Prestigious awards

Prestigious awards are an opportunity for University of Waterloo researchers to be recognized and rewarded by external organizations for the value of their research.  

The Waterloo Awards Committee promotes and facilitates the submission of high-quality nominations of Waterloo scholars across all disciplines for prestigious awards and honorific titles.

The list below provides detail categorized by discipline with further detail about eligibility requirements, etc.

Please note that deadlines or anticipated deadlines change often so check the website for the organization that is presenting the award regularly to be sure of the deadline.

Upcoming deadlines

All dates and links are anticipated but may change between now and the final deadline. Please note that many sponsors do not update their websites until 2-3 months before the deadline date. Always double-check sponsor websites before committing to a nomination.

Watch for updates on deadlines for awards in the following categories:

Request President's Letter for Prestigious Awards

If you require a letter from the President as part of an application for a prestigious award, please complete the form.

Pivot-RP

Learn more about Pivot-RP, a new searchable funding programs database, and how you can start searching for funding opportunities, access training videos, and more.

Global Excellence Initiative (GEI)

Launched in 2012 by former Governor General of Canada David Johnston, GEI promotes the recognition of Canadian research talent on the international stage by identifying and offering assistance to meritorious candidates for prestigious national and international awards.

LIST OF AWARDS DUE JANUARY TO APRIL

All dates and nomination requirements are subject to change. Please consult the sponsor’s websites before committing to a course of action. 

Due date Award
Continuous Alexandre Lamfalussy Senior Research Fellowship - Bank for International Settlements
Rolling deadline Order of Canada
January 15 (annually) William Sanders Scarborough Prize
January 15 (annually) Massey Medal
January 17 (anticipated) Awards for Excellence in Cancer Research (Canadian Cancer Society)
January 18 Swedish Steel Prize
January 20 (anticipated) Volvo Environment Prize
January 28 (anticipated) NSERC Science Exposed
January 30 (anticipated) Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
January 31 (anticipated) Albert Einstein World Award of Science
January 31 (anticipated) Jose Vasconcelos Word Award of Education
January 31 (anticipated) Japan Prize in Science and Technology
January 30 Gerda Henkel Prize
January 31 (anticipated) Energy Globe Award
January 31 Welch Award in Chemistry
January 31 (annually) Canadian Association of Geographers Awards
February 1 Harvey Prize
February 1 AAAS Martin and Rose Wachtel Cancer Research Award
February 6 (Biennial nomination in odd years) Canadian Cancer Research Alliance
February 8 Article of Year (CIHR-IHSPR) (CAHSPR)

February 10 (Internal NOI)

April 24 (anticipated)

 Stein Rokkan Prize
February 16 (anticipated) Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research
February 23 (anticipated) Premier Royal Society (UK) Medals and Awards
February 23 (anticipated) Rumelhart Prize
February 23 (anticipated) Copley Medal
February 26 (anticipated) John H. Chapman Award of Excellence
February 27 (anticipated) 25 Women in Science Program
February 27 Minister of Colleges and Universities Awards of Excellence
February 28 Grawemeyer Award in Psychology
March 1 Achievement Awards - ARVO Foundation for Eye Research (AFER) - Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

March 1 (Internal NOI to nominate)

Sponsor deadline: May 28 (anticipated)

 WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100
March 1 American Statistical Association
March 1 Society of Women Engineers
March 6 (anticipated) Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Fellowship
March 10 (anticipated) Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards
March 15 (anticipated) Science & PINS Prize
March 15 Ida B. Wells-Troy Duster Award
March 15 (anticipated) Balzan Prize
March 15 Harvey Prize
March 20 Charles Pankow Award for Innovation - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
March 31 King Faisal International Prize in Science
March 31 Early-career scientist prize in atomic, molecular and optical physics - International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
March 31 (anticipated) Order of Ontario
April 1 (anticipated) SSHRC Impact Awards
April 1 (anticipated biennially in odd years - 2025) Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize
April 1 Oral History Association - Book Award
April 1 Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Award
April 1 (anticipated) Breakthrough Prizes
April 1 Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering
April 3 Community-Based Research Canada
April 3 (anticipated) High Performance Computing Excellence Award
April 12 (anticipated) International Cosmos Prize
April 14 (anticipated) Innovators in Science Award
April 15 2024 CIHR-ICRH/CCCS Distinguished Lecturer Award in Critical Care Sciences
April 15 2024 CIHR-ICRH/CCCS Mid-Career Lecturer Award in Critical Care Sciences
April 17; 2 p.m. Vietnam Time, GMT +7 (anticipated) VinFuture Prize
April 20 (anticipated) Research Canada Leadership Award
April 20 American Public Health Association Award
April 30 (anticipated) Marcus Wallenberg Prize
April 30; until 10 p.m. UTC (anticipated) The Einstein Foundation Award for Promoting Quality in Research

