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.
Applications for 2025
The Postdoctoral Fund is currently accepting applications for 2025, and applications from this round will be funded by the Bruce Mitchell Research Program . The next round of funding is anticipated to commence in May 2025, and applications are due on March 14, 2025.
Please read below for details on the application process. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at
About 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 |