New Energy Infrastructure

Nominees for Canada Excellence Research Chair in New Energy Infrastructure

Smith Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

The Queen’s University Smith Engineering .

The CERC program offers eligible Canadian, degree-granting institutions, an opportunity to establish highly-funded (award values of $8M or $4M) research chairs in the areas that align with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities . The CERC awards are among the most prestigious and generous available globally, and the CERC program targets research areas of strategic importance to Canada and each institution. The successful nominee will build a core team at Queen’s University for the purpose of developing and expanding their research program to advance the frontiers of research on a global scale. In addition, Queen’s University will provide substantial institutional support in the co-preparation and co-development of the CERC program application. The CERC program provides the opportunity for globally renowned international researchers, including Canadian expatriates willing to relocate to Canada, to lead their prestigious research program at Queen’s University.

Located in historic Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario, Queen’s University is one of Canada’s leading universities, focused on promoting exceptional research and innovation of national and international distinction while providing a transformative learning experience. Research and innovation are core components of the mission of Queen’s University and serve as the cornerstone for providing the best possible educational experience for students, for training research leaders of the future, for creating a vibrant environment of inquiry, and for building partnerships with our local and global communities – including industry, governments, and other institutions. Consistent with our strategic vision, we seek to build our capacity for research and innovation through the recruitment of top-tier, internationally based scholars whose accomplishments have made a major societal impact (as appropriate for career stage) and who are recognized internationally as a research leader.

Position Overview

The successful nominee will be an outstanding scholar with a world-class reputation, and must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at the rank of tenured Professor. All qualified researchers are encouraged to apply and, in accordance with the terms of reference for the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program, researchers who are either (a) internationally-based at the time of the application (both working and residing outside of Canada), including Canadian expatriates, or (b) Canadian Indigenous researchers (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) based in Canada, are eligible for nomination to the CERC program. Researchers who hold a full-time academic appointment at a Canadian institution are eligible to be nominated, however, they may not be nominated by the institution at which they currently hold their appointment.

The main criteria for selection as nominee are (a) an established record of global leadership and innovation in novel power electronics converters for hybrid microgrid applications capable of complementing the grid-wired focus of existing infrastructure, and (b) a track record of mentorship and training of highly-qualified personnel in various emerging areas in the field. Queen’s University is committed to expanding an international reputation for technological innovations in power electronics that are adopted by industry globally, building on existing assets that include: Queen’s Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research (ePOWER), and the Centre for Advanced Computing (CAC), a cluster of computer systems and storage resources shared by five universities and three colleges. New energy infrastructure promises solutions for grid bottlenecks so wind and solar photovoltaic sources can be developed and deployed. The research program of the CERC will help create the foundation for new energy infrastructure by developing novel power electronics converters for hybrid microgrid applications and also complement the existing grid-wired infrastructure. The proposed research program will help bring about the technology required for the efficient and reliable integration of renewable energy sources into the grid. Proliferation of the resultant power converters technology in the automotive and aerospace sectors will further benefit society and the environment by helping to avert electricity crises faced in Canada, and indeed worldwide, by radically increasing efficiency and reducing energy waste despite anticipated exponential growth in these sectors.

The successful nominee will be expected to play a leadership role in Canada’s contribution to the 170 trillion dollar global energy transition from fossil to renewables by leading research in novel power electronic converters and their applications at Queen’s. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.
 

Selection Criteria: 

(A) Research/academic merit and leadership skills of the nominee: 

• The nominee is a top-tier researcher whose accomplishments have made a major societal impact (as appropriate based on career stage) and who is recognized internationally as a leader. In cases where the nominee is a Canadian Indigenous researcher (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) based in Canada, the impact can be at the international level and/or at the community, regional or national level. 
• The quality and impact of the nominee’s research track record, including their record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, and advisory committees)
• The nominee’s record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment.
• The nominee’s plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse core team (at the student, trainee, personnel and early-career researcher levels), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, professional development and mentoring).

