SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
October 2011 Competition
| Overview |
| Value |
$38,000 per year plus a research allowance of up to $5,000 |
| Duration |
12 to 24 months |
| Application deadline |
October 6, 2011 (Closed) |
| Results announced |
February 2012 |
| Apply |
Web CV, application and instructions |
Objectives
Description
Value and Duration
Eligibility
Application Process
Evaluation and Adjudication
Administrative Regulations and Related Information
Related Funding Opportunities
Contact Information
Objectives
SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships support the most promising Canadian new scholars in the social sciences and humanities and assist them in establishing a research base at an important time in their research careers.
Description
SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships provide stipendiary support to recent PhD graduates who are:
- undertaking original research;
- publishing research findings;
- developing and expanding personal research networks;
- broadening their teaching experience; and
- preparing to become competitive in national research grants competitions.
Fellowships will normally be awarded to candidates affiliated with a university other than that which awarded the PhD. SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship awards are tenable at Canadian or foreign universities and research institutions.
Value and Duration
SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $38,000 per year, plus an accountable research allowance of up to $5,000 per award. These are taxable, non-renewable fellowships, tenable for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. The award may begin on the first of any month between May 2012 and January 2013.
Eligibility
To apply to this funding opportunity, applicants must:
- be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada (by the application deadline);
- have earned a first doctorate from a recognized university no earlier than October 1, 2008 (date all degree requirements were completed, not the date of graduation), or have completed a first doctorate no earlier than October 1, 2005, but have had their career interrupted or delayed for the purpose of maternity, childrearing, illness, or health-related family responsibilities;
- not hold a tenure or tenure-track faculty position;
- have finalized arrangements for affiliation with a recognized university or research institution;
- have applied not more than twice before to the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships funding opportunity;
- not be applying in the 2011-12 academic year to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships program or the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Postdoctoral Fellowships program; and
- not have already received a postdoctoral fellowship from SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR.
Applicants who obtain their PhD from a foreign university are eligible to apply only if they wish to hold their award at a Canadian university.
Applicants are eligible to apply to hold their award at a foreign university only if their PhD was earned at a Canadian university.
Eligibility to Hold a Fellowship
To hold the award, applicants must:
- have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree before taking up the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships award, or, at the latest, by December 31, 2012;
- engage in full-time postdoctoral research for the period of the award; and
- not hold or have held a tenure or a tenure-track position or hold any other employment.
Applicants who do not complete all requirements for their doctoral degree by December 31, 2012, will have their offer of an award withdrawn. Note that withdrawn or declined awards will be included in the calculation of the three-application limit for this funding opportunity.
Federal government employees are eligible to hold a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship award only if they are on an unpaid leave of absence (no salary or special allowances permitted).
Research Eligibility
It is the subject matter and the objectives and content of a proposal, rather than research methodology or the institutional affiliation of the applicant, that determine research eligibility. Research programs proposing only the adaptation of doctoral theses for publication, the editing of textbooks, translation, or the acquisition of a foreign language are ineligible. In other words, the research proposed in the application for a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship must be significantly different and distinct from, or add significantly to, that related to the doctoral thesis.
Application Process
Before submitting their application, applicants must ensure that they meet the requirements specified under Eligibility. Applicants must complete and submit only one application form, together with the CV and the required attachments. Instructions for filling out the application form and CV are available within the form used by applicants to create their online submission.
Evaluation and Adjudication
Evaluation Criteria
Multidisciplinary selection committees evaluate applicants solely on academic merit, measured by:
- fellowships, scholarships or other awards obtained;
- previous research experience and/or publications;
- the duration of the doctoral studies;
- originality, potential significance and feasibility of the proposed program of work;
- comments of the referees and of the supervisor at the intended place of tenure; and
- appropriateness of the intended place of tenure, evidenced by the institutional nomination form.
In order to assess the overall merit of an application, each application is evaluated on the basis of the applicant’s track record and proposed program of work. Both criteria are weighted equally and are assigned a score between 0 (lowest possible) and 5 (highest possible).
Competition Process
For all applicants:
Step 1: On or before the deadline, the applicant submits to SSHRC his or her completed application and supporting documents.
Step 2: SSHRC staff review all applications and forward eligible applications to the multidisciplinary selection committees.
Step 3: The multidisciplinary selection committees evaluate all eligible applications and make recommendations regarding funding. Committee recommendations are subject to approval by SSHRC.
Step 4: SSHRC informs all applicants of the outcome of their applications in February of each year. Results are not provided by telephone or email.
Administrative Regulations and Related Information
SSHRC reserves the right to determine the eligibility of applications it receives, based on the information therein. SSHRC also reserves the right to interpret the regulations governing its funding opportunities set out in its published materials.
All applicants and fellowship holders must comply with the Regulations Governing Fellowship Applications and with the regulations set out in the Award Holder's Guide.
For descriptions of SSHRC terms, see Definitions of Terms.
Related Funding Opportunities
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
These new postdoctoral fellowships are awarded to the very best Canadian and international postdoctoral researchers to develop their leadership potential and position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow.
SSHRC Postdoctoral Prize
This annual prize is awarded to the most outstanding recipient of a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Sport Participation Research Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowship Supplements
These supplements are designed to help support SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders doing policy-relevant research on participation in sport in Canada.
Insight Program
The goal of the Insight program is to build knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world by supporting research excellence in all subject areas eligible for funding from SSHRC.
Contact Information
For more information about SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships, please visit the Resource Centre. If you have additional questions, please contact:
SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
Research Training Portfolio
Tel.: 613-943-7777
Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca