Description

The NSERC Geoffrey Hinton Prizes recognize Discovery Grant applicants whose creative application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the natural sciences and engineering has generated or is poised to generate significant impact. The prizes are intended to accelerate discovery and innovation in the natural sciences and engineering by recognizing and supporting early-stage researchers who are leveraging AI in novel, innovative and impactful ways.

Eligibility

Eligibility:

• Be eligible to hold NSERC grant funds
• Be applying to the Discovery Grants program in the current competition
• Have held an independent academic position for 10 years or less as of December 1 of the year in which you apply
• You are ineligible to receive a Geoffrey Hinton Prize if you have received an Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship
• Research applications of AI must be within the natural sciences and engineering

An independent academic position is one that:

• Is a university faculty appointment (tenured or non-tenured)
• Requires you to engage in research that is not under the direction of another individual
• Authorizes you to supervise or co-supervise research conducted by students registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program or by postdoctoral fellows

To apply in November 2026, you need to have started your appointment on or after December 1, 2016. However, your 10-year eligibility window is adjusted if you have had an eligible delay in research. Eligible delays or leaves of absence may include maternity and parental leaves, personal illness, chronic illness or disability associated with reduced research activity, leaves taken for family-related illness or bereavement or delays related to COVID-19. If you had an eligible delay in research, NSERC will extend your eligibility window by twice the length of your leave. For example, if you took a 7-month parental leave after starting your appointment, your eligibility window would be extended by 14 months. NSERC does not extend the eligibility window for professional leaves (for example, training, sabbatical or administrative leaves).

Prize

Each year, up to three prizes of $100,000CAD are awarded. The grant is paid over a period of 2 years.

How to Apply

You must submit your Discovery Grant and Geoffrey Hinton Prize applications separately, but the two application processes are linked.

• To be considered for a Geoffrey Hinton Prize, you must first submit your full Discovery Grant application through the Research Portal (external deadline for Discovery Grant: November 2, 2026 8PM EST; see Discovery Grant program description for instructions).
• Then, before the application deadline for the Geoffrey Hinton Prizes (November 5th, 2026 8PM), submit a supporting document and a terms and conditions form through the Innovative Collaborations and Science Promotion secure submission site. (In the “Title of application” field of the terms and conditions form, please enter the title of your Discovery Grant application.) Further information on the supporting document can be found on the NSERC Geoffrey Hinton Prizes website.

The review process for Geoffrey Hinton Prize applications is split into two phases. Please note: Phase 1 review compares the selection criteria to only the content of the Discovery Grant application. Candidates who are successful in the Discovery Grant competition and Phase 1 of the Geoffrey Hinton Prize review then advance to the Phase 2 review where both the Discovery Grant application and the supporting document are assessed. Further information on selection criteria can be found on the NSERC Geoffrey Hinton Prizes website. 

For More Information

For more information, please see the NSERC Geoffrey Hinton Prizes website or contact hinton@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or kkariyap@uoguelph.ca.