HDR Supervisor of the Month

The ANU Higher Degree Research (HDR) Supervisor of the Month Award recognises good practice in ANU HDR supervision.

All HDR supervisors, conveners, administrators, and anyone else who works to support HDR candidates, are eligible to be nominated.

The awardee will receive ANU-wide recognition.

Nominations are welcome from all members of the ANU community. Nomination involves completion of the simple HDR Supervisor of the Month – Nomination Form.

Current HDR Supervisor of the Month awardee

May 2025

Associate Professor Jamie Hicks
ARC Future Fellow
Research School of Chemistry
ANU College of Systems and Society

Jamie's supervisory approach:
"My approach to supervision is grounded in the understanding that every student is different—each brings their own background, strengths, motivations, and ways of learning. I aim to create a supportive, inclusive, and collegial environment where students feel comfortable, respected, and motivated. I place a strong emphasis on building a workplace culture that is not only productive but also enjoyable, where collaboration and humour are welcome.

Accessibility is also a key part of my supervisory style. I make a concerted effort to be available to students when they need guidance or support. At the same time, I encourage autonomy by supporting students in developing and pursuing their own research ideas. I believe this balance between guidance and independence is crucial to fostering both their confidence and their growth as researchers."

Find out more about Jamie’s work by visiting Jamie's profile webpage on the Research School of Chemistry webpage.

May 2025

Associate Professor Nicholas White
ARC Future Fellow
Research School of Chemistry
ANU College of Systems and Society

Nicholas's supervisory approach:
"I deliberately run a relatively small research group (by chemistry standards) of 4 – 6 researchers. I find this means I can be more involved in the research myself, which is something I really enjoy. When I started supervising students, I definitely tended to micro-manage too much, but I hope that I’m slowly learning to let go a little. I’m fortunate to work with a really good group, and often they have much better ideas than me! It’s probably telling that one of our main areas of research started from a PhD student who had worked on ideas that I gave her, which didn’t work, and so came up with a better way of doing things herself.

I’m passionate about my research and it’s something that I love doing, but equally there are things I’m passionate about outside of work. I hope that I can emphasise this to people I supervise – work hard while you’re at work, but make sure to have other things in your life and don’t stay at work too late!"

Find out more about Nicholas’s work by visiting Nicholas's profile webpage on the Research School of Chemistry webpage.