The Vice-Principal Research (VPR) Postdoctoral Fund aims to attract outstanding postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) to Queen’s University and foster greater recognition of trainees as research leaders of the future. Support for PDFs and their contribution to research is an objective of the University’s Strategic Framework and advances research excellence at the University.
The fund provides two years of salary support for up to six (6) PDFs, per competition, who will hold a postdoctoral position at Queen’s University. Each award is valued at $50,000 each year of the funding period for a total of $100,000 per recipient. PDFs are entitled to benefits paid by the faculty colleague(s), PSAC 901, Unit 2 Collective Agreement .
The PhD must be complete at the start of the postdoctoral position.
Application Updates coming soon
Details regarding the next round of application for the Postdoctoral Fund are currently being finalized. Please stay tuned for updates.
2025 Recipients
| Faculty | Postdoctoral Fellow | Department/Faculty | Discipline | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aristides Docoslis | Zhikun Chen | Chemical Engineering | NSERC | Electrosorption for microplastic removal from wastewater: Development, optimization, mechanisms, and environmental toxicology assessments |
| Laurent Beland | Mohsen Tamtaji | Mechanical and Materials Engineering | NSERC | Dynamic electrocatalysts – A new paradigm for energy conversion |
| Lisa Bulter | Williams Agyemang-Duah | Public Health Studies | CIHR | Climate change, food insecurity, and mental health outcomes in resource-poor contexts: Geospatial and mixed methods evidence from slum communities in Ghana |
| Paul Kubes | Filipe Oliveira | Biomedical and Molecular Sciences | CIHR | Disentangling immune dynamics and group A streptococcus interactions in post-pandemic outbreaks |
| Rachel Baker | Joshua Buzolic | Chemical Engineering | NSERC | A systematic investigation of the effects of electrochemical environments on the stability and integrity of natural materials as electrode alternatives |
| Rebecca Hall | Phil Henderson | Global Development Studies | SSHRC | ‘We only want the earth’: Relations between the labour movement and Indigenous land defenders |
Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ the PDF application process
Applications will come from Queen’s faculty members who will then support PDFs through a newly created research fund. Applications will be assessed on the following three criteria:
- Quality of the training environment (e.g., training strategy, research facilities, success of past trainees, strategy for diverse recruitment of trainees, access to development opportunities, availability of external research funds to support research activities of the postdoctoral trainee).
- Quality of the postdoctoral research proposal (e.g., potential for new knowledge, feasibility, equity/diversity/inclusion in research design and practice).
- Preparation of the postdoctoral researcher for the proposed research (e.g., success in past degrees, research experience, excellence in research output and impact for career stage).
Co-Supervision is encouraged. This includes co-supervision across Faculties. Faculty members who wish to co-supervise a PDF must identify lead administrative Faculty.
A complete application has four elements:
- Up to three pages of text prepared by the Queen’s faculty member(s) that addresses the three adjudication criteria:
- quality of the training environment
- quality of the postdoctoral research proposal
- and preparation of the postdoctoral researcher for the proposed research.
- The proposed postdoctoral researcher’s Curriculum Vitae (supplied to the faculty member(s) who submits as part of the VPR PDF application). Maximum 10 pages in length.
- The postdoctoral researcher’s research proposal (supplied to the faculty member(s) who submits as part of the VPR PDF application). Maximum 2 pages in length.
- Two letters of recommendation (requested by the proposed postdoctoral researcher, supplied to the faculty member(s) who submits as part of the VPR PDF application). Maximum 5 pages in length.
Applications will be reviewed by the VPR Postdoctoral Fund Selection Committee, which includes the following members:
- Deputy/Associate Vice-Principal Research (Chair)
- Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (or delegate)
- Three (3) Queen’s faculty members with experience in postdoctoral supervision
- Associate Vice-Principal Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (or delegate)
- Two (2) Queen’s postdoctoral fellows
The Selection Committee will make recommendations for funding to the Vice-Principal Research.
Past recipients
| Faculty | Postdoctoral Fellow | Department/Faculty | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris McGlory | Jonathan Mcleod | Kinesiology and Health Studies | CIHR |
| Jason Olsthoorn | Daniel Robb | Civil Engineering | NSERC |
| Dongmei Chen | Temitope Seun Oluwadare | Geography and Planning | NSERC |
| Fernanda Guarino De Felice | Fernanda Gomes deQueiroz Barros-Aragão | Biomedical and Molecular Sciences & Psychiatry | CIHR |
| Sharday Mosurinjohn | Jacob Boss | Religion | SSHRC |
| Faculty | Postdoctoral Fellow | Department/Faculty | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bram Adams | Abdul Ali Bangash | Computing | NSERC |
| Jean Côté and Luc Martin | Stuart Wilson | SKHS | SSHRC/CIHR |
| Tom Hollenstein | Xiaomei Li | Psychology | SSHRC/NSERC |
| Sailaja Krishnamurti | Harshita Yalamarty | Gender Studies | SSHRC |
| Stéfanie von Hlatky | Emilie El Khoury | Political Studies | SSHRC |
| Stephen Scott | Dan Armstrong | DBMS | CIHR |