NSERC Awards for Science Promotion

Sponsor

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Program

Science Promotion

Description

The NSERC Awards for Science Promotion honour people and groups that are inspirational in the way they promote science to the general public.

Science promotion activities with award potential could include activities such as:

• organizing science camps, fairs, clubs or programs with youth organizations;
• creating new learning materials;
• developing science- and engineering-related co-op programs or job shadowing initiatives;
• arranging demonstrations, visits and lectures;
• writing books and articles;
• creating radio or television programs;
• generating public involvement through multi-media programs.

Eligibility

Any individual, registered non-profit organization, postsecondary institution, non-federal museum, science centre or company within Canada may be nominated for the award. Nominees will have made a successful and sustained effort to encourage public interest in, and an understanding of, the natural sciences and engineering (including math and technology) outside the formal education system. Posthumous or self-nominations will not be accepted. Current NSERC Council members are not eligible for nomination.

Past winners of an NSERC Award (or a Michael Smith Award) for Science Promotion are not eligible to be nominated a second time. Exceptions may be made for organizations or individuals who are, or were, linked with an NSERC Award (or a Michael Smith Award) for Science Promotion winning umbrella organization. In order to qualify, the achievements of any nominee (group or individual) must be distinct from the umbrella group as a whole. Such nominations must include a letter from the umbrella organization confirming the distinct nature of the activities. Furthermore, no consideration will be given to any aspect of the umbrella organization or its activities during the review process.

Note: In the context of the NSERC Awards for Science Promotion, NSERC defines an umbrella organization as an association of groups that work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. The umbrella organization provides services, support, resources and/or an identity to the smaller organizations.

Prize

Individual recipients will receive a $10,000 award and group recipients a $25,000 award. In both cases, the funds are to support further science promotion activities.Funds paid to winners of this prize are subject to the PromoScience Grants Guide.

How to Apply

Anyone with direct knowledge of an individual’s or group's contribution to science and engineering promotion may nominate that candidate for an NSERC Award for Science Promotion. Nominators may be colleagues or people who have benefited from the nominee’s contributions, such as teachers, parents, community members or administrators.

The nomination package must include:

1. a completed, printed and signed NSERC Award for Science Promotion Nomination Form;
2. a letter or document (three pages maximum) that describes:
   • • the nominee’s efforts and involvement in inspiring public understanding, and developing abilities in, science and engineering;
     • the impact and duration of the nominee’s activities (Note: Nominators are encouraged to include specific measures of impact.);
     • the content, originality and scope of the nominee’s activities;  
3. three signed letters of recommendation dated within six months of the application deadline;
4. supporting documentation (such as promotional material, participant feedback, media coverage, publications, awards) (four pages maximum);
5. a Terms and Conditions Form for Nominees signed by the nominee;
6. a Terms and Conditions Form for Nominators signed by the nominator.

Documents described in 2 and 3 above must not include links to websites. Committee members will ignore any links that are provided.

The nominators are responsible for assembling the required documentation, which must adhere to the General Presentation Guidelines. Documents that do not meet the presentation standards may be rejected or at a disadvantage in comparison with those that meet the presentation standards. Only the documents requested by NSERC will be made available to the selection committee.

Nominations must be submitted electronically using the Secure Submissions for NSERC's Innovative Collaborations and Science Promotion Programs. Documents must be submitted in Portable Document Format (PDF) as a single document.

For More Information

NSERC Prizes - Science Promotion Call for Nominations