Sponsor

National Research Council

Program

Dorothy Killam Fellowship

Description

The Dorothy Killam Fellowships provide time release to support scholars (faculty) of exceptional ability who are engaged in research projects of broad significance and widespread interest within the disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, engineering, or studies linking any of these disciplines. 

A Dorothy Killam Fellow is a leading researcher whose superior, ground-breaking, best-in-class research stands to have significant impact on a national or global scale. A Fellow is someone who also reflects some of the Killam attributes:

• Inclusive collaborator
• Barrier breaker
• Research leader

The 2027 program cycle will open on March 25, 2026. 

Eligibility

The Dorothy Killam Fellowships support scholars who:

• demonstrate commitment to building Canada’s future and alignment with Killam attributes.
• are mid-career researchers who usually completed their PhD no more than 15 years prior, though special circumstances may result in applicants being more or less than 15 years post-PhD.
• are employed at a Canadian research institution and will be employed for the duration of the fellowship (2 years) with proof of employment.

Typically, a Fellowship recipient is a faculty member at a Canadian university with significant teaching and/or administrative responsibilities. Applicants must not have already been awarded a fellowship from the Killam Program of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Prize

$80,000 CAD/year for two years. 

Between 5 and 8 fellowships will be awarded annually. Fellowships are intended as release time from teaching and administrative duties. They are awarded to individuals, but the funds are paid to and administered by the Canadian university or research institute that employs them. You must obtain support for research and laboratory costs from other sources.

A Dorothy Killam Fellowship provides 2 full years of release time typically beginning no later than January 1, 2028, following notification of the fellowship in early 2027. Support may not be requested for less than the full 2-year fellowship period. The support for the second year depends on provision and approval of an interim research report.

How to Apply

If you would like to apply, please email RSO (kkariyap@uoguelph.ca) and your CRM to let them know of your intention to apply. 

As this Fellowship involves release time, you must seek approval from your School Director/Department Chair in order to apply. A short letter from your chair indicating support for your application and agreeing to the terms of the fellowship must be received by RSO (kkariyap@uoguelph.ca) by the internal deadline. 

Complete your fellowship application package. Submit your application package to the National Killam Program - National Research Council Canada online portal by the external deadline. Please also submit a signed OR-5 and your application package to research.services@uoguelph.ca by the external deadline. 

Nominations must have received institutional endorsement prior to submission. 

For More Information

For more information, please contact kkariyap@uoguelph.ca or refer to the National Killam Program - National Research Council Canada website.