Fellows of the Academy include Australia’s leading researchers and practitioners across the breadth of social science disciplines, as well as a number of honorary Fellows (those who have made significant contributions to the social sciences beyond research), and overseas Fellows working outside of Australia.
To become a Fellow of the Academy individuals must be nominated by three existing Fellows (a proposer and two seconders), and have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to one or more fields of social science research or practice in Australia. Nominations are considered by the Academy’s disciplinary Panels, by independent assessors, then by the Membership Committee before being put to a vote of Academy Fellows in a general ballot.
The nomination and assessment process takes 18 months from the initial call for nominations to the announcement of new Fellows. Key dates in the process each year are:
Year 1:
- July – call for nominations
- 30 November – nominations due
Year 2:
- Jan-March – Panel Ballot and committee ranking
- April – initial Membership Committee review
- May-June – independent assessments
- July-August – Membership Committee deliberation
- August-September – General Ballot
- November – new Fellows announced
The Academy Fellowship currently comprises 688 Fellows, of whom 33% are female, and eight identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Since the establishment of the Academy, 868 Fellows have been elected (including 94 Founding Fellows who were previously members of the Social Science Research Council).