Postdoctoral Fellow Excellence Award

• About

  A maximum of one award will be presented annually. The winner will represent excellence in an array of characteristics attributed to the quality of the nominee’s contribution and commitment to the Ontario Tech community.

• Eligibility

  The nominee should hold a postdoctoral fellow appointment and must have been active for a minimum of six months at Ontario Tech and have been employed in the 12 months prior to the nomination deadline.

  Nominees not selected to receive an award may be nominated in a subsequent year. Previous recipients are not eligible to be nominated.

• Nomination Process and Deadline

  The nomination may be completed by a faculty member, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow at Ontario Tech. Nominations may not be completed by the nominee.

  A complete nomination package will contain:

  • Completed nomination form
  • Supporting documentation*:

  1. Letter from the nominator(s) describing the attributes of the postdoc in relation to the award criteria outlined below (maximum 2 pages).
  2. Two letters of support from Ontario Tech students, colleagues or other community members who have closely interacted with the nominees in the past six months (maximum 2 pages).
  3. Letter of support from the postdoc supervisor, if different from nominator, including a rationale as to why the nominee qualifies for the award. If the nominator is the postdoc supervisor, then another faculty member may prepare the letter of support (maximum 2 pages).
  4. The nominee's abbreviated CV including a summary of relevant accomplishments, their academic qualifications, and their current position, and any awards or special recognitions (maximum 5 pages).

  *Supporting documentation may be submitted in one of two ways:

  • Upload the required documentation as one PDF document using the online form
  • Email the required documentation to gradexcellenceawards@ontariotechu.ca

  NOMINATION DEADLINE

  The award will normally be given out annually and will typically correspond to the SGPS Excellence Awards cycle. As such, the submission deadline for nomination packages will normally be the last week of May. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies will announce the submission dates as part of the call for nominations. 

  The 2023 nominations will open on April 17, 2023 and will close on June 1, 2023.

  Proceed to Nomination Form

• Selection Process and Award Criteria

  Excellence is broadly defined and judged on the quality of the nominee’s contribution and commitment to the Ontario Tech community. Nominees should demonstrate excellence in one or more of the following areas: 

  1. Mentorship and guidance of undergraduate and graduate students;
  2. Inspirational leadership that contributes to the prosperity and well-being of the University and the broader community;
  3. Distinguished research, knowledge creation and innovation;
  4. Community participation and volunteering that inspire pride in Oshawa and Durham communities;
  5. Contribution and initiatives that enhance SGPS and the Ontario Tech mission.

  The selection committee will be chaired by the Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or designate. The committee will consist of at least three members, including one graduate faculty member, one graduate student (which may be the Graduate Studies Committee representative) and one full-time continuing staff member from outside SGPS. A member of SGPS will participate at committee meetings as a resource. Committee membership should include at least one of the previous award winners when available. The committee will review the nomination packages and recommend the recipient to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

  All nominees will be notified of their nomination and invited to the SGPS Excellence Awards event for the announcement of the winner.
• Public Recognition and Value of the Award

  A maximum of one award will be presented annually. Each award consists of a recognition plaque from the Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The award will be publicly announced during the annual SGPS Excellence Awards ceremony.

• Winners and Nominees

  2022

  • Bernie Fitzpatrick, PhD, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS)
  • Emmanuel Galiwango, PhD, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS)
  • Joshua Wyman, PhD, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH)*

  Learn more about the 2022 SGPS Excellence Awards.

  2021

  • Beatriz Franco-Arellano, PhD, Faculty of Health Sciences (FHSc) *
  • Hussien Hegab, PhD, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS)
  • Golam Islam, PhD, Faculty of Science (FSc)
  • Linda Lara-Jacobo, PhD, Faculty of Science (FSc)
  • Mahboobeh Zabihhosseinian, PhD, Faculty of Health Sciences (FHSc)

  Learn more about the 2021 SGPS Excellence Awards.

  2020

  • James Burkitt, PhD, Faculty of Health Sciences (FHSc)*
  • Max Poschmann, PhD, Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science (FESNS)

  Learn more about the 2020 SGPS Excellence Awards.

  
  

  *denotes winner