Individual Awards

Individual awards are open to any individual in the surveying or spatial sciences field, with the exception of the Professional and Future Leader of the Year awards, where nominees must also be current members of SSSI, SIBA|GITA, or S+SNZ.

Nominations for individual awards should primarily relate to activities undertaken in the 18 months immediately prior to the making of the application.

There is no charge for any member of the profession to enter the awards.

The APSEA Judging Panels provide expert, objective and independent opinions on the merits of the nominations entered. Panels are established for each category and are comprised of industry peers, associates and advisors from across all regions of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, inclusive of professionals of diverse areas of speciality, experience, gender, ethnicity, race, religion and sexual orientation.

Judges will individually score each nomination in their category based on the criteria listed below, with the highest scoring submission being deemed the winner. Judges will recuse themselves from judging selected nomination/s where there is a conflict of interest. A final review of winners is undertaken by SSSI or SIBA|GITA representatives to ensure quality and consistent application of APSEA principles.

The judges’ decisions are final. No correspondence is exchanged once the decisions are made. Information about nominees or winners will not be issued or made public prior to the awards presentations.

Nominees are encouraged to attend their local APSEA award dinner, held in conjunction with SSSI regional conferences. Attendance at these dinners is at the nominee’s cost, however ticket prices are kept at a reasonable level to make the events as accessible as possible.

2022 regional winners will be invited to attend the Oceanic APSEA event at Locate in Adelaide in May 2023. Discounted tickets will be available for these oceanic award finalists.

Entrants are encouraged to provide sufficient evidence to fully answer the category criteria and must be made through the APSEA nominations portal.

The word limit for the individual categories is minimum 300 words and maximum 1200 words, not including the nomination summary which is a minimum of 50 words and maximum 100 words.

You are able to be nominated by a colleague/peer or nominate yourself, however if you nominate yourself for an individual APSEA, we strongly recommend you attach a statement of support (an email or letter) from a supervisor or colleague to support your claim.

Instructions for First-time users of the Awards System

• Click on the above link and create a user ID
• A confirmation will be sent to your email, click on the link to confirm your account (please check junk mail if confirmation email is not received)
• Login and lodge your application

Applicants may login and change their submission up until the final submission date.

Nominee must be a current member of SSSI, SIBA|GITA or S+SNZ.

A practitioner who is working in any of the disciplines of the surveying and spatial sciences whose professional achievements are acknowledged by peer citation as exemplifying the highest standards of excellence and ethical conduct.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Outstanding performance in their occupation: focus on the achievements/performance of the nominee that are beyond the usual. For example, consider what makes the nominee outstanding in relation to their day-to-day business and/or how they may have changed the way their profession does business or solves problems.
• Service to the surveying and spatial profession: Consideration should be given to committees that the nominee may have served on and representation roles, as well as roles in CPD events such as coordinating and/or speaking at conferences.
• Held in highest respect by peers: e.g. list any awards or commendations that the nominee may have received in recognition from their peers or anecdotal evidence of standing amongst colleagues.
• Made a difference to the surveying and spatial profession by their leadership: include professional initiatives that the nominee played a key role in that had have far-reaching impacts and other leadership roles.
• Recent contribution and achievements: highlight the activities undertaken, achievements and/or challenges overcome in the last 18 months.

Nominee must be a current member of SSSI, SIBA|GITA or S+SNZ and approx. 15 years or less since entering profession.

This award recognises an early career professional who has performed at an exceptional level in their career to date and made substantial contributions in the field of surveying and spatial science in the last 18 months.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Outstanding performance in their occupation: focus on the achievements/performance of the nominee that are beyond the normal. For example, consider what makes the nominee outstanding in relation to their day-to-day business and/or how they may have changed the way their profession does business or solves problems.
• Leadership: Document examples where the nominee may have led a significant project, leadership roles in the workplace and leadership roles amongst surveying and spatial professionals.
• Participation in professional sub-committees and groups: Consideration should be given to committees that the nominee may have served on and representation roles.
• Ongoing continuing professional education: include nominee’s commitment to continuing professional development e.g. ongoing study, participation/attendance at CPD events.

