The Sidney Prize and the Stuart Rosewarne Prize
The Sidney Prize is a literary award for the best long essay in the year. It is named after the late essayist Sidney Hook, and it was first awarded in 1992. It is a major honor and comes with a cash prize. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges and the decision is based on overall quality, originality, and insight into human nature. Winners are published in major publications and the prize is considered one of the highest literary awards in America. The New York Times has been a long-time sponsor of the prize. The 2020 winner was Hilton Als for his essay “Shame Storm,” a devastating piece about the viciousness of online criticism of conservatives. Other recent winners include Ed Yong for “The Atlantic” and Ron Rash for his essay “Lost in the South.”
The Stuart Rosewarne Prize is awarded annually to the postgraduate research student who completes a thesis which advances socially-engaged, publicly-oriented research. It reflects the commitment of the Department to develop and support an approach to research which addresses the problems of inequality and exclusion within society. The prize is open to students who have completed an honours degree, a masters by research or a PhD the in the department. Students who are enrolled on a scholarship from the university that provides them with a stipend allowance are not eligible for the prize.
Winners are announced in November and receive a certificate and a $2,000 check. The winner may be able to use the money to further her education in engineering, which would help her pursue her career goals and provide a solid foundation for her future. Other benefits of winning the Sidney Prize include access to the alumni network, networking opportunities and the chance to work with a mentor.
The Event Cinemas Rising Talent Award is presented to an emerging NSW-based film creative working in short film. The 2023 event cinemas rising talent winner is Robyn Liu for her feature film, Dancing Girl. All winners are presented with Sydney Film Festival’s mesmeric swirl award, designed and handmade by Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy of Dinosaur Designs.