The Phil Carne Prize

About the award

The Society’s Phil Carne Prize is aimed at fostering high quality entomological research in young scientists. The name of the prize celebrates contributions made by Dr Phil Carne to the science of entomology and the Australian Entomological Society.

The prize is a certificate and also includes cash remuneration to the value of $1500. Finalists in the competition are selected by assessment of the submitted entries and all finalists are invited to present their papers at the Society’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference. A maximum of $1000 for each finalist will be provided towards conference expenses (registration, travel, accommodation) on receipts. The finalist presentations will be assessed and a Phil Carne Prize winner selected.

The following is a note on past recipients: from 1986 to 1989, the prize was known as the ‘AES Student Award for Outstanding Research’. Geoff Allen, Kate Mossop and Ross Lardner were awarded the prize under that name. Prior to 1986, it was known simply as the ‘AES Student Award’. In 1990, it became the Phil Carne Prize. 

How to enter

Entries for the prize should be in the form of a scientific paper that deals with research on any entomological topic (or allied group of terrestrial organisms such as mites or spiders). The paper can be in the form of a scientific manuscript ready for publication, a paper that has been accepted for publication or a paper published since the beginning of the previous year to the closing date, but must result from the student’s higher degree studies.

Entries are to be the sole work of the entrant, apart from the normally accepted input of academic supervisors, and are to be based on work undertaken while enrolled as a student. A committee of an least three people, to be appointed by the Society's President, will judge the overall scientific merit of each entry and a list of finalists selected. The finalists will be supported to attend the Society's conference in that year to present their paper and the presentation will form part of the assessment of the winner.

Who’s eligible

The prize is open to any honours or postgraduate student enrolled in an Australian University, either full-time or part-time, who has not submitted their thesis by the closing date.

Entrants have to be members of the Australian Entomological Society.

Submitting your entry

Please send a pdf of the paper and a scanned copy of the completed application, to us, no later than the 31st of May each year. For details on how to submit, contact our office.

Download Application

Past Recipients

Year Name University
2018 Xuankun Li Australian National University
2017 Melissa Houghton University of Tasmania
2016 Isobel Ronai  University of Sydney
2015 Thomas White Macquarie University 
2014  Nicholas Fountain-Jones  University of Tasmania 
2013  Scott Fabricant  Macquarie University 
2012 Matthew Hill University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
2011 Melanie Schneemilch University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA
2009  Kylie Anderson James Cook University, Cairns, Qld
2008  Katherine Barry Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW
2007  Sagrario Gamez-Virues University of Sydney, Orange, NSW
2006  Birgit Löcker University of Sydney, Orange, NSW
2005  Rod Eastwood Griffith University, Qld
2003  Michelle Schiffer La Trobe University, Vic
2002  Paul Grundy South Australia
2001  Darrell J. Kemp James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland
2000  Shaun Winterton University of Queensland
1998  Martin Steinbauer University of Tasmania, Hobart
1996  Lindsay Baggen University of Sydney, Orange, NSW
1995  Bijan Hatami University of Adelaide, South Australia
1994  Stuart Simmons Curtin University, Western Australia
1993  Gary Taylor University of Adelaide, South Australia
1992  Ann Scougall Curtin University, Western Australia
1991  Scott Field University of Adelaide, South Australia
1990  Tim Heard Indooroopilly, Queensland
1989  Geoff Allen University of Adelaide, South Australia
1988  Kate Mossop Canberra
1987  Ross Lardner South Australia
1984  David Raftos NSW
1981  Anne Wagner NSW
1979  Tony Molyneux Brookfield, Queensland
1977  Mrs J.A. Smith Queenstown, Tasmania
1976  Mr C. Haller North Baldwyn, Victoria
1975  Anne C. Frodsham University of Sydney
1972*  Mr D.J. Rogers (undergraduate)  University of Queensland 
  Mr J.E.N. Veron (postgraduate)  University of New England 
1971  Peter Allsopp University of Queensland


*Two awards were made in 1972 to support students attending the 1972 International Congress in Canberra