NSERC Synergy Awards for Innovation - 2020 Competition
Sponsor
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada
Description
The Synergy Awards for Innovation honors outstanding research and development partnerships between a university (or college) and industry, in the natural sciences and engineering. Winners of the awards show effective use of human, technical and financial resources, leading to tangible commercial benefits with their industrial collaborators. Universities must demonstrate a sustained partnership.
Deadlines are anticipated. Information will be updated upon program launch.
Eligibility
The nominated partnership must be in the natural sciences and/or engineering and be between a Canadian university professor, or group of professors.
You must be nominated for this award. The nominator must be:
- a senior executive from the University of Guelph (ie. VPR); or
- a senior executive from one of the industrial partner organizations.
Nominations can be made in these categories:
- Small and medium-sized companies: A partnership with a single company of up to 500 employees.
- Large companies: A partnership with a single company of more than 500 employees.
- Two or more companies: A partnership with two or more companies of any size or a consortium of companies.
An individual, team of individuals or a college may be nominated for the NSERC Synergy Awards for Innovation and other major NSERC prizes in the same year, but can receive only one such prize in a given year. There is no limit to the number of nominations for the Synergy Awards for Innovation that a university or college can put forward in a given competition.
Prize
University: $200,000 NSERC Research Grant
Industrial Partners: $30,000 voucher towards a cash portion of their required contribution in a new Collaborative Research and Development Grant.
Special Notes
Nominated partnerships are expected to promote approaches that increase the inclusion and advancement of women and other under-represented groups in the natural sciences and engineering. See the Guide for Applicants [1] in considering equity, diversity and inclusion.
Nominees: All nominees must read and agree to the 
Terms and Conditions Form for Nominees [2].
Nominators: Before a nominator submits documents to NSERC, they must read and agree to the 
Terms and Conditions Form for Nominators [3] .
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | If you wish to be considered for VPR nomination, please submit your Expression of Interest (details below) to research.honours@uoguelph.ca [4] | |
External Deadline | If your nomination will be submitted by a nominator other than the VPR, please submit directly to the sponsor by the external deadline. Please also submit a copy of the full nomination and OR-5 to research.services@uoguelph.ca [5] |
How to Apply
The Vice-President (Research) encourages nominations for this prestigious award, and will serve as nominator for those nominees recommended by the Honours and Awards Advisory Committee.
If you wish to be considered for VPR nomination, please submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to research.honours@uoguelph.ca [4] by the internal deadline.
An Expression of Interest will include:
- A draft letter (two-three pages) addressed to the VPR which outlines how you/your nominee meets the criteria of the award;
- An up-to-date CV (up to 10 pages) of the nominee (and co-applicants, if applicable); and
- A short letter or email from the Associate Dean (Research) or College Research Manager indicating the College's support for the nomination.
If you are being nominated by someone other than the VPR, please submit your application directly to the sponsor for the external deadline, ensuring a copy of the full application and OR-05 is submitted to research.services@uoguelph.ca [5]
For more information, please contact research.honours@uoguelph.ca [4] or visit the NSERC website [6]