The John Dillon Fellowship (JDF) is a six-week program run twice a year for 15 mid-career agricultural researchers connected to ACIAR projects. It is delivered in Australia by the University of the Sunshine Coast. Fellows participate in a program of workshops, field-trips and networking events and undertake a short institutional placement.
Like JAFel, gender is mainstreamed and integrated into all aspects of the program. A major achievement is the support offered to women agricultural research managers in finding their voice, and empowering them to express their views amongst their male peers. This process has been transformative for both men and women.
Applications for the JDF are invited annually, and participants are selected by the Training Committee. In line with the Gender Equity Policy and Strategy, a minimum of 50 percent of participants selected are women. In 2018, 54 per cent of the JDFs across two cohorts were women.
In 2019 a round of the JDF focusing on small cohorts from institutions in Papua New Guinea will be delivered. This iteration of the program will engage with senior management in host institutions to build support for gender equity social inclusion in leadership. A second round made up of researchers from the Indo-Pacific and two Australian researchers will be delivered later in the year.