Details
| Award Name | Arthur B. McDonald Fellowships |
| Agency | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) |
| Value | $250,000 |
Deadlines
| York internal nomination package due to FSc at sciapps@yorku.ca for full review | 10-02-2024 |
| York internal nomination package due to FSc at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review | 10-09-2024 |
| York internal nomination package due to SIRI at avogus@yorku.ca | 10-16-2024 |
| Completed nomination package due to SIRI at avogus@yorku.ca | 11-28-2024 |
| Agency deadline | 12-14-2024, by 8:00PM |
Background
Awarded to recognize early-stage academic researchers in the natural sciences and engineering and support them to enhance their research capacity, so that they can become leaders in their field and inspire others. Every year, NSERC awards up to six McDonald Fellowships that are held for a two-year period. Successful Fellows are relieved of teaching and administrative duties, so that they can devote all their time and energy to research. Each Fellow receives a research grant of $250,000 over two years, which is subject to the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide
Eligibility
Nominees should be an early career researcher, defined as holding an independent academic position for 10 year or less as of December 14 of the year of the competition (i.e., as of December 14, 2014 or later for this year’s competition) and currently hold a grant from
NSERC. An independent academic position is defined as a position that:
- Authorizes the researcher to supervise or co-supervise the research of students registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, or postdoctoral fellows.
- Is a university faculty appointment (adjunct, non-tenured or tenured).
- Requires that the researcher engage in research that is not under the direction of another individual.
The eligibility window is adjusted to take into account eligible delays in research, such as parental leave, bereavement or illness. These delays must be identified in the Personal Data Form (Form 100) and the impacts of the research delay should be fully described. NSERC will credit eligible delays as double their total duration.
The research of the nominee must be primarily based in the fields of the natural sciences and/or engineering. NSERC reserves the right to rule on the eligibility of nominees.
Required Materials
York Internal Nomination Package (due by noon on Wednesday October 16, 2024 via email to avogus@yorku.ca)
- A Faculty memo that includes the following:
- Endorsement of the nomination.
- A contextual explanation of the scope and impact of the research.
- Description of how the Faculty identified nominees for this opportunity, including information about how it took equity, diversity and inclusion into consideration in selecting nominees.
- A statement that, should a Fellowship be awarded, the Faculty approves complete release from teaching and administrative duties, and describes how the Faculty will fully relieve the nominee of these responsibilities.
- A completed NSERC Personal Data Form (Form 100) – contributions do not need to be limited to those in the last 6 years and there is no page limit.
- A draft letter explaining a) why you (the nominee) deserve consideration for the McDonald Fellowship, taking into account research achievements and impacts, and outreach mentorship and leadership (max 3 pages); and b) description of your future research directions, including your research vision, proposed research and approach to training highly qualified personnel (max 3 pages).
- A signed letter from the nominee stating that you (the nominee) understand that your self-identification information may be used in the adjudication process in cases where candidates are considered to be substantially equal, and that you agree to allow VPRI to access your self-identification information for this purpose. A template is provided as the last page of this memo.
See the internal memo for more information on the completed nomination package.
Evaluation Process
- Faculties are asked to submit nominations for review by the Major Awards Advisory Committee (MAAC). There is no limit as to the number of nominations that Faculties may bring forward.
- Abby Vogus, SIRI Specialist, Office of Research Services, will work with nominees to prepare final documentation for submission.
- The MAAC will review nominations and provide feedback to nominees and advice to inform institutional decision-making on which nominations are likely to succeed.
How to Apply
York University researchers are reminded that all applications for external research funding, including Letters of Intent, must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Research Services before they are submitted to the granting agency. For internal approval, the application must be accompanied by a completed ORS Checklist, which requires the Dean’s signature. Please send the complete application, with the finalized budget and a completed ORS checklist to sciapps@yorku.ca, five days prior to agency deadline.
ORS is accepting electronic applications – the process is outlined here.