(B) Quality of the research program

• Extent to which the proposed research program aligns with one or more of the Government of Canada’s ST&I priorities  for the CERC program.
• Extent to which the proposed research program for the Chair promises to lead global research in the field.
• Extent to which the proposed research program enhances knowledge mobilization and translation so that all sectors of society (industry, government, academia, not-for-profit, etc.) benefit from the research and data generated.
• Extent to which the Chair fills a gap within existing expertise at the institution or in Canada.
• Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how it has embedded EDI considerations (i.e., GBA+ or SGBA+) at each stage of the research process (research questions, design, methodology, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of results), as applicable.
• Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how research is co-created and co-led by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as investigators, trainees, partners and collaborators, and its recognition of Indigenous ways of knowing (as applicable).

(C) Potential contribution to the excellence of the Canadian and international research ecosystem

• Likelihood that the work associated with the proposed research program will be recognized as globally relevant and will advance research frontiers on a global scale.
• Opportunities for collaboration with other researchers working in the same or related areas at the nominating institution, in the same region, within Canada and abroad.
• Likelihood that the work of the proposed Chair will advance Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.
• Plan of the Chair and core team members to communicate the research results and their impacts to the world and a variety of audiences.
• Potential to apply the research results from the Chair to advance public policy and/or the potential to commercialize research discoveries from the Chair in order to create social and economic advantages for Canada.
   

Application Process

The University invites nominee applications from all qualified individuals. Selected nominees work in partnership with Queen’s to submit an application package for the Canada Excellence Research Chairs competition. Interested applicants are invited to review full program details .

Queen’s University is committed to excellence in research and research training for the benefit of Canadians and to achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise. The research community at Queen's is committed to and recognizes that building a culture of diversity is a socially responsible approach that actively removes discrimination and barriers to inclusion to provide benefits that reach beyond Queen's University. At Queen’s, we recognize that diversity advances research for the greater good by valuing alternate perspectives, thereby unlocking creative potential and stimulating novel collaborations. We encourage applications from individuals from all underrepresented groups, including members of racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and individuals from the LGBTQ2+ community. Queen’s is an advocate for equity within the Canada Research Chairs Program. Queen's commits to evaluating representation of the four Designated Groups listed above within its Canada Excellence Research Chair Program and commits further to striving proactively to meet and to maintain its equity targets among the exceptional researchers recruited to this program.

Queen’s recognizes the value that diversity adds to the academic activities of the University and takes into account the diverse experiences of applicants and the many forms that scholarship can take. Applicants who may have had alternate career paths or career interruptions as a result of personal circumstances are encouraged to apply. Queen’s recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leaves, slowdowns due to illness or disability, COVID-19 impacts) can have on an applicant’s record of research achievement, and these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. As part of its commitment to employment equity and diversity, Queen’s University provides confidential support for relocation into our community. 

Queen’s University is situated on the traditional Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee territory. Ne Queen’s University e’tho nońwe nikanónhsote tsi nońwe ne Haudenosaunee tánon Anishinaabek tehatihsnónhsahere ne óhontsa. Gimaakwe Gchi-gkinoomaagegamig atemagad Naadowe miinwaa Anishinaabe aking. 

To comply with Federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information about how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens / permanent residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship, however, all applications must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”; OR, “I am not a Canadian citizen/permanent resident of Canada”. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.
 

A complete application consists of:

1. a cover letter addressing the selection criteria (including one of the two statements regarding Canadian citizenship / permanent resident status specified in the previous paragraph), 
2. a full curriculum vitae (including a list of publications, awards and grants received), and
3. a summary of the proposed research program. 

Please send your application electronically to Dr. Kent Novakowski, Chair of the Nomination Committee (c/o  CERC@Queensu.ca). 

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The application window will remain until August 15, 2022, or later until a nominee is identified.

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact: Ms. Barbara Latimer ( bal@queensu.ca).

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) which is posted on the Queen's Faculty Relations Office website .

Appointments are subject to review and final approval by the Provost. Only nominees external to Queen’s University will be considered (Please note that, for the purposes of this competition, Queen’s Term Adjuncts and Adjunct-1s will be considered as external nominees).