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Royal Society of Canada Medals and Awards 2024

This pre-call framework is based on previous RSC Medals & Awards competitions and is therefore subject to change as new information is provided by 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

Awards

In the 2024 competition, the following awards will be offered:

In the humanities and social sciences:

• Innis-Gérin Medal – Distinguished and sustained contribution to the literature of the social sciences 
• J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal – Outstanding work in the history of Canada
• Lorne Pierce Medal – An achievement in critical or imaginative literature
• Ursula Franklin Award in Gender Studies – For contributions to furthering our understanding of issues concerning gender
• Yvan Allaire Medal (Medal + $5,000) – Outstanding contribution in governance of public and private organizations 

In science and engineering:

• Bancroft Award – Instruction and research in the science of geology
• Flavelle Medal – Meritorious achievement in biological science
• John L. Synge Award – 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 under forty years old)
• Rutherford Memorial Medal in Physics (Medal) – For research in physics (preference will be given to candidates under forty years old)
• Willet G. Miller Medal – Outstanding research in earth sciences and ocean & atmospheric sciences

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.

A full nomination package 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).

Note:  The Michael P. Païdoussis Medal has additional requirements.

The Guide for Nominations and Nomination Form can be found at: https://rsc-src.ca/en/awards-excellence.

Resources

Dedicated support and resources for Indigenous research and Equity Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization in research are provided through the Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team. You can access tailored and curated resources through our webpages (EDID, Indigenous Resources, Knowledge Mobilization) and you can also complete a request for support form to request a consultation and additional assistance. If you are unsure if your nomination involves Indigenous research, it is recommended that you contact the team early for determination and support.

Deadlines

Notice of Intent to Nominate (email rwprizes@uwo.ca) if you wish to have Institutional Coordination and support of your nomination is February 1, 2024.

The nomination submission deadline is March 15, 2024.

Institutional Coordination and Support

The Awards and 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

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 February 1, 2024 (rwprizes@uwo.ca).