U of T to honour and celebrate ‘research impact leaders’ with new award

Composed a symphony that’s moved audiences, published a bestseller or developed an innovation? Produced research that has led to an important global policy shift that’s saved lives?

The University of Toronto’s new President’s Impact Awards are designed to acknowledge and honour the achievements of researchers whose work has had significant impact beyond academia or a specific field of research.

“We recognize great teachers and great researchers at U of T but we have not similarly recognized those individuals who take their research out of the university and have an impact on society,” explained Vivek Goel, vice-president of research and innovation, whose office has created and will administer the competition.

Recognizing and judging this impact will be challenging, which is why the review committee will be interested in hearing from those outside academia who have seen the results of the work lead to change, Goel said.

“This will help us recognize who the research impact leaders are at U of T,” he said.

Interested in publicly funded research in Canada? Learn more at UofT’s #supportthereport advocacy campaign

Given the breadth and excellence of research at U of T, the impact could be wide ranging, he said, for example, from arts and culture, public policy or law, education, inventions or innovations, the economy, health, the environment, or public engagement.

Up to five winners will each receive $10,000 a year for five years to support their research. Recipients of the President’s Impact Award who have a policy orientation may also be considered as a recipient of the $2,000 Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award, presented annually under the banner of the U of T Awards of Excellence.

The winners will be the first members of the university’s newly created President’s Impact Academy, which will advise the university community, particularly to help develop programs and research collaborations and partnerships, Goel said.

They may also be tapped to speak at future convocation ceremonies or participate in international student recruitment events.

The deadline to apply for the President’s Impact Awards is Jan. 15, but researchers are urged to consult their divisional awards offices for earlier internal deadlines. For more information, visit www.research.utoronto.ca/PIA/.

Recipients will be formally feted at the annual U of T Salutes! awards event celebrating research and innovation excellence in spring 2018.