Women’s lower success rates in grant applications, in part, reflects fewer women relative to men in different research fields and at senior levels. But a large body of research suggests that the trend is also partially due to unconscious bias. Removing identifying information from grant applications, such as names and gender pronouns, can reduce bias and level the playing field — not just for women but also other marginalised groups and early career researchers.    

Our office is leading a national trial across Australia to study the effects of anonymising grant applications for in-demand scientific equipment such as telescopes, synchrotrons, and supercomputers.  We are working with four Australian research organisations: CSIRO, ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation), NCI (National Computational Infrastructure) and AAL (Astronomy Australia Limited). The trial results will be compared to data from previous (non-anonymous) years to measure any differences and assess whether the anonymised peer-review impacts application outcomes.  

This study will provide important data on the effectiveness of anonymising proposals to improve equity in grant outcomes. The results will provide a strong evidence base to inform the government and enable the STEM sector to take action on more equitable future processes. 

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