Awards

Research conducted at IRES and the Fisheries Centre is funding, the industry, NGOs and governmental organizations. Our scholars and students are very successful in bringing in funding. We support and encourage our students to apply for all funding opportunities.

Top Tips for completing all funding applications

1. Check out the awards websites. Info on all awards can be found quickly and easily through the Faculty of Graduate Studies website. Once you’ve identified potential awards, go to the “source” websites to get specific and up-to-date information.
2. Talk with your advisor regarding your proposal and the appropriate funding agency. This can be tricky with highly interdisciplinary projects. Also keep in mind that many professors take vacations in August.
3. Start writing your proposal early (in August). Leaving time for several rounds of revision, either with your advisor or with fellow students, will help you to submit a much stronger finished proposal. And as with reference letters, you’ll get better comments if you give your reviewers time to consider.
4. Look at some sample proposals. Past and previous IRES students have graciously submitted their successful NSERC and SSHRC proposals. If you’d like to view these proposals, email Angela (aeykelbosh[@]gmail.com) to request the appropriate example (e.g., MSc NSERC, PhD SSHRC, Vanier, etc).
5. Send out transcript requests. This is particularly important for international students, whose documents may be delayed several weeks by postal/courier services. Please refer to the individual awarding body to determine their exact expectations with regard to transcripts.
6. Send out reference requests. Show your referees both respect and consideration by sending them your request for a reference letter as soon as possible. You will get a better letter for it! Some students also recommend providing “talking points” to help your referee provide a letter that is tailored rather than generic.
7. Attend Dr. Chan’s talk on tips and strategies when preparing an award’s application, which will be held on Thursday, September 8^th at 1 pm in AERL 120 (this has now passed). Dr. Chan’s previous experience as a reviewer in a national competition and his own success in winning research funding makes this talk extremely useful.
8. Leave time to assemble your awards package. The Tricouncil, Vanier, and Trudeau awards use online application systems that take some time to set up and input information. They are also occasionally glitchy!

When filling out the application

Academic History. It may sound ridiculous but it’s easily done. Don’t forget to include your current program when completing the academic history section of the application form.
Spell check the whole document. If it is easier write your proposal in word and copy and paste into the form.
Remember your audience. Remember that the person who will read your application is unlikely to be an expert in your field. Avoid using jargon or making any assumptions. Get someone in a different discipline to read your application and ensure that they understand it.
Be realistic. Make sure that what you are proposing to do is realistic and that your proposal makes sense. Get someone who knows about your topic to read it before you submit.
Formatting. Awards councils are very particular about formatting. This is to ensure that everyone is given the same opportunity. Read the formatting guidelines, they differ from one application to another, and abide by them. Don’t get your application rejected because your margins were too small or your font was the wrong size.

Kick back and relax while others scramble to make the deadline.

What sort of awards are available?

NSERC / SSHRC / Affiliated Awards

NSERC

The on-line application forms are accessible on the NSERC website.
PDF versions of the application forms (for reference only; applications must be filled out on-line) and application are available here.

Because NSERC needs original UBC transcripts, students need to order originals. Unfortunately, even the students who just registered this September and have no grades on their UBC transcripts, have to request an original from UBC (this is a new stipulation this year).

The NSERC application is to be completed (and eventually submitted) online. Unfortunately, once you submit the application, you may not make revisions. Please do not submit the application until you hear back from Helen or me after the Awards Committee has met in October. The Awards Committee may have suggested tweaks or edits to your application, and this way you will be able to implement these before submitting to NSERC. We ask that you print out the application (single-sided) and submit this to us without “submitting” it online. Before you hand in your application printout to the Grad Program Manager, please scan a copy and, with your name, student number and “NSERC application” in the subjection line, please email the pdf to the Graduate Program Manager.

The application form for the fall 2011 NSERC competition (Form 201) is now available for applicants. Updated program information and a link to the application form are available at: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/BellandPostgrad-BelletSuperieures_eng.asp

SSHRC

The online application forms for SSHRC are available on the SSHRC website.

The SSHRC CGS-Master’s Scholarship application form is now available at: https://webapps.nserc.ca/SSHRC/faces/logonFellowships.jsp?lang=en_CA
The SSHRC CGS-Master’s Scholarship Letter of Appraisal form is now available at: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/apply-demande/LetterApprMaster2011_e.pdf
The SSHRC CGS-Master’s Scholarship Departmental Appraisal form is now available at: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/apply-demande/DepApprMaster2011_e.pdf
SSHRC CGS-Master’s Scholarship program information is available at: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/fellowships/cgs_masters-besc_maitrise-eng.aspx
UBC-specific application / nomination procedures are available at: http://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/sshrc-graduate-scholarships

Once you have completed your SSHRC application, please print it out (single-sided) and sign it. Before you hand in your application to Kyle, please scan a copy and, with your name, student number and “SSHRC application” in the subject line, please email the pdf to Grad Program Manager. Once this is done, please hand in your application to any of the Graduate Support Staff.

Reference letters must be submitted in hard copy form. However, your referee may email us a scanned copy as a placeholder if the hard copy is going to be late.

Affiliated Awards

Affiliated awards are decided by UBC. More information about the award and the application form is available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

We have learned from FoGS that they will be accepting a printout version of your UBC transcripts. Kyle can print this out for you. Additionally, if RMES (Resources Management Environmental Systems) currently has updated transcripts from other institutions you have attended on file, we are allowed to use certified scanned copies of these as well. If you’re not sure whether or not we have copies of these transcripts, or if they’re up-to-date or not, please ask the Graduate Support Staff.

