Nominations Now Open: Honour the Quiet Achievers of Cochrane with the 2025 Chris Silagy Prize
Each year, Cochrane honours one of its most dedicated and inspiring contributed through the Chris Silagy Prize — and nominations for 2025 are now officially open.
Established in memory of Professor Chris Silagy AO (1960–2001), the Prize celebrates the unsung heroes of Cochrane — those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to uphold its collaborative spirit and keep the organisation thriving. From communication and coordination to motivation and management, these are the people who make Cochrane more than the sum of its parts.
Chris Silagy was not only the founding Director of the Australasian Cochrane Centre but also a talented leader and former Chair of the Cochrane Steering Group. His energy, optimism and passion for collaboration left a profound mark on Cochrane's development.
Before his passing, Chris established a memorial fund — seeded with his own donation — with the express wish of recognising contributions often overlooked. For example, providing administration, management, Colloquium organisation, communication and motivation - in short, the 'glue' that helps to keep Cochrane together.
The establishment and perpetuation of the Prize was approved by the Steering Group in April 2002.
The Chris Silagy Prize is awarded to an individual who has made an “extraordinary” contribution to Cochrane's work.
The Prize consists of AU$1,000 (drawn from the Chris Silagy Memorial Fund) and a certificate.
How to Nominate
Nominations are open until 17 August 2025 and should be emailed to Sally Green at sally.green@monash.edu with "Chris Silagy Prize" in the subject line.
Nominations should include:
a nominator
two seconders
acceptance of nomination
a one-page document supporting the nomination addressing this criteria:
The nominees has:made an extraordinary contribution to Cochrane;
made a contribution that exceeds the expectations of their employment;
made a contribution to Cochrane that would not be recognised outside the scope of this Prize;
been identified by their peers as consistently contributing to a spirit of collaboration.
A selection panel of three people is appointed each year from past members of the Steering Group and its advisory committees, and the previous year's Prize recipient (if not conflicted). A governing committee oversees the Prize.