2024 Graduate Studentship Awards — Call for Applications
About the Institute for Pandemics
The Institute for Pandemics (IfP) brings together transformative researchers and educators from across disciplines and around the world to address the complex, global public health challenges posed by pandemics. Our work centers around three pillars: ‘readiness’ to prevent and track evolving pandemics; ‘resilience’ of health systems and communities, and to improve public health policies and interventions; and equitable ‘recovery’ to reduce health disparities in pandemics, and to build back stronger and more fairly. Situated in Canada’s leading school of public health, IfP serves as a knowledge nexus informing public health responses, helping to strengthen systems, and equip future health leaders with a multi-faceted skillset to combat pandemics and epidemics.
Purpose of the graduate studentship awards
The IfP graduate studentships aim to foster interdisciplinary research training in pandemic readiness, resilience and/or recovery. Students who are conducting research in such areas and co-supervised by faculties from different disciplines are encouraged to apply for support. Applications will be considered based on scientific merit of the research, its progress and supervision, interdisciplinarity, and relevance to IfP’s research themes.
Successful applicants will have the opportunity to participate in IfP programming and activities, attend workshops and seminars, present their research at IfP events, and network with IfP members across divisions and campuses at the University of Toronto.
Funding information
Amount of Funding Available
Total funding this year of $80,000
Number of grants to be awarded
Expecting to award 8 studentships per year @ $10,000 each
Award duration
One year from September 1 through August 31
NOTE: It is the applicant’s responsibility to connect with their divisional graduate office to understand the award’s implication on their funding package. Applicants may share the terms & conditions with their graduate office.
Eligibility
- U of T students that have completed at least one year of a Master's or PhD/DrPH program and are registered for the academic year of the term of the award.
- Cannot hold combined external funding greater than $25k or receiving tuition support from an employer.
- Co-supervisors (must have at least two)
- Must be members of the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies, eligible to supervise graduate students and be eligible to hold research funding at the University of Toronto
- One co-supervisor must have a primary appointment at U of T
- Must be from distinct disciplines (priority to those from different Faculty/Division)
- Registered members of IfP
- Must be members of the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies, eligible to supervise graduate students and be eligible to hold research funding at the University of Toronto
- Working on a project related to at least one of the pandemic research themes of IfP
- Previous applicants and awardees are welcome to apply if the above eligibility applies.
Important Dates
- Call for applications – March 5, 2024
- Deadline to submit an application (through the online system) – April 30, 2024
- Anticipated notice of award – June 1, 2024
- Funding start date – September 1, 2024
Application
All applications must be submitted using the online submission form by 11:59pm ET on April 30, 2024.
A template of the application form is attached here.
NOTE: Applications submitted by email will not be accepted unless prior approval has been arranged. Contact ifp.dlsph@utoronto.ca if you require any alternative accommodations.
Demographic data collection
Applicants are asked to complete an optional EDI Survey after submitting their application. The purpose of the survey is to collect data for the Institute to reflect on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion practices in the studentship program. The data will only be collected and held by the Associate Director of IfP and shared internally as de-identified, aggregated information to inform the review committee.
Adjudication
Applications will be reviewed by the IfP Leadership, who will make recommendations to the IfP Steering Committee for the final award decision.
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Applicant has identified at least two co-supervisors from different disciplines.
- Applicant background, accomplishments, and academic and research excellence
- Ability to clearly articulate the research questions, project goals, and methodology
- Project’s relationship to research aligns with the themes of the Institute for Pandemics
- Feasibility of the project timeline
- Clear demonstration of the research impact and plan for translation of the research findings
To foster gender and diverse representation, IfP will prioritize 30% of the awards for applicants self-identifying as women, non-binary, or from equity-deserving groups, including those who identify as visible minorities, people with disabilities (including invisible and episodic disabilities), 2SLGBTQ+ and/or gender and sexually diverse individuals, and Indigenous Peoples.
Studentship Responsibilities
- Students must fulfill the academic requirements of their degree program and plan of study.
- Expected to participate in IfP programming and activities, when invited
- Students may be invited to present their research at an IfP Symposium, webinar, or seminar, or to IfP partners.
- Students are required to acknowledge IfP in publications, presentations, and communications resulting from their Studentship.
- Students must complete an exit survey.
Contact
Questions pertaining to the Graduate Studentship Awards can be sent to Associate Director Tedd Konya (ifp.dlsph@utoronto.ca).