This award recognises a surveying and spatial professional who has improved, contributed to the improvement of, opportunities for those from diverse backgrounds and/or actively campaigned for a more inclusionary workplace or industry, in a way that has had a positive and long-term impact.

Diversity is about employing people who are different across a range of indicators such as age, gender, sexual orientation, industry background, cultural identity, ability as well as diversity of thinking approaches among many others. Inclusion is about valuing that difference and creating processes and cultures that enable a sense of belonging and psychological safety.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Contribution to the profession: provide information on the nominee’s specific contribution to championing and building a more inclusive and diverse profession, either as an expert (e.g. research, teaching etc) or as an a role model or ally (e.g. championing difference and behaviours that lead to a more inclusive culture, including challenging inequality, barriers and bias etc).
• Impact: provide information about professional initiatives that the nominee has played a key role in that had have far-reaching impacts. Can the nominee demonstrate positive outcomes arising from their interventions for individuals, an organisation or the profession more widely.

This award is conferred on teachers, trainers, facilitators or academics who have substantially contributed through teaching, training, research, publications and/or professional activities to transfer skills and knowledge to others. It acknowledges leadership not only in empowering individuals and groups, but also in supporting others to acquire knowledge and/or promote excellence in the fields of surveying and spatial science.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Contribution to the education and learning of learning of individuals or community groups in the field of surveying and spatial sciences: focus on the specific achievements/performance of the nominee that are beyond the normal. For example, consider what makes the nominee outstanding in relation to delivering surveying, spatial and related discipline education.
• Contribution to the advancement and improvement of education in the surveying and spatial sciences: consideration should be given to any surveying, spatial or related committees that the nominee may have served on, representation roles and contribution to educational publications or programs or courses e.g. the linking of spatial professionals with teachers. Document examples where the nominee is involved in CPD activities such as certification and event organisation/speaking.
• Significant leadership in an education role in the surveying and spatial sciences: include any activity involving significant leadership such as supervision of postgraduate students; mentoring of other teaching academics; innovation in teaching, innovative research at any level, involvement in major publications or community projects.
• Recent contribution and achievements: highlight the activities undertaken, achievements and/or challenges overcome in the last 18 months.

Students eligible to enter this award include PhD and Masters Research students who have completed (or planning to complete) the subject to which their research contributes during the calendar year of the award nomination.

This award is conferred on a Postgraduate student who has undertaken a research project that contributes to the ongoing progression of the surveying and spatial profession.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• The quality and usefulness of the research and development: Provide reasons why the project is being undertaken; the link to the surveying and spatial industry; and any broader impacts.
• Relevance of the project to current issues and initiatives: include significance and implication of the project for the surveying and spatial industry.
• Demonstrated technical prowess: description of technical processes and elements used as part of the project.
• Quality of project design and implementation: if the research has been assessed or peer reviewed, include the assessed grade or comments.
• Engagement: Contribution the nominee has made to the surveying and spatial profession through volunteering and/or involvement in industry or social groups related to the profession, if relevant.

Students eligible to enter this award include final year university undergraduates and graduates including Honours, Graduate Certificate/Diploma, and Masters by coursework students who have completed (or planning to complete) the subject to which their research contributes during the calendar year of the award nomination.

This award is conferred on a student who has undertaken a research project in the course of their studies that contributes to the ongoing progression of the surveying and spatial profession.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• The quality and usefulness of the research and development: Provide reasons why the project is being undertaken; the link to the surveying and spatial industry; and any broader impacts.
• Relevance of the project to current issues and initiatives: include significance and implication of the project for the surveying and spatial industry.
• Demonstrated technical prowess: description of technical processes and elements used as part of the project.
• Quality of project design and implementation: if the research has been assessed or peer reviewed, include the assessed grade or comments.
• Engagement: Contribution the nominee has made to the surveying and spatial profession through volunteering and/or involvement in industry or social groups related to the profession, if relevant.