LIST OF AWARDS DUE MAY TO AUGUST

All dates and nomination requirements are subject to change. Please consult the sponsor’s websites before committing to a course of action. 

Due date Award
May 1 World Food Prize
May 1 Modern Language Association - Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prizes
May 1 Modern Language Association - William Sanders Scarborough Prize
May 2 (anticipated) Emerging Leader in Advocacy Award - Research Canada
May 6 (anticipated) CCS Recognition Awards - Canadian Cardiovascular Society
May 8 Canada's Volunteer Awards - Government of Canada
May 15 Achievement Medals - Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
May 15 (anticipated) NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award
May 22 (anticipated) Dorothy Killam Fellowship

Internal NOI to Nominate: March 1

May 28 (anticipated)

 WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100
May 29 (anticipated) Killam Prizes
May 29 RSC Eric Jackman Prize
May 29 RSC Prize for Indigenous Engagement
May 30 (anticipated) Bower Award & Prize for Achievement in Science
May 31 Ciprian Foias Prize in Operator Theory
May 31 Ruth Lyttle Satter Prize in Mathematics
May 31  Oswald Veblen Prize in Geometry
May 31 SAE International Award for Commercial Vehicle Innovation honouring Magnus Hendrickson
May 31 Award for Mathematics Programs that Make a Difference
May 31 David P. Robbins Prize
June 1 Joseph B. Gittler Award
June 1 (anticipated) Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts
June 1 (anticipated) USERN Prize
June 1 John von Neumann Theory Prize
June 1 (anticipated) The Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application
June 3 W.K.H. Panofsky Prize in Experimental Particle Physics
June 3 Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science
June 5 (anticipated) Paul Corkum Fellowship
June 7 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
June 10 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame - Laureate
June 14 Dirac Medal - Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
June 14 (anticipated) Trailblazer Awards - Canadian Science Policy Centre
June 14 (anticipated) Science Policy Youth Award - Canadian Science Policy Centre
June 15 The WLA Prize (World Laureates Association Prize - WLA Foundation)
June 15 (annually) Holberg International Memorial Prize
June 15 (annually) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Medal of Honour
June 15 (anticipated) Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology

Internal NOI: June 22

Internal deadline (to submit materials): July 6 (anticipated)

August 31 (anticipated, annual)

 Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences
June 24 (anticipated) CANIE Awards
June 28 (anticipated) Research Fellow Award Program - MMRF
June 30 (anticipated) Marconi Prize
June 30 AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science
June 30 AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science
June 30 (anticipated) Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award
June 30 (anticipated) BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Awards
July 1 Early Career Award - American Astronomical Society (AAS)
July 1 The Laboratory Astrophysics Prize - American Astronomical Society (AAS)
July 1 Article Prize - Nineteenth Century Studies Association (NCSA)
July 1 Emerging Scholars Award - Nineteenth Century Studies Association (NCSA)
July 8 (anticipated) L'Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science

Internal deadline: July 15 (anticipated)

Sponsor deadline: September 30 (anticipated)

 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence (CMC microsystems)
July 15 Health Research Foundation - Medal of Honour
July 15 Canada Gairdner - Momentum Award
July 21 (anticipated) Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards - Women & Gender Constituency
July 23 Health Research Foundation - Diversity and equity award
July 26 Healthcare Technologies Student and Early Career awards (J.A. Lodge Award) - IET
July 31 (anticipated) Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals - Merit Awards
July 31 The Women in Tech® Global Awards
August 1 Chemical Institute of Canada and related chemistry awards
August 4 (anticipated) The Ryman Prize
August 5 Jan Tinbergen awards - International Statistical Institute
August 5 Founders of Statistics Prize for Contemporary Research Contributions - ISI
August 6 Samsung AI Researcher of the Year
Internal: August 8 (anticipated); 
Sponsor: September 6 (anticipated)		 Governor General's Innovation Awards [Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences]
August 8 SPIE Awards Program - Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
August 8 Pharmacy Cares Awards - ASHP Foundation
August 9 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
August 12 International Mobility Innovation Award for People with Disabilities - SAE
August 15 Bioengineering journal lectureship award
August 15 Marine Institute Research for Policy Awards - Marine Institute
August 23 (anticipated) Future of Nature award
August 23 (anticipated) Housing Research Awards - CMHC SCHL
August 31 (anticipated, annual) Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award - Brandeis University
August 31 (anticipated) Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences
August 31 Sarah Sayce Award for Sustainability Research - Property Research Trust
August 31 Polymers Journal young investigator award

