URC – Call for nominations

A nomination application must include the following documents:

• Statement of nomination from the Dean, providing the basis and justification for the nomination (2 to 3 pages) – This letter will be requested only if the dossier is preselected by the Faculty for a nomination;
• Chair title (e.g., University Research Chair in…), the selected Federal granting agency (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC), and research project summary: Provide a 100-word summary, written in lay language, describing the uniqueness and importance of the proposed research program. This summary may be used for advertising purposes;
• Proposed research program written by the nominee (3 to 5 pages) – See section “Eligibility criteria” and the document with detailed instructions below for the presentation;
• A statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion philosophy and practice as a basis of the EDI plan to implement during the length of the URC (maximum 1 page);
• Budget plan and justification: The total budget is $25K per year for five years and may be used to support the core costs of research (e.g., research assistants/associates, graduate students, consumable supplies, and user fees) and actions towards EDI (adapted infrastructure and software, travel accommodation for researchers or trainees with special needs, inclusive dissemination, and other admissible fees to make research more inclusive). Up to $5K of the total budget may be used as a salary supplement to the nominee. In this section, please explain and justify how the budget will be used and the proportion of the budget to be allocated to costs of research versus a salary supplement. Note that the funding allocated for the core costs of research is provided in addition to and not as a substitute for a nominee’s concurrent sources of external funding;
• Current Curriculum Vitae (OCGS format (PDF, 127 Ko); last 8 years; CV section – please include any personal circumstances and/or career interruptions such as parental or sick leaves that may have impacted your research trajectory. These will be taken into consideration in the selection process);
• List of the nominee’s five most significant research contributions made during them career, explaining their significance and impact;
• Names and email addresses of four (4) independent reviewers with no conflict of interest, including at least one from abroad – Three external letters of evaluation will be requested if the dossier is selected in the short-list of one of the OVPRI selection committees;
• All candidates should participate in the institutional EDI efforts and complete the self-identification questionnaire: Count-me in Survey (accessible via VirtuO). This information may be used for adjudication purposes by the selection committees.

• Detailed instructions (PDF, 190 KB)

Please send the nomination application to the following email: [email protected].

Deadline: Tuesday, March 1, 2022

When an application is selected in the short-list of one of the OVPRI selection committee, the Research Office of the corresponding faculty is responsible for sending the application to three external reviewers in the field. The letters of evaluation will accompany the nomination package when it is presented to the Research Chairs Evaluation Committee.

Conflict of Interest Policy

In order to avoid any conflict of interest, please ensure that the potential reviewers:

• are not affiliated in any way with the University of Ottawa (including hospitals and research institutes);
• have no personal relationship with the nominee (including close friend, relative, former PhD or postdoctoral supervisor, mentor, a student previously under the nominee's supervision);
• have not collaborated, published or shared funding with the nominee in the last six years, or have no plans to do so in the immediate future;
• are not involved in the proposed program of research; and
• are not in a position to gain or lose financially/materially from the outcome of the nomination.

Three selection committees in the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (NSERC; SSHRC; and CIHR, as needed) will evaluate the applications sent by the faculties (maximum three dossiers by Faculty). Candidates will prepare their dossiers, referring them to the relevant committee. The OVPRI selection committee(s) will review the applications, and request external letters of evaluation from a short-list of candidates. The committees will then recommend a file for each available chair. 

The full dossier, including the selection committee report, three external letters of evaluation and the letter of support from the Dean, will then be sent to the Research Chairs Evaluation Committee for final recommendation.

The nomination application, including external evaluations, is adjudicated based on the following evaluation criteria:

• The level of research excellence and productivity of the nominee, and/or demonstration of the research leading to significant achievements;
• The potential to achieve international recognition in the field;
• The potential to attract and retain excellent students, trainees and future researchers;
• The quality and feasibility of concrete actions to create more diversified, inclusive and equitable research environment;
• The relevance of the proposed research program in relation to the Strategic Areas of Research; and
• The originality and quality of the proposed research program.

Following the RCEC’s final recommendation, a notice of decision is sent to the nominee and the Dean of the Faculty. There is no appeal.