The Prize for Excellence in Research for Outstanding Emerging Researchers recognizes and celebrates outstanding early career researchers at Queen’s University. Early career researchers are defined as those who have earned their most recent highest degree (e.g., PhD, MD, LLB) in their last ten years.
Up to three prizes will be awarded annually to early career faculty members at Queen’s who have distinguished themselves through their significant contributions to research. The prize may be awarded to persons in any of the fields or disciplines in which research is carried out at Queen's, and is a cash prize valued at $5,000.
Nominations must be submitted by Deans. Deans are encouraged to consider nominating individuals from equity deserving groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.
The selection committee will endeavour to ensure that the group of individuals awarded a prize in a given year represents broad research foci and disciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches. Preference will be given to nominees who have not yet received a major, non-discipline-specific, provincial, national or international prize or award (e.g., Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Scholars; Sloan Fellowship, etc.).
Eligibility
Nominees must hold an academic appointment (tenure or tenure-track) at Queen’s and have earned their most recent highest degree (e.g., PhD, MD, LLB) in their last ten years. Career interruptions (e.g., parental leave, extended sick or disability leave, clinical training, family care, impact of COVID-19 pandemic) may be excluded from the ten-year limit and must be explained in the nomination letter. Under a nominee’s appointment, they will be able to supervise students and publish research results.
Selection Committee
The Selection Committee will be comprised of the following members:
- Vice-Principal Research or delegate
- Recipients (three) of major awards (e.g., Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, Tri-Agency, etc.)
- Associate Vice-Principal (Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion) or delegate
- One graduate student
- One undergraduate student
Nominations
In alignment with the relative size of Queen’s Faculties, Deans are invited to submit up to the maximum number of nominations annually as outlined below:
- Faculty of Arts and Science – up to three nominations
- Faculty of Education – one nomination
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science – up to two nominations
- Faculty of Health Sciences – up to three nominations, one of which is reserved for clinician researchers
- Faculty of Law – one nomination
- Smith School of Business – one nomination
Each nomination must include the following:
A nomination letter (maximum two pages) from the Dean of the researcher’s Faculty outlining:
- The rationale for the nomination
- The nominee’s research contributions and promise of future distinction
- Why the nominee deserves an award as an outstanding emerging researcher
The nominee’s full curriculum vitae (maximum 20 pages), which includes the following:
- Publications
- Invited lectures
- Prizes and awards received
- Graduate students supervised
Two letters of reference from individuals who are experts in the nominee’s field
- Referees should not be present or former collaborators of the nominee (Note: anyone with whom the nominee has co-authored publications or who has supervised the nominee is considered a collaborator of the nominee)
- Referees should be external to Queen’s University
- A short biographical note should be included for each referee
Citation for nominee (maximum 100 words), which will be read at convocation when the recipient receives their prize
Please note that nomination and reference letters should be persuasive, rather than summarizing factual information about the nominee’s scholarly output and publication record, and should achieve the following:
- Explain convincingly to a non-specialist audience the significance of the nominee’s discoveries and work, and
- Make clear in what way(s) the nominee’s work is especially original, creative, or path-breaking
Prize Presentation
Recipients will typically receive their prize at spring convocation.