Early Career Researcher of the Year Award

• hold a full-time academic position at the University of Ottawa;
• have obtained a Ph.D. (or the equivalent) no more than 10 years prior to the deadline or have cumulated at most seven years in the first full-time academic position as of the deadline;
  • the eligibility window will be adjusted to take into account delays in research or periods of inactivity due, for instance, to illness and parental leave; eligible leaves will be credited as double the amount of time taken;
• contribute to the Strategic Areas of Research of the University of Ottawa.

Each faculty can submit at most two nominations annually.

A researcher can be nominated in only one OVPRI award category in any year.

• Research excellence

• Originality of the research
• Impact (or potential for impact) of the research
• Scientific productivity
• Funding obtained from the Tri-Council
• Research collaborations and partnerships (or potential for collaborations and partnerships)
• Outreach and knowledge mobilization activities
• Supervision and training of students
• Commitment towards bilingualism in research activities
• Commitment towards equity, diversity and inclusion in research activities

Each nomination dossier must include the following:

1. A letter of nomination from the dean of the faculty supporting the nomination (English: maximum 1 page; French: maximum 1 ¼ page; on official letterhead and signed); this letter must clearly demonstrate how the candidate distinguishes himself or herself from his or her peers within the field, and how the candidate’s research contributes to uOttawa’s Strategic Areas of Research;
2. A disciplinary context statement (English: maximum 1 page; French: maximum 1 ¼ page) prepared by someone who is familiar with the candidate’s field (e.g., the department, school or unit chair, or vice-dean research). This document cannot be prepared by the candidate.
3. A document prepared by the candidate (English: maximum 4 pages; French: maximum 4 ¾ pages) that describes his or her research contributions, including their commitment to bilingualism and to EDI. Following Tri-Council guidelines, EDI should be addressed with respect to how the research is planned and carried out, for example in the recruitment process, the team composition, the methodology, and how the data is analysed and the findings shared. When relevant, a commitment to bilingualism and/or EDI can also consider the research topics investigated;
4. A curriculum vitae in OCGS format, listing prizes and distinctions, publications, invited lectures, grants and contracts, present and past students supervised (undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, others), presence in the media, and participation to outreach and knowledge mobilization activities. Please clearly indicate leaves and career interruptions in the CV.
5. Two letters of reference (English: maximum 2 pages each; French: maximum 2 ⅓ pages each; on official letterhead and signed) in support of the nomination, accompanied by a short biography for each referee. The letters should be from leading scholars in the nominee’s field of expertise. One of the two letters should come from an institution other than the University of Ottawa or an institution to which the nominee was formerly affiliated.

Complete nomination dossiers, including letters of reference, should be sent by the faculty that supports the nomination electronically to the following address: [email protected].

Two selection committees (one for each category) will evaluate the dossiers. Each committee will be chaired by one of the Associate Vice-Presidents and is composed of the members of the OVPRI’s Advisory Committee for Research Prizes and Awards.

Following the evaluation of the dossiers, the committees provide general comments intended for all faculties.