Awards

The APEN Award for Excellence in Extension is open to APEN members, either individuals or groups, who have demonstrated excellence in extension through a work program completed within the last five years.

Awards are presented in the Open or Experienced and Young Professional (under 35 years of age) categories. In 2009 the Young professional award was renamed the Amabel Fulton Award for Excellence in Extension for a Young Professional in memory of the late Amabel Fulton who was a major contributor to APEN and the development of extension in Australia.

Sponsorship of the Awards has been provided by:
  • Grains Research and Development Corporation - 2003
  • Dairy Australia - 2006
  • Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation – 2007
  • Dairy Australia - 2015


2015 Awards 
  
2017 Awards
 
2013 Awards
2011 Awards 
 
2009 Awards
  
2009 Awards

The award includes a plaque, travel (within Australia) to the APEN conference, registration, accommodation and the opportunity to give a presentation about the extension work for which the prize has been awarded. (Individual or one person from within a group.) The award is not transferable. 

Past winners

 Year Category Recipient   Extension work
 2017 Open Heather Collins For her experience as a facilitator leading to study into improving the way in which we work with farmers in response to growing community expectations of farming practices and their impact on the environment.
 2015 Open Simon Sankey


Cam Nicholson
 For his contribution to extension and in mentoring extension professionals through his work with DairyNZ.

For his contribution to extension design, delivery and governance in the fields of livestock production, cropping and Natural Resource Management.
 

Young professional

 

 Robbie Commens For his contribution to extension through his work in the Australian Macadamia industry.
 2013 Open Pauline Brightling &
The People in Dairy Core Group Team

 For their contribution to extension through Dairy Australia's
The People in Dairy Program.
  Young
professional

 Erin Sinclair For her effective extension with New Zealand's dairy farmers.
 2011

 Open David Hickey DEEDI CQ Beef Project

Young professional

 Kate Sargeant EverGraze and Feedbased Projects 
  2009
 Open



 Neil Guise and SLIS Team,
Nancye Gannaway, Yolandee Jones
and Heidi Blackburn

 For their contribution to extension through the Small Landholder Information Service

Young professional


 Lauren Rickards



 For her contribution to extension as a
consultant to the BCG, Meat and Livestock
Australia, Grain and Graze Program and
many others.
  2007
 Open

 Mark Paine

 Contribution to dairy extension
across Australia and New Zealand

Young professional  Fiona Best

 For her work as Extension Coordinator
for the Birchip Cropping Group Inc (BCG)
  2006
 Open Neale Price Contribution in the roll out of
MLA & VicDPI EDGENetwork
 and to Extension

Young professional Laura Schibrowski

 The Effectiveness of the MIA
EnviroWise Approach to
Community Engagement Project
 2003 Open
 Fiona Johnson
 Practice change
  Young professional

 Jess Jennings

 Profitable Pastures Project
 2001 Open

 Cathy McGowan
and Cheryl Phillips

 Women in Dairy project
 2000 Young professional  Kathryn Egerton- Warburton

 Woolpro and Bestprac, the
application of Continuous
Improvement and Innovation
 1999   Open

 Ian Simpson

 Producer network of the 
Sustainable Grazing
Systems project


Conditions of the award

The winner will be required to give a presentation of their work at the APEN Forum or Conference, and to take part in publicity associated with their success.

Nominations

Nominations will be called six months prior to an APEN Conference or APEN International Conference and will be due in four months prior to the event. Members will be notified through ExtensionNet or APEN’s eBulletin.

Nominations can be received direct from the nominee(s), or from other persons or organisations on behalf of the nominee(s).
Nominations should include a summary of the work addressing the selection criteria, a copy of any written material or reports produced, and the names of two independent referees able to comment upon the work. An electronic version would be preferred.

Selection criteria

  • The use or development of extension principles in the work.
  • Evidence of the effectiveness and efficiency of the work.
  • The applicability of the work in the broader practice of extension.
The APEN Management Committee will judge entries and their decision will be final.

Nominations to be sent to:
APEN Secretariat
PO Box 1239
WODONGA VIC 3689
AUSTRALIA
Ph 61 (0)2 6024 5349