Skip to main content

The National Killam Foundation - Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowships

*Please notify Ewa Stewart as soon as possible if you are interested in applying

 Sponsor/Agency: National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and The Killam Trust 

Program: Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship 

Description:

The first Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship competition is now open (applications are due June 20, 2024).

The Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowships honour Dr. Paul Corkum's outstanding contributions to research in Canada. The fellowships create opportunities for mid-to-late career Canadian and international scholars to collaborate with NRC researchers. This new program provides opportunities for external scholars to have access to the NRC's unique infrastructure and resources, and work with an NRC researcher to further Dorothy Killam's vision of building Canada's future through advanced study. 

The program will award up to three fellowships each year, and each fellowship project must align with an NRC challenge program.

Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowships provide release time from employment for national and international scholars who have demonstrated outstanding research ability and are proposing collaborative research with an NRC researcher.

Fellowships are valued at $100,000 CAD per year in the form of a grant that is paid to the institution of each Fellow to cover release time. An additional grant of up to $50,000 CAD is available to accommodate travel and knowledge dissemination costs of the Fellow, based on budget estimates provided in the proposal. Fellows will likely require other research funds to cover the costs of research.

Deadlines:

May 6, 2024: Mandatory internal notice of intent deadline (send email to Ewa Stewart, Grants Officer, and notify your Faculty Dean)

May 28, 2024: Mandatory internal deadline for Comprehensive Review

June 20, 2024: Agency deadline

 

Value:

$100,000 (Paid to the university to cover costs of your release time)

Up to $50,000 To cover Fellow’s travel, accommodation, and knowledge dissemination costs (based on provided budget estimates)

Duration:

1 year

How to Apply:

  1. Notify Ewa Stewart and your Faculty Dean as soon as possible if you are interested in applying.
  2. Review the program guidelines 
  3. If you require help to connect to an NRC investigator, complete an Expression of Interest Form and email to the National Killam Program Office. 
  4. Download and complete the application form. 
  5. Prepare the required attachments.
  6. Submit your completed application package to Ewa Stewart by email by May 28, 2024 for a comprehensive review.

Submit your completed application form including supplementary documents (proposal, curricula vitae, letters of support, etc) by email to Killam Program by June 20, 2024.

Eligibility:

Subject matter

Each fellowship project must align with an NRC challenge program.

The Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship may support a specific collaborative project, a knowledge exchange initiative, a novel multidisciplinary collaboration, or other scholarly pursuits that advances knowledge.

The Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship is intended to:

  1. enable new and potentially disruptive technologies to be developed with industry, academics and government;
  2. strengthen collaborations with industry, academia, and various levels of government to attain critical mass for addressing national issues of importance to the Canadian economy and quality of life for Canadians;
  3. find solutions to some of the most serious public policy challenges; and
  4. create stronger innovation ecosystems in specific sectors by enabling industry, academics, and government labs to partner with NRC researchers, leveraging NRC facilities and resources, and share knowledge.

Applicant

Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellows are leading researchers whose superior, ground-breaking, best-in-class research stands to have significant impact on a national or global scale. A Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellow embodies one or more of the Killam attributes:

  • Inclusive collaborator
  • Barrier breaker
  • Research leader

A Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellow is relieved of teaching and administrative duties for the period of the fellowship. The funds are intended to assist the institution with replacement costs of the Fellow while still paying the Fellow’s regular salary and benefits during the 12-month fellowship period. Additionally, to maximize collaboration through consistent, in-person contact, the program provides funding to support the Fellow’s travel and access to the NRC facilities. All fellowship dispersals are administered to the research institution of the Fellow.

To be eligible, Fellowship applicants must:

  • be willing and able to travel to an NRC location or locations in Canada to collaborate with an NRC co-PI as required;
  • obtain a reliability status personnel security clearance;
  • demonstrate commitment to building Canada’s future and alignment with Killam attributes;
  • agree to participate in community engagement and knowledge mobilization activities. This may include: participation in the Killam Laureate Network, participation in a Fellows lecture series and invited lectures, and/or participation in dissemination activities with relevant University departments, or with other organizations or appropriate scientific societies.
  • demonstrate commitment to knowledge exchange with their NRC co-PI;
  • be a mid-to-late career researcher, although researchers at earlier career stages may be considered in some cases;
  • receive release time to conduct the proposed research, and will continue to be employed by the same institution for up to 12 months from the start of the Fellowship; and,
  • consent to disclose any information that may constitute a significant departure from generally-recognized standards of public behaviour and which is seen to undermine the public reputation of the National Killam Program.

Terms and conditions of the program

The Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowships support advanced study and research excellence by creating opportunities for Canadian and international scholars to partner with NRC researchers, leverage NRC facilities and resources, and share knowledge through new collaborations. The program promotes discovery and innovation through shared exploration, work and growth. The co-PI model encourages the Fellow and the NRC researcher to collaborate on a project for up to one year.

The following are examples of eligible activities for this funding opportunity:

  1. Release from teaching and/or administrative duties:
    • to pursue collaborative R&D projects and can include planning, research, development, prototype development, feasibility studies, demonstrations and capacity building intended to support research, development, adoption and/or adaptation of innovative or technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada up to their commercialization; and/or
  2. Collaboration and knowledge dissemination activities:
    • To pursue projects and initiatives including support for science or innovation-based conferences, workshops, symposia, coordination or other outreach and partnership development activities as well as costs related to the travel to such events by non-government employees.

Application procedure

The Fellowship is based on a co-PI model, which requires all submissions to propose one co-PI (the Fellow), employed outside of the NRC, and one co-PI employed by the NRC. There are no restrictions on the nature of the proposed project: projects could be technical, based on knowledge exchange, or exploratory, so long as they align with approved activities per the terms and conditions of NRC Challenge Program funding. Proposals are co-defined by the NRC co-PI and the Fellow.

If you are a Fellowship candidate and need help connecting with an NRC investigator, please complete an Expression of Interest form and return via email to the National Killam Program Office (NKPO). The NKPO will consult internally and respond to your inquiry within 10 business days.

Applicants must submit the application form, attestation forms, and all required documents by 23:59 (applicant’s local time) on June 20, 2024 to Killam Program

For more Information:

ORS Grants Officer : Ewa Stewart

 Killam Program Officer

Resources/Attachments:

National Killam Program Website

NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship Guidelines