Awards & Nominations

The purpose of the Dean’s Research Excellence Award (DREA) is to help position mid-career researchers to compete successfully in national awards competitions. The award shall recognize research excellence, defined as significant and sustained research achievement and impact, contributed by faculty members of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George.

Peter Knowland Large A&S Dean’s Research Excellence Award*^[1]

Under the umbrella of the Dean’s Research Excellence Award, all nominations from the humanities sector shall automatically be considered for the Peter Knowland Large A&S Dean’s Research Excellence Award. The single humanities scholar who is ranked highest among all DREA nominations from the humanities sector shall be named as the Peter Knowland Large Award winner.

Award Value

Award recipients shall receive $10,000 CAD towards research/professional development.

Number of Awards and Frequency

Recognizing the breadth and depth of scholarship within Arts & Science, the administration may award multiple Dean’s Research Excellence Awards annually; the selection committee will seek over time to achieve a balance across disciplines and types of impact.

Submission Deadline

July 15 at 11:59 pm. (When the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline rolls to the next business day.)

Late or incomplete nomination packages cannot be accepted.

Department chairs or directors to submit completed nominations to: ailen.cruz@utoronto.ca.

Eligibility

Candidates shall be mid-career tenure-stream faculty members with primary appointments (at least 51%) to the University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George, who have not yet secured any major national or international awards or prizes but who, in the opinion of their academic units, demonstrate the potential to succeed in these competitive arenas.

Please see the VPRI list of national and international awards for further guidance.

• Mid-career shall be defined as falling within the 10-year window between 15–25 years post PhD conferral (between 2001–2011). (Note: Eligibility window updated in 2026).
• Awards, prizes and honours recognize research excellence and are distinct from grants (also known as awards) which support planned research undertakings.
• Major national research awards include, but are not limited to, the Killam Prize; the Molson Prize; NSERC Polanyi Prize; NSERC Herzberg Gold Medal; NSERC Brockhouse Prize; SSHRC Insight Award; SSHRC Partnership Award; SSHRC Connections Award; SSHRC Gold Medal; election as a Fellow, Royal Society of Canada; any Royal Society of Canada medals or awards or honours; appointment to the Order of Ontario; appointment to any level of the Order of Canada.
• Faculty members who have received the University of Toronto’s President’s Impact Award are not eligible for a Dean’s Research Excellence Award nomination.
• Election as a Member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists shall not preclude a nomination for the Dean’s Research Excellence Award.
• Discipline specific awards from professional associations shall not preclude a nomination for the Dean’s Research Excellence Award.
• Book prizes shall not preclude a nomination for the Dean’s Research Excellence Award.
• Academic units shall be restricted to nominating one (1) candidate annually. Candidates are eligible to receive the Dean’s Research Excellence Award only once.

Award Criteria

Outstanding, original contributions to a field(s) of study, the successful pursuit of scholarly and/or creative activities, demonstrated abilities to communicate research results effectively and advance knowledge and the ability to maintain mastery of the subject area shall confirm research excellence, defined as significant and sustained research achievement and impact.

Selection Criteria

The Dean’s Research Excellence Awards, including the Peter Knowland Large A&S Dean’s Research Excellence Award, shall employ a broad reading of the concept of "excellence." Candidates shall be considered for the award based on confirmation of outstanding performance, including but not limited to the following types of indicators of research excellence (included in the University of Toronto’s Tenure and Promotion criteria documentation):

• Evidence of an outstanding reputation due to significant contributions to a field(s).
• Mastery of and demonstrated enthusiasm for area of inquiry.
• Communication and wide dissemination of research results through traditional academic mechanisms, and where applicable, through non-academic means including but not limited to mass or social media, artistic, curatorial and exhibition activities, public policy interventions and community engagement.
• Demonstrated capacity to inspire and stimulate both undergraduate and graduate students to pursue research excellence and to encourage their intellectual development.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Dean’s Research Excellence Awards are strongly committed to celebrating diversity in research and we especially welcome nominations of individuals from all groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

The values of equity, diversity and inclusiveness are an institutional priority for the University of Toronto and the Faculty of Arts & Science wants to ensure that its internal review processes reflect this commitment.

