Recognising outstanding contributions to NHMRC’s Principles of Peer Review

Professor Phil Batterham is a Professor and Co-Head of the Centre for Mental Health Research at The Australian National University. He is a research leader in trialling and implementing programs to prevent suicide and mental health problems, detecting mental ill health in the community, and reducing barriers to care. Professor Batterham has received national and international accolades including the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research.

 

Contributing to peer review is an important step any researcher’s professional development and provides the opportunity to contribute further to Australia's health and medical research sector.  Professor Batterham consistently provides highly considered advice, and his rigorous, reasonable assessments ensure fairness and consistency across grant applications.

When asked about what peer review means to Professor Batterham, he said that peer review is a cornerstone of health and medical research practice.

“It is integral to ensuring that research is feasible and rigorously designed to provide the best possible evidence, with potential to drive meaningful change in practice or policy. Being selected as a peer reviewer by the NHMRC is a privilege and an important responsibility,” he said.

Professor Batterham has been a panel member for NHMRC’s Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies (CTCS) scheme from its inception in 2019 and has greatly valued his time meeting as a panel for meaningful discussions that result in rigorous and trusted outcomes. 

Reflecting on this, Professor Batterham said that NHMRC’s CTCS team always provides support throughout the process and constantly looks for ways to ensure that the review process is fair and equitable. Panel members are always strongly committed to the process and each person brings valuable perspectives that enrich the experience. 

Professor Batterham has also been on peer review panels for NHMRC’s Centres of Research Excellence scheme and Targeted Calls for Research, as well as the discontinued Early Career Fellowship and Project Grant schemes. His strong involvement over the years has shown Professor Batterham that all funding opportunities under NHMRC’s grant program strive for rigour and fairness through the peer review process and panel discussions. 

Having also served on several other Australian and international panels, Professor Batterham’s benchmark for rigour is NHMRC Peer Review panels. While no process is perfect and not enough high quality projects can be funded each year, Professor Batterham said the quality and reliability of the CTCS review process provides him with reassurance that projects that are funded are very likely to be the best of the best.

On his recent accolade, Professor Batterham said he is greatly honoured to receive the inaugural NHMRC 2025 Peer Review Excellence (senior/experienced) Biennial Award. While peer reviewing is a substantial commitment, it is also highly rewarding for him. Professor Batterham said that it is a privilege to read about exciting new ideas that have the potential to improve health outcomes in Australia and worldwide, particularly in the critically important areas of mental health, suicide prevention and substance use. 

“It is also a privilege to discuss these ideas with highly experienced and thoughtful peers, and the knowledge I gain from this process has been invaluable in shaping how I think about my own research. I thank NHMRC for this award and look forward to contributing to rigorous peer review for future grant schemes,” said Professor Batterham.