FAQs
Must I be appointed at a university to hold a CIFAR Junior Fellowship?
CIFAR Junior Fellowships are always held in conjunction with a formal university or research institute appointment. The typical form of university appointment for a Junior Fellow is a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, in which he or she works under the supervision of one or more CIFAR program members. However, in disciplines where PhD graduates are frequently recruited directly into junior faculty positions, such as economics and sociology, Junior Fellows may hold an appointment as a full-time Assistant Professor. A Junior Fellow with a junior faculty appointment will have one or more designated mentors or research collaborators within the CIFAR program during the period of his or her Fellowship. For more details, please read Guidelines and Policies for Junior Fellow Appointments.
Can I hold a CIFAR Junior Fellowship at any university?
Junior Fellows who are appointed as postdoctoral fellows will be directly supervised by at least one CIFAR program member, and thus will be based at the university or research institute of their primary supervisor.
Junior Fellows who are appointed as junior faculty members may be based at any university, on the agreement of CIFAR, the CIFAR Program Director(s) and the university department. It is expected that the Junior Fellow will be able to freely attend all interaction meetings of their CIFAR program and of the Junior Fellow Academy.
May I teach during my appointment as a CIFAR Junior Fellow?
The Junior Fellowship is intended to enhance individuals’ capacity to do research. In that spirit, CIFAR prefers that Junior Fellows defer or minimize their teaching responsibilities to the extent possible during their term of appointment.
How may I use my Junior Fellowship funds?
Postdoctoral fellows will receive Junior Fellowship funds designated for salary ($65,000 CDN/US), research support ($5,000 CDN/US), and if required, benefits (up to $7,000 CDN/US). For more information, see the section on Fellowship Value.
Junior faculty members are expected to use the Junior Fellowship award to enhance their research capacity. Possible uses include, but are not limited to, teaching release, summer salary (where applicable), student support, and salary for a research assistant.
Please note that CIFAR does not support indirect costs.
May I hold other competitive fellowship awards concurrently with my Junior Fellowship?
Yes. This scenario applies only to postdoctoral fellows. If a fellowship that is intended to support salary is accepted, CIFAR will reduce the amount paid through the Junior Fellowship for the remainder of the individual’s term of appointment, taking into account the value of the other fellowship(s). For example, if a Junior Fellow receives a $40,000 CIHR Fellowship, the value of the salary portion of his or her Junior Fellowship will be reduced from $65,000 to $25,000 per annum, from the date that the CIHR Fellowship comes into effect.
What if I am a postdoctoral fellow and I accept a junior faculty appointment during my Junior Fellowship term?
If a Junior Fellow holding a postdoctoral fellow position obtains a faculty appointment during the period of the Junior Fellowship, yet intends to continue interaction with program members, he or she normally will be allowed to complete the full term agreed on at the beginning of the Fellowship so that a successful transition from trainee to independent researcher may be supported. From the starting date of the new faculty appointment, the Fellowship value will transition to the amount normally awarded to junior faculty members for the remainder of the Junior Fellowship term. Funds will be administered through the Junior Fellow’s new department and will be used to enhance his or her research capacity. Funds may be used to secure teaching release or to set up and support the Junior Fellow’s research program. It is expected that the Program Director(s) will serve as the Junior Fellow’s de facto supervisor(s) for the remainder of his or her appointment.
May I defer my Junior Fellowship or take a leave of absence during the Fellowship term?
Junior Fellowships normally will start on a date specified by a CIFAR research program or within eight months after the date the Fellowship is awarded. Requested deferrals will be negotiated on an individual basis, as needed.
Junior Fellows requesting parental leave should refer to the Parental Leave Policy. Other types of leave will be negotiated on an individual basis, as needed.