LIST OF AWARDS DUE SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER

All dates and nomination requirements are subject to change. Please consult the sponsor’s websites before committing to a course of action. 

Due date Award
September 1 (anticipated) Abel Prize
September 2 Affiliated & Junior-Senior Core Fellowships - Institute for Advanced Study CEU
September 4 Clinician scientist fellowship - Medical Research Council & UK Research and Innovation

Notification of intent (non-binding): September 5

Internal Deadline: September 19, 2025

Sponsor Deadline: October 17, 2025 – new deadline

 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence (CMC microsystems)

Expression of Interest (non-binding): September 8 – contact awards@uwaterloo.ca

Internal Deadline: September 22** 

Sponsor Deadline: November 4 

 Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity
September 8 Turner Fellowship - Cambridge Conservation Initiative
September 8 Medicina Journal Young Investigator Award

Notice of Intent to Apply (non-binding): September 12, 2025

Internal Deadline: September 15, 2025

Sponsor Deadline: September 29, 2025

 2026 Governor General's Innovation Awards [Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences]
September 12 Sarah Jones Award - Research Data Alliance
October 13 Dr. A.H. Heineken Prizes
September 15 (for 2027 award) Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award - Franklin Institute
September 15 (anticipated) Borealis Scientific Innovation Award
September 15 CNC-IUPAC - Travel Awards
September 15 Sloan Research Fellowships
September 15 AACR Team Science Award
September 15 Global Young Academy - Call for new members

Notification of Intent to apply: (non-binding): September 15

Internal Deadline: September 30**

Sponsor Deadline: November 15

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship
September 16 (anticipated) John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship
September 18 (anticipated) Stockholm Water Prize
September 19 CultTech x Ars Electronica Award - Ars Electronica & Austrian Broadcasting Company
September 20 (anticipated) Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health Program - Global Brain Health Institute
September 21 Junior Digital Humanism Fellowships - Vienna Institute for Human Sciences
September 22 Research Hero - Wiley
September 24 Visiting Researchers Programme - BOFIT

September 26 (Internal)

November 1 (Sponsor)

 Frontiers Planet Prize
September 27 Research Chair on Major Societal Changes (Europe & Democracy) - Paris Institute for Advanced Study
September 30 Bavarian Pioneer Award - Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities
September 30 Alain Bensoussan Fellowships - European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics
September 30 SAE International Award for Safety in Transportation Honoring Arnold W. Siegel
September 30 Paul Bunge Prize - German Chemical Society
September 30 (anticipated) Young Aboriginal Entrepreneur Award - CCAB
September 30 Electronics Journal Young Investigator Award
September 30 Research Fellowship - Bank of International Settlement
September 30 Dan David Prize
October 1 (biennially) Kavli Prize
October 1 Optica Awards
October 1 Franz Edelman Award - INFORMS
October 1 (anticipated) The John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
October 1 (annually) Canada Gairdner International Award
October 1 (anticipated) Women Leaders in Digital Health Awards - Digital Health Canada
October 2 International Chairs Programme - INRIA
October 3 Outstanding Case Writer Hot Topic Competition - Case Centre
October 7 (3 p.m. ET) Northern Science Award
October 13 (anticipated) Kurt Lewin Award
November 13 Governor General's Innovation Awards [Universities Canada]
October 14 Sylvia Lane Mentor Fellowship - Agricultural & Applied Economics Association
October 14 Faculty Fellowships - Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study
October 17 (anticipated) Rolex Awards for Enterprise
October 18 Max Weber Fellowships - European University Institute
October 21 Association for Computing Machinery Awards

Internal Deadline: October 27

Sponsor Deadline: December 15 before 8:00 p.m. (ET)