Reference letters must be submitted in hard copy form. However, your referee may email us a scanned copy as a placeholder if the hard copy is going to be late.

One of the awards available through the Affiliated scheme is the Killam award. Last year RMES student James Murphy won the Killam. Click here to find out more about James’ research.

Transcripts: (1) NSERC, and SSHRC applicants: Applicants must submit transcripts for all university-level studies. Where official transcripts are required they must be received by the graduate program in sealed envelopes from the issuing institution. Only in cases where it is impossible for the student to get new transcripts (because the institution only ever issues one set of transcripts, or the institution no longer exists, etc.) will the Faculty of Graduate Studies will accept certified true copies of original, official transcripts on file with the applicant’s graduate program. Translations of any foreign language transcripts (except for those in French) must be included.

This year’s competition internal deadline for NSERC, SSHRC and Affiliated applications has now passed.

The Bridge Program

The Bridge Program, an innovative CIHR/MSFHR funded Strategic Training Program, is offered at the University of British Columbia for graduate students interested in interdisciplinary research focusing on public health, engineering and policy.

The Program provides fellowship funding, and brings together graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty members, visiting scholars, and practitioners from the public health sciences, engineering, and policy arenas in an innovative milieu that:

promotes the application of their combined knowledge and methodologies to the identification and prevention of disease and injury;
promotes practice-relevant research and evidence-based practice; and
cultivates interchange and the development of productive partnerships.

Bridge accept applications from Canadian and international students who will be entering the first year of their degree programs. Fellowships are available to Masters students and doctoral students, who are beginning their first year of graduate studies, and Post-doctoral Fellows in one of our eight participating units listed below:

Chemical and Biological Engineering
Civil Engineering
Health Care and Epidemiology
Mechanical Engineering
Mining Engineering
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
School of Environmental Health
UBC Center for Disease Control

Application Deadline: March 2012.

Please see the Bridge Program website for additional details on the program and how to apply.

Current RMES Bridge Fellows:
Gerard Chew
Sara Elder
Angela Eykelbosh
Francis Ries
Darlene Seto
Stefan Storey
Paul Teehan
Olivia Freeman
Sonja Wilson
Margaret Morales
Alicia LaValle
Ther Aung
Jackie Yip

Trudeau Scholarship Competition

The Faculty of Graduate Studies administers the Trudeau Scholarship Competition. This is a highly prestigious competition run through the Trudeau Scholars Program. These awards are for outstanding students whose work addresses one of the following four themes:

Human Rights and Social Justice
Responsible Citizenship
Canada and the World
Humans and Their Natural Environment

Each scholarship consists of an annual stipend of $40,000 and an annual travel allowance of $20,000, for up to four years. The Foundation will award up to 15 new scholarships per year across Canada.

Students submit their application packages to their UBC graduate program. The 2011 RMES Program Deadline has now passed.

Of the applications received, each UBC graduate program may submit up to two nominations to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

For further details, please see the Faculty of Graduate Studies website: http://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/trudeau-foundation-doctoral-scholarship

Vanier Scholarship

http://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/vanier-scholarship and www.vanier.gc.ca.

The Vanier Scholarships Program aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies and leadership skills. Both Canadian and international students are eligible to apply for Vanier Scholarships, which have a stipend of $50,000 per annum and are tenable for up to 36 months.

For more information on the Vanier Scholarship please see the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

The 2011 deadline for applications has now passed.

Previous RMES Vanier Scholarship recipients:
Sarah Klain

Les Lavkulich Scholarship

Les Lavkulich Scholarship for Resource and Environment has been endowed by colleagues, friends and UBC alumni in honor of Professor Les Lavkulich, who created the Resource Management and Environmental Studies program in 1979, the first truly interdisciplinary graduate program at UBC. As the program’s inspirational leader between 1979 and 2004, he was able, with his unrelenting effort and visionary thinking, to build it into an internationally renowned program. The award is given to an outstanding graduate student to foster research in Resource Management and Environmental Studies on the recommendation of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability.

This competition is open to any Resource Management and Environmental Studies graduate student. The awardee must be a full-time registered student in the program for the academic year in order to receive the Les Lavkulich Scholarship.

Selection Criteria

Only faculty members will nominate one student for the fellowship. It does not have to be their student.
Student must be an outstanding student and a demonstrated contributor to the RMES program.
Fellowship winners are selected on the basis of academic merit. Applications will be considered from students with a good academic record (i.e. minimum high second class standing).

Application Process

Each IRES Faculty nominates the best student with a written nomination letter.

Nomination Process

Awards Committee will:

Verify eligibility of applicants.
Review and rank applicants.
Prepare a department cover page describing on internal review process and the rationale for ranking candidates.
Forward decision to the RMES office by 4:00 pm in September 2010.

Adjudication Process

A committee will be comprised of IRES & Fisheries faculty members.
The committee will review the letters and files in RMES Graduate office of each nominated student.
The RMES office will notify the faculty members and nominated students of their status.

The IRES office will administer the award through the Financial Management Information System (FMIS).

Recent recipients of the Les Lavkulich Scholarship:

2010
Christian Beaudrie

2009
Conor Reynolds
David Boyd

2008
David Maggs

IRES Graduate Student Initiative (GSI) criteria:

Each year, the RMES program is granted money through the Graduate Student Initiative (GSI).

This money is distributed by the RMES Admissions committee to students based upon need and merit. The incoming students who are not fully-funded prior to GSI allotments and who most closely meet the RMES Admissions criteria will be awarded GSI money in the form of an entrance scholarship.