CRMF – Call for Nominations for the Senghor Chair in Francophonie

Nominees  

• Full-time regular professors at the University of Ottawa are eligible to apply. These include APUO professors, affiliated institute scientists and clinicians/researchers holding an academic appointment at the University of Ottawa at the rank of assistant, associate or full professor.
• Individuals who currently hold or have held another research chair funded by the University of Ottawa (e.g., Canada Research Chair, Clinical Research Chair, Chaire de recherche sur le monde francophone, University Research Chair or Distinguished Research Chair) are not eligible. Current holders of endowed chairs are also ineligible.
• Applications from members of under-represented groups in research (women and gender equity-seeking groups, Indigenous persons, racialized persons or persons with disabilities) are encouraged.

The Senghor Chair in Francophonie is part of the Chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone (CRMF) program. These chairs have an initial term of five years, and may be renewed only once, following a positive recommendation by the dean of the Faculty and the University’s RCEC. Renewal of the terms for these partnered chairs is contingent upon continuation of the partnership and the availability of partner funding.

• Funding for partnered chairs: Chairholders will receive an annual grant of $25,000 in research funds for the duration of their term, and an annual supplement of $5,000 to cover the cost of participation in RICS activities. 

All applications submitted by Faculty research offices must include the following documents:

• A letter from the dean presenting and justifying the nomination and confirming the reduced teaching load (two-to-three pages ). The letter should also explain the benefits of the chair to the Faculty and the University of Ottawa.
• Chair title (e.g., Chaire de recherche sur le monde francophone in...), the geographical area (Ontario, rest of Canada, international), the federal agency (NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR), and a summary of the research program (a 100-word abstract in plain, concise and accessible language, describing the uniqueness and importance of the proposed research program). This summary may be used for promotional purposes.
• Description of the proposed research program written by the nominee (three to five-and-one-half pages in French). See the “ Review Process” section below and the submission guidelines (PDF, 190, Ko).
• A statement outlining the chair’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) philosophy and the EDI practices upon which they will base the EDI plan they intend to implement during their term (maximum of one page)
• Document describing the how the chair’s research will contribution to the RICS and possible connections within the network (one page)
• Budget plan and justifications. The total budget is for five years and may be used to cover core research expenses (e.g., research assistants, graduate students, office supplies) and EDI actions (adapted infrastructure and software, accommodations for researchers or trainees with special needs, inclusive dissemination and other eligible expenses to make research more inclusive). Up to $5,000 of the total annual budget may be used as a salary supplement for the chairholder. In this section, please explain and justify how the budget will be used, specifying how much of the budget (%) will be allocated to the core costs of research and the salary supplement. (Note that funding allocated to the core costs of research will be in addition to, and will not replace, the chairholder’s current external funding).
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae consistent with the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies template ( PDF, 94 KB) outlining the nominee’s last eight years, publication conventions in the discipline (half page maximum) and any personal circumstances and/or career interruptions (e.g., parental or sick leave) that may have impacted the nominee’s research record. These will be taken into account during the selection process.
• List of the nominee’s top five research contributions during their career, along with an explanation of their significance and impact.
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which are from independent reviewers with no conflicts of interest (see definition below). A letter from a colleague familiar with the nominee’s work is acceptable. One of the three letters must come from abroad.

Nominees must support the University of Ottawa’s EDI efforts and complete the “Count Me In” self-identification survey in VirtuO. The various selection committees may use aggregated information in their review process.

Two of the external reviewers supplying letters of recommendation must be independent in the field. Make sure that these persons: 

• are not affiliated in any way with the University of Ottawa (including hospitals and research institutes)
• have no personal relationship with the nominee (including close friend, relative, former PhD or postdoctoral supervisor, mentor, student previously under the nominee’s supervision)
• have not collaborated, published or shared funding with the nominee in the past  six years, and do not intend to do so in the immediate future
• will not be involved in the proposed research program
• do not stand to gain or lose financially or materially from the outcome of the review 

Recommended applications will then be reviewed by the Research Chairs Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (or delegate) for final approval. A member appointed by the RICS will be chosen as an external member of the Committee.

Nominations, including letters of recommendation, will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• The nominee’s excellence and productivity, and/or demonstration that the research will result in exceptional achievements
• The potential to achieve international recognition in the field
• The potential to attract and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers
• The quality and feasibility of specific actions seeking to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable research environment
• The relevance of the proposed research program to the University of Ottawa’s strategic areas of research
• The originality and quality of the proposed research program
• The additional Senghor criteria, i.e., demonstrated understanding of the RICS’s objectives, alignment with the RICS’s missions, and ability to act as a bridge between the RICS and the CCRMF 

The nominee’s application must also outline:

• The interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches that will be implemented
• The nominee’s commitment to developing and promoting research on the Francophonie and on the realities of the French-speaking world
• Synergies with other research programs and other CCRMF chairholders; nominees must explain how their proposed research relates to or complements the research of other chairholders 

Following the RCEC’s final recommendation, a notice of decision will be sent to the successful nominee and to the dean of the Faculty concerned. There is no appeal.