Liam and Frankie Davison award
About
Each year RANZCOG invites senior secondary students resident in Australia or New Zealand to apply for the Liam and Frankie Davison award for outstanding achievement in literary writing on women’s health.
This $1000 award provides an exciting opportunity for students, whether they are interested in medicine, science, mental health, sociology, politics or law. Launched in 2014, the award was renamed in 2015 in honour of RANZCOG staff member and award-winning author, Liam Davison and his wife Frankie, a secondary school teacher, in recognition of their shared passion for nurturing and encouraging young writers.
Entrants can write about any issue in women’s health that interests them. Previous submissions have included fictional and non-fictional pieces addressing a broad range of issues including anorexia, child marriage, pregnancy in third world countries, assisted reproductive technology and violence against women.
Eligibility
Applications are open to students in their final three years of secondary school (Years 10, 11 or 12 in Australia and Years 11, 12 or 13 in New Zealand).
Number of scholarships
Up to two awards are offered each year; the winning entrant(s) will receive $1000 in AUD or NZD as applicable, based on country of residence.
How to apply
Applications for the 2023 Liam and Frankie Davison award will open later in the year.
All applications must include a completed application form and an original literary piece of 500–1000 words on any topic of interest in women’s health (examples might include an opinion piece on a social issue, a short story, a report etc.).
Winning entries
In 2022, we received more than 35 entries from senior secondary school students in Australia and New Zealand, exploring a range of issues in women’s health including body image concerns, violence against women, miscarriage, abortion and menstruation.
Thank you to all students who shared their work and stories. The quality of applications was outstanding.
We’re so thrilled to share this year’s finalists with you; read their winning entries below.
Annabel Lau of Hurlstone Agricultural High School, 1st place winner
Lucy Corcoran of Emmanuel College, equal 2nd place winner
Lucy Thompson of TeKura School, equal 2nd place winner
| Year | Winning entries | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Treating Men and Women Unequally is the Path to Equal Healthcare by Annabel Lau | Mirror, Mirror on the Wall by Lucy Corcoran |
| 2022 | He toa taumata rau by Lucy Thompson | |
| 2021 | Baby Blue Icing by Dinali Fernando | Ginger Tea & Yoga by Matilda Hockey |
| 2019 | Chasing Sunset by Bessie Yuan | |
| 2018 | Manifesting #MeToo by Gaia Bahaar | Unnatural Selection by Madeline Ungvary |
| 2018 | The Day of the Fire by Emma Uren | |
| 2017 | Gag Trumps Women’s Rights by Gaia Bahaar | Early Exposure to the Internet has Influenced my Generation’s View of ‘Normal’ Women by Angus McCregor |
| 2016 | Virginity: A Way of Oppression and Restriction by J Down |
Contact
For more information, please contact the RANZCOG Women’s Health Foundation:
Email: foundation@ranzcog.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9412 2993