Sponsor

NSERC

Program

Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering [1]

For More Information

Program Information [2]

Description

In tribute to the pursuit of excellence in research that the late Canadian scientist Dr. Bertram N. Brockhouse exemplified and inspired, NSERC is proud to offer an interdisciplinary research prize in his name. The Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering recognizes outstanding Canadian teams of researchers from different disciplines who have combined their expertise to produce achievements of outstanding international significance in the natural sciences and engineering in the last six years.

The Brockhouse Canada Prize competition is held annually. It supports Dr. Brockhouse's vision of interdisciplinary teamwork and collaboration in Canadian research and celebrates the excellence he exemplified in his career. Dr. Brockhouse was the co-recipient of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics for, according to the Nobel Committee for Physics, his "pioneering development of neutron scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter" and for his "development of neutron spectroscopy." 

Eligibility

Candidates may be nominated by any individual or group; however, the nominators must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Self-nominators will not be accepted. A team may be nominated for the NSERC Brockhouse Prize and other major NSERC prizes in the same year, but can receive only one such prize in a given year. 

The team can be part of an international effort, but the majority of the nominated team members must be employed at a Canadian university or public or private organization. NSERC recognizes that teams may change between the time of the specific research achievements and the time of nomination. Nominations will be accepted when changes have occurred, but only where the core of the team remains intact. Contributions must be primarily in the natural sciences and engineering, and of an interdisciplinary and collaborative nature.

The committee may recommend not to award the prize in a given year if there is no outstanding nomination.

Funding Availability

The prize is accompanied by a team research grant of up to $250,000, which may be used to support the direct costs of university-based research and/or the enhancement of research facilities. The grant may be distributed in one lump sum or up to five instalments, depending on the needs of the recipients. Research grant funds paid to winners of this prize are subject to the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide [3].

How to Apply

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the prize, nominators should consult NSERC's Guidelines for the Preparation and Review of Applications in Interdisciplinary Research [5] when preparing the nomination package. Nominators should also consult NSERC's Guidelines for the Preparation and Review of Applications in Engineering and the Applied Sciences [6].

The nomination package must include:

1. A letter (four pages maximum) that clearly describes:
   1. the team’s achievements in one or more of the following categories:
      1. contributions to knowledge;
      2. the use of existing knowledge to develop novel solutions to practical problems;
      3. leadership in the transfer of knowledge; and
      4. other appropriate contributions. 
         Note: The achievements must have been made jointly by the members of the nominated team and not realized before joining the team, or as individual researchers separate from the team's activities. 
   2. the significance, novelty and impact of the team's achievements over the last six years for which the nomination is being put forward.
   3. the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of the team and its achievements, including the complementarities of expertise between members of the group. The interdisciplinary nature of the team must be clearly defined, particularly in cases where it may not be immediately obvious. If the interdisciplinary nature of a team is not evident, the nomination may be ruled ineligible.
   4. the quality, extent and importance of the team's contribution to the training of highly qualified personnel in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting. The description of the team's contribution to the training of highly qualified personnel must also describe the co-supervision provided by the various members of the team. 
2. A description of the team's five most important joint contributions over the last six years, together with relevant bibliographic information, including URLs (maximum one page);
3. A description of the team's plans for future research that will build on its previous successes (maximum one page);
4. An up-to-date NSERC Personal Data Form (Form 100 [7]) or Canadian Common CV [8], or an up-to-date CV in another format (up to 10 pages) for each member of the team;
5. The names and addresses (mail and email) of six Canadian and/or international researchers who, in the opinion of the nominators, could be approached by NSERC to conduct an impartial review of the nomination. The majority of these proposed referees should be from outside Canada, and none should be in conflict of interest (see Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations [9]). Applicants must not contact suggested external reviewers in advance. Please note that NSERC reserves the right to select all or none of the suggested referees;
6. A brief one-paragraph description of the nominator including confirmation of Canadian citizenship or permanent resident of Canada status and background;
7. A brief letter from the team identifying one of the members as the spokesperson of the group. This spokesperson must be eligible to hold an NSERC grant and will be the contact person for NSERC on any matter related to the outcome of the competition; and
8. Terms and Conditions Form for Nominees [10] signed by each nominee; and
9. Terms and Conditions Form for Nominators [11] signed by each nominator.