour, online event to be held from 6.00pm-7.00pm (AEST) on Thursday, September 29, 2022.
The SHF is pleased to hold an event that focuses on the future leaders in the field of sleep. It will be a fun, relaxed, informal event and a forum in which we can continue to inform the local sleep community of our mission and objectives.
What is involved?
Post-graduate students who are currently enrolled at a University in Australia or New Zealand and are Sleep Health Foundation members, are invited to submit an entry to be considered for the “2022 Sleep Health Foundation Emerging Sleep Hero” Award. This initial entry should be in the form of a mock ‘press release’ about their research (max 250 words) outlining their topic and how it will positively impact the sleep field and the wider community in future years. This mock ‘press release' will be assessed by members of the SHF Marketing and Communications committee and associated volunteers.
From this initial judging process, five finalists will be identified, and these five finalists will be invited to present, live, at the online event on Thursday, September 29 at 6.00-7.00pm (AEST). This will be a 5-minute pitch of their research and how they could see their research being translated into practice and enable it to have a positive impact on society. There will be three judges for this live judging section and also live polling from the audience to award the “People’s Choice Award”.
Eligibility
The Award is open to all present post-graduate (including Honours) students investigating a topic within the sleep field right across Australasia who are Sleep Health Foundation members.
If you are not already a member you can join here.
Entry information
Entry involves a two-stage process:
- Students submit a simple written mock ‘press release’ (max 250 words) to highlight their research and how it could make a positive impact. Entries will be judged by how effectively they communicate their research and its potential impact (see judging criteria below). Submissions to be sent to by COB Friday, July 29, 2022.
- Five finalists will be chosen from this initial stage to take part in the event and will be notified by August 26, 2022. The five finalists will be invited to ‘pitch’ their research and how they predict their findings could be translated into significant and positive impacts on the sleep health field and society as a whole. This pitch will be allocated as a 5-minute maximum session. This pitch can be a simple presentation, a slide show, or even a short video. The finalist can be creative about how they want to best represent themselves (see judging criteria below).
The winner will be offered exposure of their research and their achievements across SHF social media channels as well as temporarily on the SHF website and newsletter. The winner will become our featured ‘hero’ for a week, and receive a free annual membership to the SHF. All 5 finalists will receive free SHF membership for 2022-2023.
First place will receive a cash prize of $350, second place $200 and third place a $100.
Timeline
- Submissions due by COB Friday July 29, 2022
- SHF to identify the five finalists according to the highest scores according to the judging criteria rubric
- SHF to notify the five finalists on Friday August 26, 2022 and invite them to participate in the live virtual event on Thursday September 29, 2022.
Judging criteria
- Two judging panels will be appointed for each stage 1 and stage 2 of the awards
Stage 1 judging: Identification of five finalists -following an expression of interest (EOI) process and judging of submitted ‘press releases’.
Stage 2 judging: Identification of first-place, second-place and third-place winners from the five finalists on the night of Thursday September 29, 2022.
Winners announced
- All participants will receive an email thanking them for their entry and letting them know whether or not they have been selected to take part in the Sleep Health Foundation Emerging Sleep Hero Award event on Thursday September 29, 2022.
- The winners, from the five finalists, will be announced at the live event, at the conclusion of the event.
- The People’s Choice will be announced at the live event, at the conclusion of the event.
Full details