 NSERC McDonald Fellowships
October 31 Individual Fellowships - Stellenbosch University
October 31 Young Scientist Lectureship Award - International Society for Neurochemistry
October 31 (annually) Blue Planet Prize
October 31 (biennially) Millennium Technology Prize
October 31 IUPAC-Zhejiang Nhu International Award for Advancement in Green Chemistry
November 1 Biochemical Society Awards
November 1 Fellowships - Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University
November 1 (anticipated) BII and Science Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women's Health
November 1 BII and Science Prize for Innovation - Science
November 1 College for Life Sciences Fellowship - Institute for Advances study in Berlin
November 1 Wolf Prize
November 1 John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity - Library of Congress
November 1 (anticipated; annually) Pritzker Architecture Prize
November 1 (annually) Priestley Medal
November 4 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize
November 5 (extended deadline) Molson Prize
November 8 Fondation Fyssen International Prize
November 15 Chanchlani Global Health Research Award
November 15 (before 8 p.m. ET) NSERC Award for Science Promotion
November 15 (anticipated) Eni Awards
November 20 Samuel P. Hays Research Fellowship - American Society for Environmental History

September 3, 2025 – Competition opens

November 20, 2025 – final submission

 CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program
November 28 (before 8 p.m. ET) NSERC John C. Polanyi Award
November 28 (before 8 p.m. ET) NSERC Donna Strickland Prize for Societal Impact of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
November 28 (before 8 p.m. ET) Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering
November 28 (before 8 p.m. ET) NSERC Brockhouse Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering 
November 30 (anticipated) Bank of Canada - Governor’s Award & Fellowship Award
November 30 Leonardo da Vinci's World Award of Arts
November 30 Hagley Prize
November 30 Simon-Widmer Award - Swiss Chemical Society
December 2 Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award
December 1 (anticipated) John Charles Polanyi Prizes - Council of Ontario Universities
December 6 NSERC Synergy Awards for Innovation
December 11 (anticipated) Governor General's Performing Arts Awards
December 15 RSC College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists
December 15 Fellow of Royal Society of Canada
December 15 Royal Society of Canada - medals and awards
December 15 (anticipated) Governor General's International Award in Canadian Studies
December 15 Gruber Prizes
December 16 CIHR-The Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) Trailblazer Award in Population and Public Health Research
December 18 APSA-IPSA Theodore J Lowi first book award - International Political Science Association
December 31 International Hydrology Prize
December 31 Carl Friedrich Fauss Prize - International Mathematical Union
Rolling deadline Benjamin Franklin Medals

Recent presentations

Recent awards stories

Dr. Alfred Yu (centre) receives the IEEE's 2025 Carl Hellmuth Hertz Award
Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Alfred Yu awarded 2025 Carl Hellmuth Hertz Award

Dr. Alfred Yu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and the University of Waterloo’s associate vice-president of partnerships, entrepreneurship and commercialization, recently received the 2025 Carl Hellmuth Hertz Award, presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), for his extensive contributions to ultrasound imaging technology and therapeutic ultrasound.

  • RSC recognizes research excellence at Waterloo

    The Royal Society of Canada welcomes five new fellows and one RSC college member from University of Waterloo

  • Sepehr Assadi receives 2025 Presburger Award

    Recognized for groundbreaking work on lower bounds in multi-pass streaming algorithms

  • Waterloo faculty member named a 2025 Fellow of the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences

    Professor Craig S. Kaplan has been named a 2025 Fellow of the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences

  • Waterloo Environment professor receives the prestigious Molson Prize and a guest professorship

    Dr. Clapp was awarded the Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize and guest professorship from the Swedish Research Concil

  • Linda Nazar awarded prestigious Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship

    Nazar will accelerate research on new battery technologies, aligning it with the NRC's Critical Battery Materials Initiative

  • University of Waterloo President appointed to Order of Ontario

    Vivek Goel recognized for his outstanding leadership and contribution to the province

  • Waterloo and the Order of Ontario

    Waterloo luminaries figure among members of the Order, including two graduates, one faculty member and one past chancellor

  • Environment researcher awarded for their contribution to international law literature

    Dr. Neil Craik was awarded the 2024 Canadian Council on International Law’s Scholarly Book Award

  • Professor elected a fellow of geographical society

    Dr. Alexander Wong has been elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society