These Chairs recognize 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 Academic/Research Plan.

Lakehead University is seeking applications for two (2) new LURCs, 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 five years are eligible. Current or past research chair holders such as CRCs, LURCs, Ontario Research Chairs, SHARCNET Chairs, etc., are not eligible to receive this award.

Value of Award: Up to $45,000 as a research grant (up to $22,500/year) tenable over two years beginning May 1, 2016. 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 Form. Salary payments to Research Chairs in lieu of teaching release will not be considered as an eligible expense.

Application Process: As part of their submission, Candidates should include the following:

• Research Proposal Approval Form;
• Cover letter;
• Research Project Summary (100 words, written in lay language describing the uniqueness and importance of the proposed research program);
• Two-year research plan (maximum of 5 pages, plus one page of references – see Appendix A, below, for required content for this section);
• Budget with a budget justification (maximum 1 page) (Release Time Request Form if applicable);
• Canadian Common CV (do not use generic CCV, use appropriate Tri-Council CCV); and
• Fit of the proposed chair with Lakehead’s Academic/Research Plan (maximum of 100 words) addressing:
  • the importance of the chair to Lakehead’s strategic research development, and, if applicable, to its affiliated institution(s), hospital(s), institute(s);
  • how the proposed chair will contribute to the attainment of Lakehead’s objectives, as outlined in its academic/research plan; and
  • how the nominee has helped build relationships with other research initiatives in Canada and abroad, if applicable.
• Three external letters of reference (please note that scanned copies of the original letters of reference may be e-mailed directly by referees to Dr. Dean (ea.vpri@lakeheadu.ca) by the deadline date), and
• Supporting letter from the faculty dean (submit directly to the VP RI at ea.vpri@lakeheadu.ca)

Applications must be submitted to Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) no later than 4:30 pm April 1, 2016 (submit to ea.vpri@lakeheadu.ca).

Selection Process and Criteria: The Vice-President (Research and Innovation) shall appoint a Lakehead University Research Chair Selection Committee comprised of Lakehead University Tri-Council Representatives, the Chair of the Senate Research Committee, previous Lakehead University Research Chairs and/or Canada Research Chairs and other members as appropriate. 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 nominations/applications utilizing the following evaluation criteria:

• be outstanding and innovative researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields;
• be recognized nationally and internationally as leaders in their fields;
• have a track-record of attracting external research funding;
• have an excellent record of mentoring undergraduate students, supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account circumstances in the Department 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); and
• have proposed an original, innovative research program of high quality that fits the priority research areas outlined in Lakehead University’s Academic/Research Plan.

Successful Lakehead University Research Chairs will be expected to give at least one public presentation as part of Lakehead’s annual Research and Innovation Week. 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 ext. 8223.

Appendix A:
Required Content for Two Year Research Plan

Using the following headings and in no more than five pages (plus one page of references), please address the following:

A) Context

• Explain what makes the research program original, innovative and of the highest quality.
• Explain the relationship and relevance of the proposed research to the nominee’s ongoing research.
• Situate the proposed research within the context of the relevant scholarly literature and explain the anticipated contribution of the research program to the existing body of knowledge in the area of research.

B) Methodology

• Describe the proposed research strategies and key activities, including methodological approaches.
• Describe the procedures for data collection and analysis, that will be used to achieve the stated objectives.

C) Engagement with research users and communication of results

• Describe, if applicable, how research users (e.g., media, academics, industry, government, not-for-profit and private sector organizations, practitioners, policy-makers, educators, artistic and cultural communities, etc.) will be engaged during the various stages of the research program (e.g., conception/design, implementation, communication of results, etc.).
• Describe how the research results will be disseminated (e.g., conferences; peer-reviewed publications, monographs and books; copyrights, patents, products and services; technology transfer; creative or artistic works; etc.).

D) Description of proposed training strategies

• Describe the training strategies that have been and will be used to attract excellent students (e.g., doctoral, masters, undergraduate) and trainees to the University or affiliated institution(s), hospital(s), institute(s).
• Describe the specific roles and responsibilities of students and trainees and indicate the duties, especially with respect to research, that they will be undertaking and how these will complement their academic training and develop their research expertise.

E) List of References (maximum one page)

• Attach a list of all references cited in the proposed research program. (This is in addition to the five pages allowed for the description of the proposed research program [A through D].)