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SSHRC Impact Awards and Gold Medal - 2025

SSHRC Impact Awards are designed to build on and sustain Canada’s research-based knowledge culture in the social sciences and humanities. The awards recognize outstanding researchers and celebrate their achievements in research, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities funded partially or completely by SSHRC.

Award funds are to be used for activities that promote and extend the work being honoured, and at least 10% must be used to promote the recipient’s research achievements.

• Gold Medal ($100,000): SSHRC's highest research honour. It is awarded to individuals whose sustained leadership, dedication and originality of thought have inspired students and colleagues alike. Recipients' achievements in research will have significantly advanced understanding in their research fields in the social sciences and humanities.
• Insight Award ($50,000): Recognizes outstanding achievement arising from a research project funded partially or completely by SSHRC. It is given to an individual or team whose project has resulted in significant contribution to knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.
• Connection Award ($50,000): Recognizes an outstanding SSHRC funded initiative to facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge. It is awarded to an individual or team whose project has engaged the campus and/or wider community and has generated intellectual, cultural, social and/or economic impacts.
• Partnership Award ($50,000): Celebrates funded formal partnership for its outstanding achievement in advancing research, research training or knowledge mobilization, or developing a new partnership approach to research and/or related activities.
• Talent Award ($50,000): Recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual who, on April 1, 2025, holds a SSHRC doctoral scholarship or fellowship or postdoctoral fellowship. This includes, but is not limited to, a Canada Graduate Scholarship, Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship or Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Detailed Nomination information

Eligibility

Nominees for the awards must:

• be Canadian citizens or permanent residents or a “protected person” under subsection 95(2) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, by the nomination deadline;
• hold or have held SSHRC funding pertinent to the Award; and
• maintain affiliation with an eligible institution for the duration of the Impact Award.

Nomination Process

Western Internal Selection

Expression of Interest (EOI): January 15, 2025

Each institution may submit only one nomination for each award category in a given year. Accordingly, anyone wishing to nominate a colleague or be considered for nomination in any category must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to rwprizes@uwo.ca. Please include the name of the nominee and the SSHRC Impact Award category. 

Internal Adjudication Submission: January 31, 2025

*required in the event of multiple nominees in any 2024 SSHRC Impact Award category

• A draft letter or nomination ratione (two-three pages) that outlines how you/your nominee meets the criteria outlined on the  SSHRC Impact Award website, specifically:
  • the program of research, research activities, and achievements relevant to the award category;
  • the overall contribution to their field(s) of research;
  • the level of engagement with, and the quality and scope of training and mentoring;
  • evidence that outcomes resulted in significant and positive impacts, relative to discipline-specific norms, in Canada and/or internationally.
• The nominee’s current CV (any version) *note that a TCV will be required for the final submission to SSHRC.

All received submissions will be screened for eligibility and will be reviewed and ranked by a central selection committee, chaired by the Vice President (Research) or designate from the nominees. The committee composition will be selected from the Western College of Reviewers. Committee members will represent a balance across broad research and scholarly disciplines, and will undergo customized bias and anti-racism training to provide reviewers with the knowledge and resources necessary to conduct consistent, fair and high-quality reviews.

SSHRC Nomination Process

1. Institutional nomination process (one-page maximum):
   • provided by Western Research 
2. Institutional nomination letter and rationale (three pages maximum):
   • describe the program of research, research activities, and achievements relevant to the Impact Award for which the candidate is being nominated;
   • provide a summary of the nominee’s overall contribution to their field(s) of research;
   • outline the level of engagement with, and the quality and scope of training and mentoring;
   • provide evidence that outcomes resulted in significant and positive impacts, relative to discipline-specific norms, in Canada and/or internationally; 
   • demonstrate that the outcomes resulted in significant and positive impacts in Canada and/or internationally.
3. Information supporting the nomination:
   • Include, as appropriate, a detailed list of research contributions, outcomes, and other activities mentioned in general terms in the nomination letter;
     • publications and conference presentations
     • training and supervision
     • creative outputs
     • awards and prizes
     • other research contributions and activities
     • outcomes
   • Page limits for this section are:
     • up to six pages for the Gold Medal, covering the span of the nominee’s career;
     • up to three pages for the Insight, Connection, and Partnership awards;
     • up to two pages for the Talent Award.
4. Tri-agency CV (TCV)
   • You can either complete the “My Information” section by selecting existing entries in your profile or by adding them directly. There are four main sections:
     • CV Education
     • CV Affiliations
     • CV Interruptions and Special Circumstances
     • TVC Document
   • More information about the TCV can be found through these links:
     • Western University Tri Agency CV Resources
     • SSHRC Tri Agency CV Information
5. Three letters of support (max 2 pages each) from referees. 
   • must be established authorities in the nominee’s field;
   • cannot be from Western or be individuals who are or were involved in the project or projects being put forward (excpet for the Talent Award).
   • Note: The reference letters must be provided before the nomination can be submitted to SSHRC.
6. Optional Section: Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances
   • Career interruptions: occur when researchers are taken away from their research work for an extended period of time for health, administrative, family, COVID-19 pandemic, etc.
   • Special circumstances: slowdowns in research productivity resulting from health (and/or disability-related), administrative, family, cultural or community-based responsibilities, socio-economic context, COVID-19 pandemic or other reasons (i.e., the researcher was not completely taken away from research work).

Complete 2025 Program Guidelines and Selection Process

Submission

Incomplete nominations will not be accepted.

Nomination packages will be submitted by the nominee using the Convergence Portal.

* Nominations must have received institutional endorsement prior to submission.

EDID Supports

Dedicated support and resources for Indigenous research and Equity Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization in research are available through the Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team. You can complete a request for support form to receive more information or book a consultation. If you are unsure if your project involves Indigenous research it is recommended that you contact the team early for determination and support.

Deadline(s)

Western internal deadline for Expression of Interest: January 15, 2025.

Internal Adjudication Submission: January 31, 2025.

Final nomination submission deadline: April 1, 2025.