2023 Eyes High Postdoctoral Match-Funding Program (Spring)

Eligibility

By proposed award start date, applicants must be eligible to hold an appointment as a new Postdoctoral Associate under the identified supervisor, in accordance with Article 5 of the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. Individuals should not hold a postdoctoral appointment at the time of application.   

Applications from individuals who are already started their appointment as a University of Calgary postdoctoral scholar will not be accepted; however, individuals who have received an offer letter with a future start date, and duties have not commenced prior to receipt of successful competition results, will be eligible to receive the award.

Applicants must provide a letter of support from their proposed supervisor committing to provide a $25,000.00 annual component of the award plus employer paid benefits (Plan C), CPP, EI, and WCB for the entire award period including the renewal year (i.e. a total of two years). The letter must acknowledge that the supervisor has reviewed and is familiar with the award terms stated here including the incentive funding in the event that the awardee successfully secures other fellowship funding. Supervisors of international postdocs are also responsible for the $230 Compliance Fee Payment to support the work permit application.   

Summary

The Eyes High Postdoctoral Match-Funding Program is designed to support University of Calgary faculty to recruit and support outstanding postdoctoral scholars. 

This program will award partial salary support for postdoctoral associates who will be highly competitive for external awards and will help advance the University of Calgary’s strategic research and innovation plan. Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis.

This funding is intended for individuals who will be new postdoctoral scholars at UCalgary at the start of their appointment.

Applications are to be submitted by the individual applying to be an Eyes High Postdoctoral Fellowship holder, and not by their faculty supervisor.

Individuals holding this award must apply for all fellowship awards for which they are eligible, with a priority focus on extramural awards including those from provincial or national agencies. Renewal of the Eyes High award for the second year is contingent on the award holder having met this requirement. The Eyes High award cannot be combined with any award of equal or greater value (extramural or intramural), and any new funding awarded during the tenure of the Eyes High must be activated on the earliest possible date allowed under the terms of the new funding.  

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

This application does not require an institutional signature; Research Services is not required to sign this application.

Application Requirements

You must provide the following in your online application form:

• Contact information
• PhD completion information
• Contact information for 2 references
  • Ensure that your referees submit letters of reference to vprawards@ucalgary.ca on or before the application deadline. We will not be contacting referees to request letters. 
  • Do not list your proposed UCalgary supervisor as a reference
• Proposed research project title

All documents must be on 8.5x11 pages, single-spaced with minimum margins of 2 cm and minimum font size of 11 in Arial font. 

Attach the following as a single PDF, in the order listed below: Please include your first and last name in the PDF file attachment name
e.g. "Last Name, First Name Application.pdf"):

1. Completed Eyes High Matching Fellowship Research Project Summary form

• The summary form is available for download here.

2. Research project proposal 2 pages maximum, plus 1 page references

• Briefly describe the impact and significance of your previous research and creative contributions. Include evidence of research leadership if possible, considering the stage and nature of your career path.
• Briefly summarize your research project in terms of novelty / originality, feasibility, and expected impact (e.g. for discovery, society, policy, practice, innovation, etc.

3. CV Include list of publications, and awards and scholarships received.

4. Confirmation of PhD degree completion (not required if degree is pending)

5. Faculty supervisor's statement 1 page maximum

• Include match-funding confirmation.
• Outline how the supervisor’s current research, training and innovation environment will support the applicant's research.
• Explain how your proposed project will align with current UCalgary research and innovation priorities.

6. Detailed plan for external funding applications 1 page maximum

• List all of the external or internal postdoctoral fellowships you have applied for, or you are planning to apply for.

We must also receive 2 letters of reference from referees to vprawards@ucalgary.ca on or before the application deadline. These must be submitted by the referees, and not by the applicant. 

Letters of reference must be on institutional letterhead and include the name, title, and signature of the referee.