Details
| Award Name | Impact Awards (see the VPRI memo for information on the internal process) |
| Agency | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) |
| Value | $50,000 or $100,000 |
Deadlines
Internal nominations
| Internal nominations due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for full review | 01-03-2024 |
| Internal nominations due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review | 01-10-2024 |
| Internal nominations due to SIRI at avogus@yorku.ca | 01-17-2024 |
Final nomination package
| Nomination package and fully signed ORS checklist due to SIRI at avogus@yorku.ca for full review | 03-15-2024 |
| Nomination package and fully signed ORS checklist due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review | 03-22-2024 |
| Final nomination package and fully signed ORS checklist due to SIRI at avogus@yorku.ca | 03-30-2024 |
| Agency deadline | 04-01-2024 |
Background
The SSHRC Impact Awards are comprised of the following categories:
Gold Medal ($100,000) – Internal Nomination Form
The Gold Medal is SSHRC’s highest research honour. It is awarded to individuals whose sustained leadership, dedication and originality of thought have inspired students and colleagues alike. Recipients’ achievements in research will have significantly advanced understanding in their research fields in the social sciences and humanities. The exceptional quality of their research, the impact of their work and their ongoing efforts to share the results of this work will have greatly enriched Canadian society and contributed to social, cultural, economic and intellectual life in Canada and/or internationally.
Talent Award ($50,000)
The Talent Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual who, on April 1, 2024, holds a SSHRC doctoral scholarship or fellowship or postdoctoral fellowship. This includes, but is not limited to, a Canada Graduate Scholarship, Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship or Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship. The Talent Award is given to an individual who maintains academic excellence, has a talent for research and knowledge mobilization and has demonstrated clear potential to be a future leader within and/or outside the academic sector.
Insight Award ($50,000) – Internal Nomination Form
The Insight Award recognizes outstanding achievement arising from a research project funded partially or completely by SSHRC. It is given to an individual or team whose project has resulted in significant contribution to knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world. The project’s research outcomes must have led to demonstrable impact within and/or beyond the academic community.
Connection Award ($50,000) – Internal Nomination Form
The Connection Award recognizes an outstanding SSHRC-funded initiative to facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the academic community. It is given to an individual or team whose project has engaged the campus and/or wider community and has generated intellectual, cultural, social and/or economic impacts.
Partnership Award ($50,000) – Internal Nomination Form
The Partnership Award recognizes a SSHRC-funded formal partnership for its outstanding achievement in advancing research, research training or knowledge mobilization, or developing a new partnership approach to research and/or related activities. It is awarded to a partnership that, through mutual co-operation and shared intellectual leadership and resources, has demonstrated impact and influence within and beyond the social sciences and humanities research community.
Eligibility
A nominee must:
- be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, or a “protected person” under subsection 95(2) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, by the nomination deadline;
- be an active social sciences and humanities researcher or student;
- hold or have held SSHRC funding relevant to the award category;
- be in good standing with SSHRC;
- be affiliated with an institution that meets the institutional eligibility requirements; and
- maintain affiliation with an eligible institution for the duration of the Impact Award.
Nominees:
- cannot nominate themselves;
- can be nominated in two sequential years for the same award, following which two years must pass before they can be nominated in the same category;
- can be nominated in only one category in any year;
- can be nominated in a subsequent year for a different SSHRC Impact Award; and
- cannot be a current member of SSHRC’s governing council, a previous Gold Medal winner or a SSHRC Impact Awards jury member.
Required Materials
Internal nominations should be sent by email to avogus@yorku.ca by January 17, 2024 as a single pdf file in the following order:
- Institutional nomination process (one page maximum)
- Unsigned draft of the Institutional nomination letter and rationale (three-page maximum).
- Career interruptions and special circumstances (one page, if relevant). This section is NOT mandatory.
- SSHRC CV of the nominee and team members (if applicable).
- List of potential referees (including e-mail address) and a 150-word (max) bio for each.
Please note that applicants are required to submit three letters of support from established referees who are authorities in the field; however, these documents are not required for internal MAAC review. SIRI will solicit letters of support once VPRI has identified nominations moving forward.
Please note referees cannot be:
- from the same institution as the nominee (except for the Talent category);
- individuals who are, or were involved in, the SSHRC-funded research project(s) being put forward in this nomination; or
- perceived as being in a conflict of interest with the nomination.
Letters of support with multiple signatories will not be accepted.
Evaluation Process
The MAAC will review all nominations and provide advice to the VPRI about which should be advanced to SSHRC. York University may only submit one nomination per category.
A SIRI Specialist will work with Faculty-based research support personnel, nominees, and nominators (if applicable), to prepare final documentation for
submission to SSHRC and to solicit letters of support. The nomination in the Talent category will be supported by the FGS Research Officer.
SSHRC will adjudicate the competition and notify York University of results.
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.