2024 Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship

Eligibility

Applicants must have a current or prospective supervisor who is a faculty member at the University of Calgary.

Postdoctoral Scholars who have earned their PhD or equivalent degree at the University of Calgary are not eligible to apply.

For the 2024 Killam competition, applicants must have earned their PhD or equivalent degree from another institution after 1 September 2021. If the PhD is still pending, it must be completed before 1 September 2024. The award is tenable for a two-year term. Tenure of the award may commence anytime between 1 May 2024 and 1 September 2024.

The Killam Fellowship may not be held simultaneously with another fellowship of equal or greater value to the Killam. Exceptions may apply and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Summary

The Killam Scholarship and Prize Programs were established in memory of Izaak Walton Killam through the Will of his wife, Dorothy Johnston Killam, and through gifts made during her lifetime. The primary purpose is to support advanced education and research at five selected Canadian universities and the National Research Council of Canada.

Selected by a special multi-disciplinary committee, the recipient of this fellowship is an exceptional postdoctoral scholar who has obtained a PhD degree from another institution within the two years preceding the competition. The fellowship enables the postdoctoral scholar to engage in postdoctoral training at the University of Calgary, consolidate his/her/their research training, develop and initiate original research in his/her/their discipline, and contribute to the activities of the host unit.

The Killam Postdoctoral Fellow must carry out a program of independent research, present one or more departmental seminars for students and faculty, and contribute on an informal basis to other departmental activities.

Applicants must have a current or prospective supervisor who is a faculty member at the University of Calgary. Those who do not have a prearranged sponsor should contact the Department Head of the most likely host department to determine if an appropriate faculty member is available (http://contacts.ucalgary.ca/directory/departments).

The Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship is open to all faculties. Only one award is available.

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

The Fellowship is $50,000 per year for full-time research for two years, which includes a one-time $6,000 relocation and research allowance.  The award also includes an extended health and dental benefits plan. The Fellowship is subject to CPP and EI deductions and the PDAC Collective Agreement.

Tenure of the award may commence any time between 1 May 2024 and 1 September 2024.

The faculty supervisor’s obligations include advising the Scholar on getting established at the University of Calgary and, where necessary, providing laboratory facilities, materials and technical support for the scholar’s research.  The obligations of the supervisor include the provision of office space and the use of research facilities and services.

Application Process:

Please review the Killam PDF Guidelines before applying. Submit the completed Research Project Summary Form (.pdf) and other required documents as a single PDF file. You will upload your PDF document with your online application form.

Reference letters must be sent directly to vprawards@ucalgary.ca on or before February  26, 2024 at 11:59 pm MST.

Application packages will be reviewed by the appropriate Faculty/School Associate Dean (Research) who will rank applications for their respective faculty. Final adjudication will be completed by the Killam Scholarship Committee. Since adjudication is by reviewers who may not be experts in the applicant’s field of research, the research project proposal should be clear to both non-specialists and specialists. Please review the Killam PDF Guidelines for more information.