QAAFI EMCR Travel Grant

QAAFI EMCR Travel Grant 2025

The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) is offering travel grants of up to $1,500 to support early-and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) of QAAFI and Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI). These grants are designed to facilitate attendance at industry meetings, conferences, or other activities that enhance professional development, foster future research opportunities, and support career progression. The primary goal of the grants is to strengthen connections between EMCRs and industry partners. Therefore, applications to attend academic conferences, with limited or no industry involvement, are not eligible under this granting scheme. Preference will be given exclusively to domestic travel proposals.

At least 10-15 travel grants are expected to be awarded in this round

Click here to Apply now

Important Dates

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to apply for a QAAFI EMCR Travel Grant, researchers must meet all the Terms and Conditions outlined in the Guidelines. A summary of the eligibility requirements - .

1.1 EMCR membership: Applicants must be an active member of the QAAFI EMCR Association.

1.2 Employment status: Applicants must be employed at QAAFI at the University of Queensland or the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.

1.3 Career stage:

• UQ applicants must hold an academic appointment at Level A or B;
• DPI applicants must be employed at TO2 -TO4 or PO2 - PO4 classification levels.

Applicants who have previously received a QAAFI EMCR Travel Grant are ineligible.

Please view the Guidelines for a full list of Terms and Conditions.

Selection Criteria

Percentages provided in brackets refer to the weight given by each criterion for the ranking.

Research excellence (25% - max. 100 words) 

• Quality of research: Demonstrated excellence and impact through publications, citations, and research awards.
• Innovation: Highlight research innovations with potential industry applications, including industry-focused activities such as patents, media release, podcasts, or magazine articles.

Purpose of travel (25% - max. 100 words) 

• Industry Engagement: Participation in industry-related activities such as meetings, field days, or site visits.
• Collaboration: Engagement with industry partners or leading experts/institutions to support future research or career opportunities.
• Professional development: Attendance at workshops, training sessions, or courses that enhance research skills and foster industry collaboration.

Impact and benefits (30% - max. 100 words)

• Research Advancement: Explanation of how the travel will contribute to the applicant’s research and career progression.
• Knowledge Transfer: Opportunities to bring back valuable knowledge, skills, or techniques to QAAFI and DPI.
• Networking: Demonstrated potential for building networks with industry partners that benefit the applicant and the wider QAAFI community.
• Strategic Alignment: The proposed activity must align with the strategic priorities of QAAFI and DPI.

Funding justification (20% max. 100 words)

• Budget details: A clear and justified budget (up to $1,500), demonstrating value for money. A budget template is provided for guidance.
• Note: Applicants must ensure they have available funds to pay for any shortfall if the total travel budget exceeds the grant amount.

How to apply?

Please submit the required documents through the online application form.

• One page CV
• A document addressing the section criteria (template, DOCX 1502 KB)
• Travel budget (template, XLSX 135 KB)
• Supervisor's letter of recommendation

Please note required documents must be submitted as one file.

Contact: The Guidelines have further information about this Grant; if you require any assistance, please contact the QAAFI EMCR Committee via qaafi_emcr@uq.edu.au.