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Royal Society of Canada Medals and Awards
This pre-call framework is based on previous Royal Society of Canada Awards and Medals competitions and is subject to change based on updates from the RSC.
The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) offers a variety of prestigious medals and awards recognizing outstanding achievements of Canadian scholars. It is the responsibility of Fellows of the RSC to nominate candidates for these honours, and they are explicitly invited to do so every year.
Note: Candidates are not required to be a Fellow of the RSC.
More Information on RSC Medals and Awards
Awards
In the 2027 competition, the following awards will be offered:
In the humanities and social sciences:
- Kitty Newman Award - Outstanding contributions from an emerging scholar in the field of philosophy
- Pierre Chauveau Medal - Distinguished contribution to knowledge in the humanities
- RSC Eric Jackman Prize - Path-breaking and sustained scientific contributions to preventing harm, strengthening resilience, or otherwise benefiting humankind through research in one or more behavioural and social science fields
- RSC Prize for Indigenous Engagement - Outstanding contributions including research / scholarship, advancement of Indigenous knowledge, and engagement with reconciliation
- Sir John William Dawson Medal - Contributions in two domains of interest to the RSC or in interdisciplinary research
- Yvan Allaire Medal - Outstanding contributions in governance of public and private organizations
In science and engineering:
- Henry Marshall Tory Medal - Outstanding research in any branch of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or an allied science
- Jason A. Hannah Medal - For an important publication in the history of medicine
- John L. Synge Award - For outstanding research in any of the branches of the mathematical sciences
- McLaughlin Medal - Important research of sustained excellence in medical science
- Michael P. Païdoussis Medal - Recognition of an individual who has made outstanding contributions to research, education, and leadership in applied mechanics
- Miroslaw Romanowski Medal - Scientific work relating to environmental problems
- Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry (Medal) - For research in chemistry (preference will be given to candidates who have received their PhD within the previous 15 years)
- Rutherford Memorial Medal in Physics (Medal) - For research in physics (preference will be given to candidates who have received their PhD within the previous 15 years)
- Sir John William Dawson Medal - Contributions in two domains of interest to the RSC or in interdisciplinary research
Nomination Process
Nominees must be Canadian citizens or have been Canadian residents for the past three years. Nominations for the awards must be made by either:
- a fellow of the RSC, or
- the president of the university.
If the nomination is to be made by the president of the university, the process of securing and acquiring the nomination letter must be managed through Western Research Awards & Distinctions and initiated by September 15, 2026 (rwprizes@uwo.ca).
A full nomination package (for all awards except Michael P. Païdoussis) will consist of:
- the nomination form
- the letter of nomination from the primary nominator
- a 70-word citation
- a 1200-word appraisal of the nominee’s work and suitability for the award
- a CV (max. 20 pages)
- three letters of reference (max. 750 words)
- a biography statement for each of the letter writers (max. 250 words).
The Michael P. Païdoussis Medal nomination package will consist of:
- nomination form
- a nomination letter (maximum three pages)
- three reference letters (maximum two pages each)
- CV (maximum five pages)
- a complete publication list (no page limit)
- list of candidate’s best ten publications related to applied mechanics
Note: The nominator must be a member of a national (of any country) or international academy, or a member of a national committee for IUTAM the nomination form.
RSC Resources (2027 information will be coming soon)
- Nomination Guide
- Nomination Form
- Letter Templates
EDID Supports
Western Research offers support and resources for knowledge mobilization, Indigenous Research, and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization. You can complete a request for support form to receive more information or request additional support. If you are unsure if your project involves Indigenous research, it is recommended that you contact Western Research early for determination and support.
Deadline and Submission
| Date | Required Steps |
|---|---|
| September 15 | Nominee or Primary Nominator notifies the Awards & Distinctions Team of intent to nominate if you wish to have Institutional Coordination and support of your nomination (send your name or the name of your candidate by email to rwprizes@uwo.ca). |
| September 29 | Current CV and list of all potential Nominators and Referees submitted to the Awards & Distinctions Team |
| November 17 |
ORS will not provide support for securing referees beyond this date. |
| December 11 | Complete dossiers submitted to the Awards & Distinctions Team |
| December 15 | Final submission by the Awards & Distinctions Team of complete dossiers to the Royal Society of Canada |
Institutional Coordination and Support
The Awards & Distinctions Team will provide support for nominations, including:
- Assistance with identifying suitable nominators and referees
- Outreach to nominators and referees to secure support, providing them with required materials and guidelines, assisting with developing letter content, performing quality checks for formatting and regulation adherence, identifying the strongest letters for submission
- Drafting letters of nomination and co-nomination and obtaining approvals and signatures
- Support for developing all written materials, and providing feedback and review
- Assistance with finding additional reviewers among RSC Fellows (internal to Western or external as needed)
- Completing online portal registration and creating nomination forms
- Document management: collecting and compiling all letters, forms, and written documents to create a dossier submission according to RSC guidelines
- Uploading of final nominations to the online portal by the RSC deadline
Contact Us
Interested parties are encouraged to contact rwprizes@uwo.ca regarding this award and the nomination process.