SSHRC Gold Medal for Achievement in Research

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The SSHRC Gold Medal for Achievement in Research is SSHRC’s highest research honour. It is awarded to an individual whose leadership, dedication, and originality of thought have significantly advanced understanding in his or her field of research, enriched Canadian society, and contributed to the country's cultural and intellectual life.

  • Nomination deadline: To be announced

  • Nomination process: Letter of Nomination, CV Form, attachments and letters of reference

  • Winner announced: To be announced

Value

The winner receives the Gold Medal and $100,000. The funds can only be used for research, training or other academic activities.

Eligibility

Any citizen or permanent resident of Canada may nominate a candidate who meets the following criteria:

  • citizen or permanent resident of Canada at time of nomination;
  • active researcher in the social sciences and humanities; and
  • affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary public institution or with a non-profit community organization that is eligible to receive and administer SSHRC funds.

Note: Candidates may not nominate themselves. Members of SSHRC Council and past winners of the SSHRC Gold Medal can not be nominated.

Nomination Process

Electronic or faxed documents will not be accepted.

Please mail nomination packages to:

Research Training Portfolio
SSHRC
350 Albert Street
P.O. Box 1610
Ottawa, ON K1P 6G4

Each nomination package must include:

1. A covering letter that gives:

  • the name, current position, and affiliation of the nominee and of the person proposing the nomination;
  • the rationale for the nomination; and
  • the names, current positions, affiliations and areas of expertise of three referees who support the nomination.

2. An attachment of up to four pages that:

  • describes and documents the nominee’s research achievements;
  • provides examples of the nominee’s success in widely sharing and encouraging application of the knowledge that his or her research has produced in Canada and abroad; and
  • provides evidence that the outcomes of the nominee’s research have had a significant and positive impact on Canadian society, including the nation’s intellectual and cultural life.

3. The nominee’s signed curriculum vitae (must use the SSHRC Curriculum Vitae Web form). Note: Nominees may include a maximum of 15 pages of research contributions that span their entire career in the research contributions section of the SSHRC CV.

4. Letters of support from the three referees.

Referees are established authorities in the field who have not collaborated with the nominee within five years of the nomination, who are not affiliated with the nominee's institution and who do not have a personal relationship with the nominee.

Letters of support, duly dated and signed, must include the referee's name, position, affiliation, e-mail address and telephone number as well as the nominee's name and the period of time and capacity in which the referee has known the nominee.

These letters should offer an overall assessment of the nominee's accomplishments, including examples of how these achievements fulfill the evaluation criteria outlined below. Referees should not send their letters directly to SSHRC but rather back to the person making the nomination.

Note: SSHRC must honour nominees' requests to see letters of support; however, the identity of referees will not be disclosed. All information provided to SSHRC is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Evaluation

The SSHRC Gold Medal selection committee will evaluate nominations based on the following criteria:

  • exceptional quality of the nominee’s research achievements;
  • evidence of the nominee’s outstanding commitment, creativity and efforts to share research knowledge beyond the academic community;
  • enduring contribution of the nominee’s ideas and research results to Canadian society, including the nation’s intellectual and cultural life;
  • scope of the nominee's research contributions (taking into account the norms of the field of study);
  • where appropriate, international stature of the nominee.

Adjudication

A multidisciplinary committee made up of leading university researchers from Canada and abroad will choose the Gold Medallist.

Administrative Regulations

The award holder must comply with the regulations set out in the Financial Administration section of the SSHRC Grant Holder's Guide.

The SSHRC Gold Medal winner must agree to allow SSHRC to use his or her photograph to promote the awards and other SSHRC initiatives. The winner must also agree to participate fully in all award activities, including media conferences, ceremonies, receptions and other related events.

More Information

If you have any questions about the SSHRC Gold Medal for Achievement in Research, please contact:

Research Training Portfolio
SSHRC
350 Albert Street
PO Box 1610
Ottawa, ON K1P 6G4

Tel.: 613-943-7777
Fax: 613-943-1329
Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca