Ernest Scott Prize
Emily Scott founded this prize to perpetuate the memory of her husband Emeritus Professor Sir Ernest Scott Knight Bachelor who for twenty-three years was professor of History in the University. The Prize commemorates his interest in the development of Australian historical studies.
The Ernest Scott Prize is awarded to work based upon original research, which is, in the opinion of the examiners, the most distinguished contribution to the history of Australia or New Zealand or to the history of colonisation.
Ernest Scott was professor of History at the University of Melbourne from 1913 to 1936. Born outside wedlock, raised by his grandparents and enjoying no higher education, he worked as a journalist for twenty years. As a young Fabian and Theosophist, he married the daughter of Annie Besant and migrated to Melbourne in 1892. His books on Australian exploration history made Scott into a professional among amateurs and antiquarians. He inspired his students to do archival research and to ask critical questions of popular historical mythologies. A generation of young Australians learned about the country's past from his notable Short History of Australia (1916).
Eligibility
The published research work for the Ernest Scott Prize must:
- Be based upon original research, which is, in the opinion of the examiners, the most distinguished contribution to the history of Australia or New Zealand or to the history of colonisation AND
- Have been published during the calendar year prior to the first day of January of the year in which it is to be awarded.
- Only books entered by publishers will be accepted.
Authors are advised to request their publishers to enter their books on their behalf.
To Enter
- Please complete and submit application form by clicking 'Apply Now' (below)
- AND send ONE copy of each book to each of the 2012 judges (the postal addresses for the judges will be supplied to you once you have successfully submitted your entry form online).
- Attach a cover page to each book stating:
- Publisher, publisher contact name, position, email address, contact phone number
- Book details, Author, date published, ISBN #
- Note: Books submitted will not be returned.
2012 Judges
Professor Marilyn Lake
AND
Professor Tony Ballantyne
2011 Winners
- Emma Christopher, A Merciless Place: the lost story of Britain's convict disaster in Africa and how it led to the settlement of Australia (Allen & Unwin, 2010).
- Jim Davidson, A Three-Cornered Life: The Historian W.K. Hancock.(UNSW Press)
Ernest Scott Prize 2011 shortlist citations
The judges' decision will be final and the University reserves the right not to award the prize in the event it is considered that no work of sufficient merit has been submitted. Winning applicants please note the University of Melbourne reserves the right to publish the name of the winning applicant on its websites and other University of Melbourne publications.
Closing date:
31 December 2011
Prize value:
Approx. $11,000
University Trust Record:
Ernest Scott (1867-1939)
Download:
- Scholarship Budget Form
(95kb Word doc) - Request for Academic Transcript
- Guide for Referees Report (25kb pdf)
- Guide for Certifying Documents (25kb pdf)
- Guide for Scholarship Reports (80kb pdf)