The Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has released its call for nominations for the 2019 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);
• Talent Award recognizing outstanding achievement by an individual who, on April 1, 2019, holds a SSHRC Doctoral or Postdoctoral Fellowship or Scholarship ($50,000).

Nomination Process

The University of Toronto may submit one nomination to each award competition per year. As such, I am establishing a small advisory committee of representatives from across the social sciences and humanities to review nominations to select the University’s nominees for 2019.

To submit a candidate for consideration by the University of Toronto committee, please consult with your Divisional/Faculty Awards Coordinator or Officer to identify any internal deadlines and review processes specific to your academic division; for the Talent Award, please consult with the graduate coordinator for the nominee’s unit. Internal nominations require the candidate’s CV and the two-page internal nomination form for the relevant award, available via each award page linked above, to be submitted to vpri.awards@utoronto.ca by Monday, January 21, 2019. 

One candidate will be selected for each award, and 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, 2019.

For further information, please contact your Divisional/Faculty Awards Coordinator/Officer.