Professor Melinda Cooper and Professor Caillan Davenport are among the 90 new members appointed to the 2026 Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts. 

The ARC College of Experts plays a vital role in advising the Australian Government on the national direction of research, evaluating grant proposals, moderating assessments, and recommending projects for funding. 

Professor Cooper and Professor Davenport are two of only five researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) appointed to the College this year. Collectively, they constitute a distinguished cohort of 416 new and continuing CoE members entrusted with shaping the future of research in Australia and ensuring that ARC-funded projects deliver meaningful outcomes for society. 

Cooper, a social and political theorist from the ANU School of Sociology, brings in an interdisciplinary background in the social sciences that will prove useful in identifying the best new research projects across Australia. 

“I have a background in political philosophy, economic sociology and feminist theory so my perspective is very broad and I am also very alert to conceptual originality in every field,” she says. 

“I am hoping to gain a panoramic perspective of the types of research being conducted in Australia right now. I am also hoping to learn from the experience of looking at hundreds of applications and participating in the selection process to bring back up-to-date advice to my colleagues in CASS and at ANU.” 

Davenport, a historian and Head of the Centre for Classical Studies, is hoping to bring his experience studying, teaching and researching in Europe and Australia to this new role. 

“I’ve worked alongside historians, bioarcheologists, linguists, literature scholars and philosophers – just to name a few different fields. This has equipped me with a keen sense of what makes a research project original and compelling, regardless of what discipline it originates from, and I'm looking forward to supporting and advocating for research excellence across the sector,” he says. 

“I've been very fortunate to receive funding both from the ARC and international organisations such as the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation throughout my career. This is a wonderful opportunity to 'pay it forward' and to play a role in identifying and supporting leading researchers. 

“I'm looking forward to serving as an ambassador for the College of Experts within CASS and ANU at large to help colleagues, especially early career researchers, craft compelling and persuasive applications.”

ARC CEO Professor Ute Roessner reflected on the significance of the College’s work and the value of its diverse membership.

"It is a privilege to welcome our new College members for the first time. I am inspired by the breadth of expertise and commitment within our community. Our members are at the heart of the ARC’s mission – bringing rigour, fairness and insight to the competitive grants process," Professor Roessner said.

Read more about the ARC College of Experts here: 90 new ARC College of Experts inducted | Australian Research Council