E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships

Prize Backgrounder

Recognizing Those Who Shape Our Future

The NSERC E. W. R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships honour the memory of Dr. Edgar William Richard Steacie, an outstanding chemist and research leader who made major contributions to the development of science in Canada during, and immediately following, World War II.

Dr. Steacie believed that young researchers are a great national asset and should be given every opportunity to develop their own ideas. Through his philosophy, summarized below, he nurtured Canadian talent and drew many promising scientists to our country:

• Fundamental research is essential to the development of science.
• The individual is key to research, and individual ideas are ultimately responsible for important advances in science.
• There are no national boundaries in science.
• Complete freedom is required for creative work.

And through the Steacie Fellowships, his ideas live on. The Fellowships are awarded to enhance the career development of outstanding and highly promising university faculty who are earning a strong international reputation for original research.

The Prize

Every year, NSERC awards up to six Steacie Fellowships that are held for a two-year period. Successful fellows are relieved of teaching and administrative duties, so that they can devote all their time and energy to research. The Fellowships are held at a Canadian university or affiliated research institution.

The Fellowship normally includes a contribution to the university in the amount of $90,000 per year toward the fellow's salary. As part of the Fellowship agreement, the university is expected to fund a replacement for the fellow's teaching and administrative responsibilities. Should the recipient of the Fellowship already hold another federal award that has a salary component, such as a Canada Research Chair (CRC), University Faculty Award (UFA), or Industrial Research Chair (IRC), NSERC will reduce the contribution to the university to $30,000 per year. The Fellowship will go towards relief of teaching or administrative responsibilities, or to enhance the research environment of the fellow's department.

In recognition of the award’s prestige and the increased time available for research, fellows will also each receive a research grant of $250,000 and will be invited to submit an application to the Research Tools and Instruments Grants program for equipment funding related to their Steacie research.

 Another distinct but similar prize of the same name is administered by the E. W. R. Steacie Memorial Fund, a private foundation dedicated to the advancement of science and engineering in Canada.