Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies

With the Early Career Scholars program well established, the Distinguished Scholars in Residence program is directed at senior UBC Associate and Full Professors. Applicants, self-nominated, must be tenure-track faculty members; emeriti may also apply. Faculty members in any academic unit at UBC are eligible. There should be demonstrated and recognized research excellence. It is expected that the appointee will make regular use of their Peter Wall Institute research office throughout the year, so if one expects to be away for an extended amount of time, it would be preferable to apply for a different year. Recipients of past awards are eligible to apply for another appointment after five years of completing their term.

A personal infrastructure budget of $15,000 is provided to each scholar. These funds can be used for any research-related expenses including (but not limited to): course buy-outs, travel, research materials, books, research assistants, phone-fax-copying, secretarial services, and equipment purchases. Up to half the budget may be taken as a stipend.

The selection will be primarily based on the research attainments of the applicant. The research should match the mandate of the Institute, in particular being oriented to basic research and being interdisciplinary. The application should describe the research planned during the term of appointment. If research events (such as a workshop or a lecture series of international experts) would complement this plan, up to an additional $5,000 may be provided.

Beginning with the 2010 cohort, the term of the appointment will be from April 1 to March 31.
Those selected as Distinguished Scholars in Residence become Faculty Associates of the Institute and will receive regular invitations to Institute events. Every two weeks there is a lunch or dinner to which all Associates are invited. These gatherings offer an opportunity to engage in informal discussions with colleagues from a wide diversity of disciplines as well as to hear a talk by one of the Associates. While the appointment as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence is only for the calendar year, one remains an Institute Associate indefinitely. Scholars in Residence are expected to give a research talk at one of the lunches or dinners during their year in residence and are encouraged to plan a research-related event, such as a lecture series or workshop, at the Institute during or after their tenure. The Scholars in Residence, the Peter Wall Distinguished Professor, and the Institute Director have regular weekly meetings to discuss research issues and at least one off-campus weekend retreat.

No formal application form is required. A full UBC CV, a list of three external (non-UBC) referees, and any other materials that indicate research distinction and a fit with the mandate of the Institute should accompany the nomination. The cover letter should draw attention to important, relevant aspects of the CV and should also describe the proposed research and any planned events to enhance the Institute's intellectual environment.

Cover letter and CV should be provided in a signed paper copy as well as electronically. The electronic version in Word or PDF format (preferred) can be sent as e-mail attachments or on a disk along with the original application sent by mail or dropped off in person. The Standard UBC Curriculum Vitae (Word) template is available on the Faculty Relations web site.