SHAPE Futures is a new network for early and mid-career researchers in the humanities, arts and social sciences. Established by the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, SHAPE Futures will advocate for EMCRs in the humanities, arts and social sciences within and beyond the academy.
SHAPE Futures Chair, Associate Professor Melissa Day (Clinical Health Psychologist, University of Queensland) explained: “SHAPE – Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts for People and Environment – is a new framing for our disciplines, initially developed by the British Academy to provide a more outcomes-focused alternative to HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences).”
SHAPE Futures is open to any academic or professional researcher in the early- or middle stage of their careers (typically up to 15 years post-PhD, excluding career interruptions). The term “researcher” is interpreted broadly, and the Network firmly welcomes anyone who identifies as a researcher to become a member. Many EMCRs work in industry, in local, state or federal government, NGOs, and in the community. The SHAPE Futures Network encourages these researchers to participate in our newly formed community alongside EMCRs located in universities.
To learn more about the needs and concerns about Australian EMCRs, the network has launched a survey: https://shapefutures.com.au/take-our-survey and invites EMCRs to add their voices to help shape the strategies representation, advocacy, opportunities and network-building that the network will adopt.
Further information on the network is available at: https://shapefutures.com.au