Members of the selection committee for this competition are expected to reinforce standards of rigour, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process.

The Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation (OVPRI) has developed a tips and resources best practice guide for honours & awards nominations with a Best Practices in Peer Review Guide that may serve as a resource for members of the selection committee.

Nomination Package Requirements

The chair or director of the academic unit in which the candidate holds a primary appointment (51%) shall lead nominations.

The nomination dossier shall include:

1. A Nomination Letter

A nomination letter (maximum length of two (2) pages) outlining how the candidate meets the selection criteria. Specifically, the letter should:

• Introduce and explain the choice of the selected supporting letter writers.
• Describe the originality, significance and impact of the candidate’s sustained research contribution(s).
• Where appropriate, rank the candidate within their discipline(s) nationally and internationally, comparing the candidate to other high-profile researchers in the field.
• Contextualize the candidate’s research productivity and impact for the multi-disciplinary adjudication committee, including details on:
  • important indicators of impact within the discipline(s),
  • publication conventions within the nominee’s discipline(s), including as they relate to co-publication and publication with students and trainees
  • choice of venue for the dissemination of the nominee’s research results,
  • citation conventions for the discipline(s),
  • any particularities and/or challenges involved in the publication of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research results, if applicable.
• Explain and contextualize the candidate’s record of training highly qualified personnel (i.e., student supervision conventions for the field compared to their record).
• Share any other valuable information that reviewers should factor into their assessment.
• Confirm eligibility (PhD completion date).
• If a nominee is more than 25 years post–PhD conferral and they have experienced formal career interruptions (due to maternity or parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training or family care, etc.), briefly explain why the nominee should still be considered for this mid-career award. This information must correspond to information contained within the nominee’s CV.

2. Candidate’s CV

A candidate’s CV using Arts & Science standardized format.*

3. Supporting Letters

Supporting letters from three (3) eminent scholars (external to the University of Toronto) in the candidate’s research field.

At least one letter must be from an established authority in the nominee’s field who is not in a conflict of interest.

Please refer to the Canada Research Chairs Conflict of Interest Policy for guidance on what may constitute a conflict of interest between a nominee and a referee.

Department chairs and nominees may wish to consult the VPRI Award Nomination Tips & Resources page, which contains useful guidance on how to prepare strong nomination dossiers, including details on how to write persuasive nomination and support letters.

*Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances

• A key factor in assessing the excellence of a nominee is the research productivity of the individual. The Faculty of Arts & Science acknowledges that certain circumstances may legitimately affect a nominee’s record of research achievement.
• Nominees are encouraged to explain any interruptions or other circumstances that have affected their productivity, if applicable, to allow for a fair assessment of their nomination.
• Please include any career interruption and special circumstances information within the CV by adding a section, Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances.
• Nominees may wish to consult the division of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, VPRI Guidelines on Addressing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Research Training and Productivity.
• If a nominee has had a formal career interruption (due to maternity or parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training, or family care, etc.), the CV should clearly indicate the time-period for the career break.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluators are asked to consider all aspects of the nomination package in their assessment: the chair’s nomination letter, the candidate’s CV, and the three (3) supporting letters. They are asked to focus on excellence, in a broad sense.

The committee utilizes the following 5-point evaluation scale as its guide:

Selection Committee Composition

The vice-dean of research and infrastructure or delegate shall chair the selection committee. The composition of the selection committee shall reflect the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George.

Selection committee members shall review the nominations, individually and together, using informed judgment to weigh different facets of research impact and different sources of evidence, as they deem appropriate and helpful.

The expectation is that the list of Dean’s Research Excellence Award recipients shall reflect, in the long term, the broad diversity of researchers and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George.

