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Award for Excellence in Research

University of Ottawa Award for Excellence in Research

GUIDELINES FOR NOMINATION
PAST WINNERS

Statement of policy and procedures

1. THE AWARD

1.1The University of Ottawa Award for Excellence in Research, hereinafter referred to as the award, is an award sponsored by the University of Ottawa (the University) and the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (the APUO).
1.2Starting with the academic year 1987-1988, the award replaces the Alumni Staff Research Lectureship which was established in 1963 and was last awarded in the academic year 1986-1987.
1.3The award is divided in two separate streams: Sciences (science, engineering, health sciences, medicine) and Humanities (arts, social sciences, management, education, law).
1.4Deans may make a case for their candidate to be considered in the other stream should their research align better with that of the other stream.
1.5The award will be given to two recipients, one per stream, in every academic year in which appropriate candidates are nominated.
1.6The award will be administered pursuant to policies and procedures set out herein or established in accordance with the provisions of this document.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of the award is to focus attention on research at the University of Ottawa by recognizing annually two members of its teaching staff who have earned distinction for themselves and for the University as a result of the importance and exceptional characteristics of their research work.

3. THE AWARD PRESENTATION

3.1The recipients of the award (the Researchers of the Year) will receive an honorarium, of equal value, as provided by the sponsoring organizations.
3.2There will be a formal presentation of the award at the Reception for Excellence in Research that takes place every year in the fall and in which tribute is paid to all professors who have received important awards throughout the year. There will also be a promotional campaign to highlight the recipients’ contributions and their fields of expertise, and to enhance the prestige of the Award for Excellence in Research.

4. RESEARCH AWARDS COMMITTEE

Administration of the award and selection of recipients will be the responsibility of the Committee for the University of Ottawa Award for Excellence in Research (the Committee). The composition and terms of reference of the Committee will be as set out herein.

5. SELECTION CRITERIA

5.1It is intended that the award will recognize contributions to research which have earned distinction for the researchers and for the University as a result of the importance and exceptional characteristics of their research work in any of the fields of study sponsored by the University. The term ‘research’ must be interpreted in its broadest sense, referring to any original, productive scholarship in any of the fields of learning represented in the University. Previous award recipients have often achieved an international reputation and their research has had broad impact. The University of Ottawa strongly supports a workplace environment that removes disparities experienced by the designated groups in Canada: women, Indigenous Peoples in Canada, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and LGBTQI2S+ persons. To this end, the Committee will pay particular attention in ensuring Equity, Diversity and Inclusion considerations are embedded in the selection process.
5.2In general, the candidates should have already published work which is widely recognized. This will be a major part of the evidence documenting the candidate’s contributions, although there may be instances in which publication of well-recognized work is long delayed for good reasons.
5.3In the course of its deliberations, the Committee will give recognition to the following factors:
i) differences among disciplines and the special requirements of professional schools;
ii) sources and types of funding required for such work;
iii) differences in primary language of research (for example, language affects the visibility and impact of published research, funding opportunities, access to resources for realizing research, stakeholder engagement);
iv) the approach taken (for example, whether the work resulted from the efforts of several researchers of a ‘research team’ or from those of a single individual);
v) letters from external assessors who will be asked by the faculty to assess the importance of the members’ contributions within their field and how the research work influenced the discipline (the letter will specify what information allows them to state that the researchers have earned distinction for themselves and for the University as a result of the importance and exceptional characteristics of their research work).
5.4Only members with tenure, continuing appointment or on a “tenure-track” appointment, hereinafter referred to as regular members, and members of clinical departments in so far as they are actively involved at the undergraduate and graduate levels in teaching and supervision and in service to the community, are eligible for the award.

6. NOMINATION PROCEDURE

6.1A nomination for the award may be initiated by any University of Ottawa alumnus or alumna, faculty member or members, administrator or administrators. Nominations must be addressed to the Dean of the nominee’s faculty.
6.2The Faculty Teaching Personnel Committee (FTPC) will select the nomination which is to be forwarded to the Committee. The FTPC will prepare a brief in support of the selected candidate and the Dean will forward it, along with appropriate supporting documentation and their own recommendation, to the Committee.
6.3Nominations for the award should be made as objectively as possible and should be broadly based. Any relevant evidence may be submitted to the Committee.
6.4The submitted documentation must not exceed 40 pages, excluding the curriculum vitae, and must include:
a) a complete, up-to-date, OCGS model (or a curriculum vitae that contains equivalent information) of the nominee’s curriculum vitae;
b) a one to three page submission, prepared by the nominee, describing the area of research and how it has contributed to the field or discipline, in language that any member of the Committee can understand;
c) recommendations of department Chairs and Departmental Teaching Personnel Committees (DTPC), with alternative committees where necessary;
d) three letters from external assessors who will be asked by the faculty to assess the importance of the member’s contributions within their field and how the research work has influenced the discipline by specifying what information allows them to state that the researcher has earned distinction for themselves and for the University as a result of the importance and exceptional characteristics of their research work.
6.5Each faculty is entitled to submit only one nomination to the Committee.
6.6The Committee may, in exceptional circumstances, accept additional nominations.

7. PUBLIC RELATIONS

7.1The award ceremony will be organized by the Office of the President of the University of Ottawa, under the direction of and subject to approval by the Committee.
7.2The University will annually budget an amount it deems appropriate to cover publicity costs associated with the award. Publicity for the award is to be carried out by the Marketing and Communications Service of the University of Ottawa, under the direction of and subject to approval by the Committee, within limits of available funds.

8. COMPOSITION AND TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE COMMITTEE

8.1COMPOSITION The members of the Committee will be:
a) the President of APUO, ex officio, as Chair of the Committee;
b) two members appointed by the President of the University;
c) two members appointed by APUO (former recipients of the award).

The APUO will provide a secretary for the Committee.
8.2REPORTING The Committee will report concurrently to the President of the University and the Executive Committee of APUO.
8.3MANDATE The Committee will administer the award and select recipients, subject to the provisions of this document. The Committee may decline to select a recipient in any year in which it finds that none of the candidates meets the criteria set out herein.
8.4INFORMATION The Committee will make its selection on the basis of the files submitted by the candidates’ Deans and submissions by qualified persons whom the Committee invites to provide it with additional information.

9. TARGET DATES

9.1In September, the Presidents of both the University and the APUO will write to Deans to request the cooperation of the Teaching Personnel Committees in the selection of candidates and the preparation of supporting files. The APUO will send the guidelines for nominations to the faculties.
9.2The Committee is to be established at the beginning of each academic year and may start its meetings in September, should there be a need to review procedures and selection criteria in light of preceding years’ experience.
9.3Nominations must be submitted to the Committee by the end of the third full week of January. The Committee is to complete its deliberations and select a recipient by the end of the third full week of February.

10. CONTRIBUTIONS

10.1Each sponsoring organization will determine its contribution to the honorarium from time to time, it being understood that a sponsoring organization will not decrease its contribution without at least 12 months’ notice to the other organization.
10.2Each sponsoring organizations will continue to contribute to activities related to the award on the same terms and conditions as prevailed on the date on which this document was approved by the two participating organizations.