Call for Applications for Lakehead University Research Chairs (LURC) - Deadline: January 31, 2023

The Lakehead University Research Chairs Program recognizes high quality research, scholarly and creative achievement, by providing a two‐year research grant to support an individual’s program of research. The LURCs program is a key initiative in retaining outstanding research talent at our institution, a goal consistent with Lakehead’s Research Plan. Lakehead University is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of the University. Lakehead recognizes the value in all types of research, including but not limited to non-traditional research areas, both traditional and non-traditional research outputs, and community-based research, in addition to the value in mentoring, professional service, the formation of partnerships, and outreach activities.

Lakehead University is seeking applications for two (2) new 2023-2025 Lakehead University Research Chairs, one (1) in the disciplines supported by SSHRC/CIHR and one (1) in the disciplines supported by NSERC/CIHR.

Eligibility: All faculty who are full‐time tenure‐track or tenured members of LUFA and have been employed by Lakehead University for at least three years are eligible (please note that applicants applying to the LURC program must have been employed by Lakehead University for at least three years as of March 1, 2023, the start of the LURC chair). Please note that a past limited-term appointment (LTA) at Lakehead University would count towards the three years.  Current or past research chair holders such as CRCs, Industry Research Chairs, LU/TBRHRI Research Chairs, LURCs, Ontario Research Chairs, SHARCNET Chairs, etc., are not eligible to receive this award.  Criteria will be weighted differently for Early Career Researchers as described in the Criteria Section below. Early career researchers (ECR) are applicants who have held their first independent academic position as an LTA, tenure-track or tenured professor within the last five years). Note that the five-year window for being considered an ECR will be adjusted to take into account situations where a researcher has had an eligible delay in their research activities as a result of a leave. All eligible leaves (such as parental, medical, etc.), are credited at twice the amount of leave time taken.  Therefore, the five-year window for being considered as an ECR will be adjusted to take into account situations where a researcher has had an eligible leave of absence which had an impact on their research productivity.  Individuals representing equity-deserving groups, including but not limited to women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions. The University recognizes that alternative career paths and/or interruptions (ex. maternity leave, leave due to illness, etc.) can impact research achievements and progress. If these alternative paths or interruptions have impacted an applicant’s research activities, please outline this in the EDI section of your application. The University is committed to ensuring that career interruptions are taken into careful consideration in the assessment of LURC applications.

Value of Award: Up to $45,000 as a research grant (up to $22,500/year) tenable over two years beginning March 1, 2023. The Chair’s research grant may be used to support the following eligible expenditures: teaching release (Chairs are required to teach a minimum of 1.0 FCE per year), stipends for students, post‐doctoral fellows and research associates, research and conference travel, equipment and grant‐writing support. Chairs must receive the necessary approvals for teaching release using Lakehead University’s Release Time Request (RTS) Form. For purposes of the competition, the signatures of the applicant, chair and dean are required on the RTS form by the deadline. If an applicant is successful and awarded an LURC, the rest of the signatures on the RTS form are required. Salary payments to Research Chairs in lieu of teaching release are not an eligible expense.

Application Process: Applications must be submitted via the Romeo Research Portal no later than 4:30 pm on January 31, 2023. The following information will be required as part of the application package:

  1. Lakehead University Research Chair application form (available in the Romeo Research Portal);
  2. Release Time Stipend Request Form (if requesting release time from teaching);
  3. Canadian Common CV (do not use generic CCV, use appropriate Tri‐Council CCV);
  4. Three external letters of reference addressing the selection criteria.  At least one of the three letters must be from an individual who is at arm’s length from the applicant.  Referees must not have a conflict of interest (please note that only one letter of reference must be from an arm’s length referee that does not have a COI.  The Conflict of Interest guidelines do not apply to the other two letters of reference):
  • A conflict of interest is a conflict between a person’s duties and responsibilities with regard to the review process, and that person’s private, professional, business or public interests. There may be a real, perceived or potential conflict of interest when the review committee member, external reviewer, referee or observer:
    • would receive professional or personal benefit resulting from the nomination being reviewed;
    • have a professional or personal relationship with the nominee or the nominee’s institution; or
    • have a direct or indirect financial interest in the nomination being reviewed.

       A conflict of interest may be deemed to exist or perceived as such when referees:

  • are a relative or close friend, or have a personal relationship with the nominee;
  • are in a position to gain or lose financially/materially from the funding of the nomination;
  • have had long-standing scientific or personal differences with the nominee;
  • are currently affiliated with the nominee’s institution, organization or company —including research hospitals and research institutes;
  • are closely professionally affiliated with the nominee, as a result of having in the last six years:
    • frequent and regular interactions with the nominee in the course of their duties at their department, institution, organization or company;
    • been a supervisor or a trainee of the nominee;
    • collaborated, published or shared funding with the nominee, or have plans to do so in the immediate future; or,
    • been employed by the nominating institution; and/or
    • feel for any reason unable to provide an impartial review of the nomination.

The VPRI reserves the right to resolve areas of uncertainty and to determine if a conflict exists.

  1. Supporting letter from the Faculty Dean:  The 3 letters of reference and the Dean's  letter of support should be addressed to Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Lakehead University and be emailed directly to vpresearch@lakeheadu.ca.

Selection Process and Criteria: The Vice‐President (Research and Innovation) shall appoint a Lakehead University Research Chair Selection Committee. The Selection Committee will review all submitted nominations and make its recommendations to the Vice‐President, Research and Innovation. The Lakehead University Research Chairs Selection Committee will review all eligible Lakehead University Research Chair applications using the following evaluation criteria:

Research Track Record (Weighting:  40%; 20% ECRs)

  • be outstanding and innovative researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields. The Committee will recognize and value all types of research and their outputs, including but not limited to non-traditional research areas, both traditional and non-traditional research outputs, and community-based research;
  • be recognized nationally and/or internationally as leaders in their fields;
  • have a track‐record of attracting external research funding and fostering external partnerships;
  • have an excellent record of mentoring undergraduate students, supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account circumstances in the Academic Unit  or practices in the relevant field or discipline) and as Chairs have the potential to attract excellent trainees and future researchers;
  • have a record of participating in collaborative interdisciplinary research and contributing to research capacity building (e.g., development of new graduate programs or outreach activities).

Research Proposal (Weighting 40%; 60% ECRs)

  • have proposed an original, innovative research program of high quality that fits the priority research areas outlined in Lakehead University’s Research Plan.

Letters of Reference and Dean's Letter (Weighting 20%; 20% ECRs)

Each Chair will also be required to submit to the Vice‐President, Research and Innovation, and their Faculty Dean a report highlighting their activities and accomplishments during their term as a Lakehead University Research Chair at the end of their award period.

 

For additional information regarding the application process, please contact Anne Klymenko, Director, Research Services at director.research@lakeheadu.ca