Award selection

Decisions of the selection committee are final.

Follow-up

The Office of the Dean shall notify nominators of successful candidates and Arts & Science Communications & Public Affairs in a timely manner after securing the final decisions.

Previous DREA Awardees

*[1]Peter Knowland Large (April 19, 1930–June 22, 2023) completed his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto in 1969. He practiced law until his retirement in 2020. Mr. Large was also an active community volunteer with a variety of organizations, and he received an Ontario Volunteer Service Award 25–Year Pin in honour of his commitment. Mr. Large was a generous supporter of research and education in the humanities at the Faculty of Arts & Science. Go back to previous location.

Professor Molly Shoichet created The Dorothy Shoichet Women Faculty in Science Award of Excellence in honour of her mother, an honorary degree recipient. This fund provides teaching-release-time funds to pre-tenure/early-tenured female professors in any of the physical or life sciences, computer sciences, statistical sciences or mathematics within the Faculty of Arts & Science.

The fund’s purpose is to support the recruitment and retention of new female faculty members by providing teaching release time for research projects. Awardees receive one full-course release equivalent (1.0 FCE), with a minimum of one award granted per year. The award provides $7,800 towards course release and nominating academic unit of the award recipient(s) are required to contribute the course-cost balance to facilitate teaching release.

The 2026 recipient will be granted release for the 2027–28 academic year.

Nomination Deadline:

• October 26, 2026

Eligibility

• Pre-tenure / early-tenured (up to three years post-tenure conferral) faculty members in Arts & Science (St. George campus) who self-identify as women and who work in any of the physical or life sciences, computer sciences, statistical sciences or mathematics

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluators are asked to consider both the chair’s nomination letter and the candidate’s CV. The evaluation criteria will be weighted as follows:

• Excellence of the researcher and the planned research activities (75%)
• Strength of the rationale for teaching release (25%)

The committee utilizes the following 5-point evaluation scale:

Nomination Submission Instructions & Documents

The chair or director of the academic unit in which the candidate holds a primary appointment (51%) shall lead nominations.

The nomination dossier shall include:

• A letter of nomination signed by the nominating chair, describing:
  • The excellence of the researcher and the planned research activities;
  • A strong rationale for teaching release — note, the committee expects a concrete explanation of what the nominee will be able to accomplish with teaching release that they could not otherwise achieve;
  • Contextualize the candidate’s research productivity and impact for the multi-disciplinary adjudication committee, including details on:
    • important indicators of impact within the discipline(s),
    • publication conventions within the nominee’s discipline(s), including as they relate to co-publication and publication with students and trainees
    • choice of venue for the dissemination of the nominee’s research results,
    • citation conventions for the discipline(s),
    • any particularities and/or challenges involved in the publication of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research results, if applicable.

Please address the letter to:

Tamara Trojanowska, Vice-Dean, Faculty & Academic Life
Jay Pratt, Acting Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure
Office of the Dean
Faculty of Arts & Science

• The nominee’s curriculum vitae*

Nomination packages (one PDF per dossier) should be submitted to: ailen.cruz@utoronto.ca.

*If applicable, add a career interruptions and special circumstances section to the curriculum vitae. Guidelines for consideration:

• A key factor in assessing the excellence of a nominee is the research productivity of the individual. The Faculty of Arts & Science acknowledges that certain circumstances may legitimately affect a nominee’s record of research achievement.
• Nominees are encouraged to explain any interruptions or other circumstances that have affected their productivity, if applicable, to allow for a fair assessment of their nomination.
• Please include any career interruption and special circumstances information within the CV by adding a section, Career interruptions and special circumstances.
• Nominees may wish to consult the division of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, VPRI Guidelines on Addressing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Research Training and Productivity.
• If a nominee has had a formal career interruption (due to maternity or parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training, or family care, etc.), the CV should clearly indicate the time-period for the career break.

