From: Ted Sargent, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives
Date: December 18, 2020
Re: Call for Nominations – SSHRC Impact Awards 2021 (PDAD&C #35)

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has released its call for nominations for the 2021 Impact Awards. I encourage you to share this information widely and consider preparing nominations of your colleagues.

The Impact Awards recognize outstanding researchers and celebrate their research achievements, research training, knowledge mobilization, and outreach activities funded partially or entirely by SSHRC. The five awards are:

Gold Medal for sustained leadership, dedication and originality of thought ($100,000);

Insight Award for outstanding achievement arising from a research project funded partially or completely by SSHRC ($50,000);

Connection Award for an outstanding SSHRC-funded initiative to facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the academic community ($50,000);

Partnership Award recognizing a SSHRC-funded formal partnership for its outstanding achievement in advancing research, research training, or knowledge mobilization ($50,000); and

Talent Award recognizing outstanding achievement by an individual who, on April 1, 2021, holds a SSHRC doctoral or postdoctoral fellowship or scholarship ($50,000).

Nomination Process

Awards coordinators or officers in each Division/Faculty are working with my office to meet the internal and external deadlines outlined below and can inform you of review processes specific to your academic division.

The University of Toronto may submit one nomination to each award competition per year.As such, I have established an advisory committee of representatives from across the social sciences and humanities to review nominations and select the University’s nominees for 2021.

To submit a candidate for consideration by the University of Toronto internal committee, please consult with your Divisional/Faculty award coordinator/officer and complete the following steps:

1. Express your intent to nominate to vpri.awards@utoronto.ca by January 20, 2021.
2. Complete the two-page internal nomination form for the relevant award, available via each award information page linked above, and submit it with the candidate’s CV to vpri.awards@utoronto.ca by 12:00 noon on January 27, 2021.

One candidate will be selected for each award. My team will work with Divisional offices and with the School of Graduate Studies to facilitate the development of full nominations and ensure their submission to SSHRC by its deadline of April 1, 2021.

For further information, please contact your Divisional/Faculty awards coordinator/officer.