Documentation and application process

Documentation

The application will contain the following documentation:

Curriculum Vitae
three academic letters of reference
letter of endorsement from proposed UW supervisor that clearly justifies one of two funding models, Funding Model 1, or Funding Model 2, to be considered for the Award
two-page research proposal articulating the research program and the outreach/dissemination plan to be conducted with sufficient clarity that the adjudicating committee may assess the feasibility and significance of the work. Typically, one-page description of the applicant’s research project and how it fits with the UW supervisor’s research program, and a one-page plan for knowledge translation and engagement with non-academic agencies/communities.

Application process

1. Applicant contacts a proposed University of Waterloo faculty member in ARTS to be a supervisor

UW supervisor to provide letter of endorsement that clearly justifies one of two funding models, Funding Model 1, or Funding Model 2, to be considered for the Award

2. Applicant contacts 3 referees to provide reference letter

At least one arms-length referee and two additional reference letters must be submitted with the application. The arm’s length referee should be an expert in the field of the proposed research and should be able to assess the research proposal and academic CV in that capacity. Examples of an arm’s length referee include but are not limited to, the external examiner from the applicant’s doctoral defense or a specialist that the applicant met at a conference. It is not necessary for the applicant to have met the arm’s length referee. The arm’s length referee cannot be:

A relative, friend, or anyone else with whom the applicant has a personal relationship;
Affiliated with the applicant’s current and/or proposed institution(s);
Professionally affiliated with the applicant as a result of but not limited to:
- Being the applicant’s supervisor or trainee,
- Collaborating, publishing or sharing funding with the applicant

The other two references can be either the applicant’s doctoral research supervisor or a committee member.

Referees must be able to provide relevant evidence, perspectives and insight to support the review of the application. The assessments contribute to a major part of the evaluation of the application and its potential success. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide the referees with the information they require in order to complete an informed and strong assessment.

Reference letters must address the following criteria:

Applicant’s research excellence and demonstrated leadership in the research domain;
Merit of the applicant’s proposed research program;

Referees will be required to send a PDF copy of their letter (signed and on letterhead) that addresses the above criteria, to Anna Esselment at alesselment@uwaterloo.ca by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 1, 2023.

3. Applicant submits the application package by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 1, 2023.