Selection Committee Composition

The vice-deans of faculty and academic life and research and infrastructure, or delegates, shall chair the selection committee. The composition of the selection committee shall reflect the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George.

Selection committee members shall review the nominations, individually and together, using informed judgment to weigh different facets of research impact and different sources of evidence, as they deem appropriate and helpful.

Award selection

Decisions of the selection committee are final.

Follow-up

The Office of the Dean shall notify nominators of successful candidates and Arts & Science Communications & Public Affairs in a timely manner after securing the final decisions.

Previous Awardees

The purpose of the program is to support outstanding basic research at the University of Toronto in the following fields: physics, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, engineering sciences, and the theory and methods of statistics. One award of $125,000 will be made annually to an outstanding researcher relatively early in their career to assist the awardee to attract and support graduate students and post-doctoral fellows of great promise as part of their research team.

Eligibility for the McLean Award is restricted to full-time (tenured or tenure-stream) members of the university’s faculty members who conduct research in the fields designated above and who are within twelve years of receiving their PhD, as of the date of application.

Visit U of T's Research & Innovation website for complete program details and materials.

Value: $125,000

The University of Toronto President’s Impact Awards (PIA) celebrate and honour faculty members whose research has led to significant impact beyond academia, including, for example, on society, culture, public policy or law, practices or services, education, the development of products, processes or services from inventions, the economy, health, a profession, the environment, quality of life or through public engagement.

Value:

$50,000 (over 5 years)

Arts & Science Process & Timeline

Notice of Intent Submission Deadline: January 21, 2026

Mandatory Submission Deadline (for Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure Endorsement): Friday, February 6, 2026

• All Arts & Science PIA nominations require endorsement by the Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure.
• The nominee’s chair, academic director or delegate should submit the completed nomination package to Ailen Cruz who will secure the necessary signed endorsement.

Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026

• Nominators are responsible for submitting the completed nomination package vis-à-vis the PIA Online Submission form, including the completed endorsement form.

Visit U of T's Research & Innovation website for complete program details and materials.

Contact ailen.cruz@utoronto.ca with any questions.

Access the Notice of Intent to Nominate form

The University of Toronto owes much of its reputation and stature to the quality of its eminent professors. The University of Toronto recognizes unusual scholarly achievement and pre-eminence in a particular field of knowledge through the designation of University Professor. The number of such appointments does not generally exceed two per cent of the tenured faculty. Its very exclusivity stands to underline the highly prestigious nature of the University of Toronto's professor designation.

Arts & Science — University Professor (UP) Appointment Nomination Process

Note: The final page of the electronic submission form provided by the Office of the Provost requires confirmation of decanal approval (endorsement) of nominations.

Arts & Science Review Committee Composition

All Arts & Science nominations for the UP competition will be reviewed by a sub-set of the Arts & Science Dean’s Office Research Awards adjudication committee. Chaired by the Vice Dean, Faculty & Academic Life, the internal evaluation committee meeting for the UP competition for decanal endorsement includes equal representation across sectors (sciences, humanities, social sciences), as well as strong representation from the Arts & Science University Professor community.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Arts & Science is strongly committed to celebrating diversity in research and we especially welcome nominations of individuals from all groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

The values of equity, diversity and inclusiveness are an institutional priority for the University of Toronto and the Faculty of Arts & Science wants to ensure that its internal review processes reflect this commitment.

Members of the selection committee for this competition are expected to reinforce standards of rigor, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process.

The Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation (OVPRI) has developed a tips and resources best practice guide for honours & awards nominations with a Best Practices in Peer Review Guide that may serve as a resource for members of the selection committee.

Arts & Science UP Notice of Intent Form

Arts & Science UP Review Process Flowchart

Visit U of T's Vice-President & Provost University Professors website for complete program guidelines and materials, including a university professors nomination package checklist.

Arts & Science support contact: ailen.cruz@utoronto.ca.