(Merged with the former Genetics Society of Canada Award of Excellence 1976 – 2003; and William F Grant and Peter B Moens Award of Excellence 2004 – 2016)
(Merged with the former Genetics Society of Canada Award of Excellence 1976 – 2003; and William F Grant and Peter B Moens Award of Excellence 2004 – 2016)
Next Awarded 2022
This award is offered annually.
The award recognizes Canadian scientists who have demonstrated inclusive excellence across a breadth of activities including research, teaching and mentorship, leadership and outreach.
(1) Evaluation criteria
Evaluation criteria for CSMB are informed and updated according to best practices and in alignment with Canadian tri-council (NSERC, SSHRC & CIHR) standards. CSMB also supports the following statement (https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51732.html) and the DORA principles.
The quality and impact of research cannot be measured through journal publications alone. Research results and outcomes are multifaceted, can reflect multiple types of knowledge and ways of knowing and must be assessed on their own merit. High-quality research outcomes are achieved in many ways, including but not limited to: publishing research articles; reporting new knowledge (such as presenting at conferences and other venues); developing new technologies, producing software and intellectual property; sharing data; contributing to policy decisions; producing highly trained personnel and working in partnership with various sectors of society. Increasingly, funding agencies, research institutions, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, citizens and patients, and researchers themselves, agree on the importance of including a broader set of research outcomes and adopting assessment processes that recognize their value.
The DORA principles are reflected in CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC’s overall approaches to research assessment, and in their shared commitment to continuous improvement in assessment practices. A number of the Agencies’ initiatives and policies support research excellence and align with the recommendations in DORA, including research data management practices, open access publishing, responsible conduct of research, ethical conduct of research involving humans; and the commitment to re-examine research excellence through the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.
Nominations will be assessed on the following criteria:
- A record of Excellence in Research – 3 points
Nominees will have evidence of a strong record of research with significant contributions in the field(s) of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and/or Genetics.
Significant contributions can include (but are not limited to) peer-reviewed publications, presentations, intellectual property, other knowledge translation activities, etc., Awards, degrees, credentials, etc., clinical practice, policy development, specialized training, strategic employment positions, etc.
- A record of Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship – 3 points
Excellence in teaching and mentorship can include (but is not limited to) evidence of educational leadership (leading significant transformation in teaching and learning at an institutional, disciplinary, community, and/or societal level) as well as effective approaches to inclusive and universal design in teaching and experiential learning. Teaching excellence may also be demonstrated by the creation of exceptional learning environments through inclusive and/or universal design, innovative discipline-specific pedagogies, creative approaches to professional development and mentoring for next generation scientists and activities that maximize learning outcomes for all levels of members of the academy and society.
Taken from criteria for the 3M fellowship, (https://www.stlhe.ca/the-criteria-for-the-3m-fellowship/)).
- Excellence in Science leadership – 3 points
Evidence for excellence in science leadership can include (but is not limited to) academic leadership in science (as a director, dean, division leader, major project lead, etc.), deep engagement in communities of practice (e.g. science societies at the institutional, regional, national or international level), sustained engagement with policymakers (local, provincial, federal) and decision making bodies (e.g. serving and contributing to boards and councils in a capacity as a scientific leader, serving on advisory committees to government, industry, education, policy-makers in a capacity as an expert scientist, etc.)
- Outreach – 1 point
Evidence for excellence in outreach can include (but is not limited to) activities that seek to increase a public understanding of science through engagement across any media and mechanism (e.g. books, talks, science fairs, videos, etc.). Excellence in outreach may also be demonstrated by coordinated and sustained engagement and/or leadership in science communication activities, across diverse demographics, and through various media (traditional print/on-line, social media, etc.)
Criteria informed by RCIS https://www.rciscience.ca/the-sandford-fleming-medal-citation
(2) Eligibility
The nominee should be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and there are no age restrictions. The nominee must have lived in Canada and have worked at a Canadian research institute (as defined by tri-council institutional eligibility criteria https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/063.nsf/eng/h_3D5FA603.html)) for the last 10 years in a senior investigator position. The nominee and nominator need not be a member of the CSMB.
(3) Nomination process
It is preferable that the nominator be at an equal or higher professional rank as the nominee. Chairs /Heads /Deans /Presidents are encouraged to nominate members of their faculty for this prestigious award. Self-nominations will also be considered.
Nominations shall consist of
- a letter from a nominator familiar with the nominee’s work, which summarizes the originality and significance of the nominee’s research and leadership contributions, as well as pertinent biographic data,
- the nominee’s curriculum vitae.
The awardee will deliver a lecture at the CSMB Annual Conference and submit a manuscript or review of their related work/career path for publication in the journals Biochemistry and Cell Biology or Genome and in the CSMB Bulletin. Awardees are encouraged to become CSMB members.
(updated 2021-06-11)
| 1981 M. Smith | 1984 N. Hozum | 1985 H. Schachter |
| 1987 M. Gray | 1989 D. Vance | 1991 J. Riordan |
| 1993 M. Chrétien | 1995 R.S. Hodges | 1997 A. J. Pawson |
| 1999 G. Chaconas | 2001 F. Doolittle | 2003 V. Ling |
| 2005 C. Bleackley | 2007 N. Sonenberg | 2009 Hans Vogel |
| 2011 Benjamin J. Blencowe | 2012 M. Bouvier | 2013 B. Chabot |
| 2014 James McGhee | 2015 Michael James | 2016 Gerry Wright |
| 2017 Sergio Grinstein | 2018 Richard Rachubinski |
2019 Sylvain Moineau |
| 2020 Daniel Durocher | 2021 Peter L. Davies | 2022 |
Previous winners of this award
GSC Award of Excellence Winners, first given in 1976
|
1976 Newcombe, H.B. |
1977 Sears, E.R. |
1978 Fredeen, H.T. |
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1979 Butler, L. |
1980 Fraser, F.C. |
1981 Mortimer, R.K. |
|
1982 Person, C.O. |
1983 von Borstel, R.C. |
1984 Chown, B. |
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1985 Moens, P.B. |
1986 James, A.P. |
1987 Kafer, E. |
|
1988 Smith, Michael |
1989 Kuspira, J. |
1990 Tsui, Lap-Chee |
|
1991 Doolittle, W.F. |
1992 Scriver, C.R. |
1993 Haynes, R.H. |
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1994 Kasha, K. |
1995 Cox, D.W. |
1996 Walden, D.B. |
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1997 Griffiths, A.J.F. |
1998 Bernstein, Allen |
1999 Bussey, Howard |
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2000 Culotti, Joseph |
2001 Hayden, Michael |
2002 Baillie, David |
|
2003 Morgan, Ken |
In 2004 the award was renamed the William F Grant and Peter B Moens Award of Excellence
|
2004 Lasko, Paul |
2005 Hilliker, Arthur |
2006 Hegele, Robert |
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2007 Sokolowski, Marla |
2008 Singh, Shiva |
2009 Golding, Brian |
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2010 Singh, Rama |
2011 |
2012 Phillips, John |
|
2015 Scoles, Graham |
2016 Verheyen, Esther |
