SMAANZ 2025 Award & Grant Winners
On behalf of the SMAANZ Board, we’re pleased to announce this year’s award and grant recipients. We look forward to celebrating them all at our annual conference hosted by the Auckland University of Technology in December 2025. A special thanks goes out to our judges, reviewers, and Prof. Kevin Filo for their time and effort in the review process.
Please stay tuned for the announcement of our 2025 SMAANZ Distinguished Service Award winner next week.
SMAANZ Research Fellows
Recipients: We’re delighted to announce the second cohort of SMAANZ Research Fellows, who will be formally recognised at our closing afternoon in Auckland on 6 December. The SMAANZ Research Fellowship celebrates members with a sustained record of high-quality publications, active engagement in SMAANZ, and meaningful contributions to our community. It is both an award and distinction, recognising impactful research and service, with recipients expected to continue their outstanding contribution to SMAANZ.
This year, we are proud to recognise:
- Professor Russell Hoye
- Professor Pamela Wicker
SMAANZ Best Conference Paper Award
Winners: Dr. Joshua McLeod, Dr. Hunter Fujak & A/Prof. Jonathan Robertson (Deakin University): “Three Decades of Strategic Planning in Australian National Sport Organisations: Where Did We Start and Where are We Now"
This paper tracks how the strategic priorities of Australia’s national sport organisations have shifted over the past 25 years, analysing 282 strategic plans from 83 NSOs. The study shows a move away from performance-dominated agendas toward greater emphasis on inclusion, governance, and commercial growth, reflecting rising institutional complexity. The findings offer both a new method for mapping strategic change and practical benchmarks for sport leaders and policymakers.
Industry Engagement Grant
Winners: Dr. Ece (Aj) Kaya & Dr. Leila Khanjaninejad (University of Technology Sydney): “Understanding Muslim Girls' Experiences in Surf Sport Programs" in collaboration with URBNSURF
This Industry Engagement project aims to engage Muslim girls from Western Sydney in safe, accessible surfing lessons to explore their experiences, barriers, and perceptions of the sport. Through interviews and real-time collaboration with URBNSURF, the research seeks to uncover how gender, culture, and socio-economic factors shape participation and to co-design more inclusive pathways in surfing. The project ultimately contributes to reimagining surfing as a diverse and welcoming space while providing practical insights for industry and academic communities. The results of this grant will be shared at SMAANZ 2026 in Adelaide.
SMAANZ Three-Minute-Thesis
Finalists: We’re also pleased to announce the 2025 SMAANZ Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) finalists: Harrison de Picout (University of Adelaide), Sarah Karlik (Swinburne University of Technology), and Alex Gibson (University of Newcastle). Don’t miss their live presentations on December 3 at the Auckland University of Technology, with the winner to be announced at the closing afternoon on December 5.
Student Travel Assistance Grant
Recipients: The SMAANZ Travel Assistance program aims to support students in participating in the student workshop, an integral component of the annual SMAANZ conference. Scheduled for December 2nd, the workshop will be organised by our SMAANZ HDR Representative, Jen Pitson. HDR students still have the opportunity to apply for the travel grant. Click here for more information.
We are pleased to announce the success of the following students so far in 2025
Ekin Büyükakten (University of Regina)
We thank you all for the commitment and contributions that make SMAANZ such a vibrant community and look forward to celebrating with many of you in Auckland soon!
The SMAANZ Board
