Postdoctoral Leadership Award

This award recognizes exceptional postdoctoral scholars who demonstrate outstanding academic community leadership and have made a meaningful impact within their academic department, the UTM campus, the UTM postdoctoral scholar academic community, and/or the broader local community. 

Academic Community Leadership (60%) 

Nominees must exemplify academic community leadership, engaging in the leadership of activities that may include (but are not limited to): 

• Enhancing or developing academic programs; 

• Fostering an inclusive, supportive academic environment and contributing to a positive academic culture; 

• Contributing to mentorship, peer development, or scholarly community-building; 

• Promoting collaboration, engagement, or cohesion within their academic unit, across campus or within the broader community.  

Examples: 

• Driving innovation in teaching and learning, whether through the adoption of new pedagogical approaches, curriculum development, or the effective integration of technology in the classroom or laboratory. 

• Mentoring peers or undergraduate and/or graduate students, fostering their academic growth, career development, and overall well-being. 

• Advancing inclusivity and accessibility within academic programs to ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities.
• Advancing interdisciplinary collaboration or knowledge translation by fostering partnerships across departments or fields to address complex problems. 

Evidence of Positive Impact (40%) 

Nominees must demonstrate a significant contribution to at least one of the following: 

• their academic department; 

• the UTM campus community; 

• the UTM postdoctoral scholar academic community; 

• the broader local or regional community, through initiatives that apply the nominee’s research or disciplinary expertise to address community needs. 

Impact may be demonstrated through initiatives, service, outreach, programming, or leadership roles. Specific examples may include, but are not limited to: 

• Organizing or supporting cultural events and initiatives that enhance the diversity and richness of campus life; 

• Creating opportunities for academic community-building within departments or across campus; 

• Initiating and leading service-based projects that apply the nominee’s expertise to outreach programs, or partnerships with local organizations. Thereby extending UTM’s impact beyond the campus; 

• Building connections between students, faculty, and/or the local community to promote dialogue and mutual understanding. 

UTM faculty, staff, or students can nominate postdoctoral fellows from their units/departments who have demonstrated exceptional academic community leadership.  

Nominations must be submitted as a single PDF and include the following materials, in the order listed below: 

1. Statement of Support (maximum 2 pages) outlining how the nominee has demonstrated academic community leadership during their time at UTM; 

2. Nominee’s CV, showcasing the nominee's academic community leadership accomplishments, including any contributions to their academic program, research initiatives, mentorship roles, and community engagement activities. 

3. Two letters of recommendation (up to 2 pages each) from individuals who are familiar with the nominee’s work and leadership. These can include faculty, students, or community leaders who can speak about the nominee's contributions, impact, and overall leadership potential. 

Submission Instructions

Nomination packages must be submitted electronically postdocs.utm@utoronto.ca  by the nomination deadline.  

Late submissions will not be considered. 

For questions about the nomination process or for assistance, please contact: 

Amanda Pennings 
Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Specialist 
postdocs.utm@utoronto.ca  

We look forward to receiving your nominations and celebrating the impactful leadership of our postdoctoral community!