In the Fall 2021, the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) redesigned the University Research Chairs Program to foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and excellence within the uOttawa research portfolio while removing barriers for participation.

Overview

Status: Closed

In the Fall 2021, the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) redesigned the University Research Chairs Program to foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and excellence within the uOttawa research portfolio while removing barriers for participation.

The Office of Vice-President, Research and Innovation is currently seeking applications for:

  • Six (6) University Research Chairs (URC):
    • Two (2) URC linked to the mandate of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR);
    • Two (2) URC linked to the mandate of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC);
    • Two (2) URC linked to the mandate of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

In addition to undertaking a research program and overseeing organization of research activities linked to the Chair objectives, the chairholder must demonstrate ability and commitment to actively foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and excellence within uOttawa research environment.

The Chairs’ scope will be determined by the chairholders’ areas of research and must be consistent with the mandate of the selected Canadian federal agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC) and the identified University’s Strategic Areas of Research.

Nomination applications are to be submitted by regular University of Ottawa professors. All applications will be sent to Faculties for an internal preselection of 3 dossiers by faculty. For this initial call for applications, at least two of the three dossiers must be from members of groups under-represented in research (Women, Indigenous people, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, people living with disabilities and LGBTQI2S+ people). These dossiers will then be adjudicated by OVPRI selection committees with expertise related to each federal granting agency, and finally by the University of Ottawa’s Research Chairs Evaluation Committee (RCEC).

Eligibility criteria and terms

All applications from regular University of Ottawa professors are eligible.

Applications from members of groups underrepresented in research (Women, Indigenous people, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, people living with disabilities and LGBTQI2S+ people) are encouraged as well as applications in both official languages.

University Research Chairs (URC) have a five-year term, which can be renewed only once, subject to the recommendation from their faculty dean and the University of Ottawa’s RCEC.

Chairholders will receive an annual allocation of $25,000 in research funds for the duration of their mandate. Up to $5K of the total budget may be used as a salary supplement to the nominee.

Note that researchers who have held any other research chair funded by the University of Ottawa – for example: Chaire de recherche sur le Monde Francophone, University Research Chair or Distinguished Research Chair – are not eligible for a new URC.

Nomination process

Teaching Release

URC chairholders may be eligible for teaching release of a one-semester course (two to three credits/year) as negotiated with the Dean of the Faculty.

End of Chair mandate

The University provides two additional years from the end date of the chair to expend any residual funds remaining in the research account. No extension will be granted beyond this period.