Sponsor
University of Guelph
Program
Description
The University Research Chairs (URC) program has been replaced with two new programs: Research Excellence Awards and Research Leadership Chairs.
Research Excellence Awards highlight research achievements of recently tenured faculty members, to raise the profile of individuals who would be considered for future external recognition. Research Excellence Awards should be viewed as a “stepping stone” to future research recognition, as well as a strong sign of support of their current research achievements. Research Excellence Awards aim to promote the recognition of research excellence at the University of Guelph. Research Excellence Awards.
Research Leadership Chairs is intended to provide an additional tool by which to attract and/or retain faculty members who have already achieved significant research recognition both nationally and internationally. These faculty may already be recipients of external honours, and the Research Leadership Chair recognizes their contribution to both university reputation and advances within their discipline. Research Leadership Chairs.
Eligibility
Research Excellence Awards To be eligible, a faculty member should be within two years of having been awarded tenure. Newly tenured faculty members will be eligible for two nominations -- one on the year they are granted tenure, and, if unsuccessful, another in the year following that. A candidate must:
- have produced scholarly output that is demonstrably internationally impactful within the nominee’s discipline. This includes published works, as well as other forms of scholarly output, research-related knowledge mobilization, research-derived innovation, and training of highly qualified personnel;
- be on track to, or has already received, recognition on a national and/or international level;
- be someone for whom the Research Excellence Award would help promote further external successes.
Research Leadership Chairs To be eligible, a faculty member must minimally hold the title of Associate Professor. It is anticipated that many Research Leadership Chairs will be Full Professors. Faculty can only receive a Research Leadership Chair once during their employment, but, if they have not been awarded a Research Leadership Chair previously, they can be nominated as many times as a College wishes to nominate. A candidate must:
- have a proven record of distinguished and sustained scholarly work;
- have produced scholarly output that is demonstrably internationally impactful within the nominee’s discipline. This includes published works, as well as other forms of scholarly output, research-related knowledge mobilization, research-derived innovation, and training of highly qualified personnel;
- have already received significant recognition on both a national and international level.
Prize
Research Excellence Awards
- Each college will receive one Research Excellence Award per year, for a total of seven awarded across the university.
- Recipients of Research Excellence Awards hold the award for one year. During that year, each Research Excellence Award recipient will receive a $5,000 research prize, deposited in the awardee's general purpose research account. Colleges may wish to augment this award (e.g., with additional research funds, or course release).
- One of the seven Research Excellence Awardees will receive special recognition, and receive an additional $5,000 research prize, deposited in the awardee's general purpose research account, for a total of $10,000 (see below).
- Recipients of Research Excellence Awards will be recognized (feted) at an annual research recognition event.
Research Leadership Chairs
- Each college will hold up to two Research Leadership Chairs, with 14 in total held across the university at any given time.
- Recipients of Research Leadership Chairs hold the title for three years, with a potential extension to five years (reviewed at year 3). During tenure of the Chair, Research Leadership Chairs receive $15,000 in research funds from the University annually, deposited in the chairholder's general purpose research account. Colleges may wish to augment this award (e.g., additional research funds, course release, etc.).
- Research Leadership Chairs are not renewable, and can only be held once during employment at U of G.
- Recipients of Research Leadership Chairs will be recognized (feted) at an annual research recognition event.
Special Notes
Research Excellence Awards
Nomination:
- Each college runs their own selection process for nominees, receiving nominations from departments and schools within the college. For example, colleges can decide how many nominations they wish to receive from their departments and schools for review, and how nominations are evaluated prior to submission for approval by the Provost and VPR.
- Nominations should comprise the nominee’s CV, plus a detailed nomination letter from department chairs / school directors, based on the tenure file, that makes the case for research excellence as defined above.
- Colleges review the departmental / school nominees, and nominate one individual for approval by the Provost and VPR.
- The nomination package submitted to the Provost and VPR should comprise the nominee’s CV, the nomination case letter from the department chair / school director, as well as a covering letter providing any additional information from the College Dean. Nominations should be submitted to the Provost and the VPR before the end of April.
- The Provost and VPR will review the nominations for approval, and will select one of the seven nominees for special recognition, as indicated above.
- Successful awardees will be announced in late May.
Conditions of the award: Recipients will participate in the research recognition event. Each recipient will also provide one public lecture, organized by the Office of Research, for a general audience, based on their research. Finally, each recipient will participate in a Guelph Talks Research event.
Research Leadership Chairs
Nomination:
- Each college runs their own selection process for nominees, receiving nominations from departments and schools within the college. For example, colleges can decide how many nominations they wish to receive from their departments and schools for review, and how nominations are evaluated prior to submission for approval by the Provost and VPR.
- Nominations should minimally comprise the nominee’s CV, plus a detailed nomination letter from department chairs / school directors that makes the case for research excellence as defined above.
- Colleges review the departmental / school nominees, and nominate individuals to fill up to a total of two Research Leadership Chairs available to their college.
- The nomination package submitted to the Provost and VPR for approval should comprise the nominee’s CV, the nomination case letter from the department chair / school director, as well as a covering letter providing any additional information from the College Dean.
- The Provost and VPR will review the nominations for approval, considering the quality of the nomination prior to approval.
Conditions of the award: Recipients will participate in the research recognition event at the time of receipt of their award. Each recipient will also provide two public lectures, organized by the Office of Research, for a general audience, based on their research - one of these will be at time of receipt of the award, and the other will be at the conclusion of the award. Each recipient will participate in a Guelph Talks Research event. Finally, each Research Leadership Chair will be expected to submit a one page annual report indicating how the research funds were used in support of their research.
Contact Information
Jill Rogers
Managing Director, Research Operations
Office of Research Services
519-824-4120 Ext: 54508
jlrogers@uoguelph.ca