NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Canada Medal 2025
Sponsor
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Description
The Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, NSERC’s highest honour, recognizes research contributions characterized by both excellence and influence—two qualities that defined Dr. Herzberg's illustrious career. It is awarded annually to an individual who has demonstrated sustained excellence and influence in research for a body of work conducted in Canada that has substantially advanced the fields of natural sciences or engineering.
Eligibility
Candidates may be nominated by any individual or group. Posthumous nominations or self-nominations will not be accepted. Current NSERC Council members are not eligible for nomination.
As of the deadline, the nominee must be a scientist or engineer employed at a Canadian university, Canadian federal or provincial government lab or private firm active in Canada whose research is primarily based in the fields of the natural sciences and/or engineering. In addition, the majority of the most significant contributions to research, training and mentoring included in the nomination must stem from work conducted while the nominee was employed (primary place of employment) in Canada. NSERC reserves the right to rule on the eligibility of nominees.
An individual may receive the NSERC Herzberg Medal only once. An individual may be nominated for the NSERC Herzberg Medal and other NSERC prizes (Brockhouse, Polanyi, McDonald, Synergy or Strickland) in the same year but can only receive one prize in a given year.
Prize
In addition to the medal, the winner is awarded a grant of up to $1 million to use for personal university-based research or to direct in some related way, such as the establishment of scholarships or research Chairs in their name at Canadian universities. The monetary award is distributed over a five-year period. Research grant funds paid to winners of this prize are subject to the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | If you wish to be considered for VPR nomination:
Career interruptions due to parental leave, family care, extended illness, or community responsibilities will not negatively impact the committee’s assessment of a candidate’s research productivity. These will be taken into consideration when EOIs are assessed. | |
External Deadline | If your nomination will be submitted by a nominator other than the VPR, please submit directly to the sponsor by the external deadline. Please also submit a copy of the full nomination and OR-5 to research.services@uoguelph.ca. |
How to Apply
The Vice-President (Research) encourages nominations for this prestigious award, and will serve as nominator for those nominees recommended by the Honours and Awards Advisory Committee. If you wish to nominate a colleague or to be considered for VPR nomination:
- We recommend discussing your interest in this award with your College Research Manager and Associate Dean (Research).
- Complete the Expression of Interest document.
- Send the completed Expression of Interest document and a CV to ailsakay@uoguelph.ca and copy your College Research Manager by the internal deadline.
Career interruptions due to parental leave, family care, extended illness, or community responsibilities will not negatively impact the committee’s assessment of a candidate’s research productivity. These will be taken into consideration when EOIs are assessed.
If your nomination will be submitted by a nominator other than the VPR, please submit directly to the sponsor by the external deadline. Please also submit a copy of the full nomination and OR-5 to research.services@uoguelph.ca.
For More Information
For more information, contact ailsakay@uoguelph.ca or visit the NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal website.