PhD Dissertation Award for Outstanding Research Contributing to the Degree of PhD
The PhD Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding research in nutrition at the PhD level. Scientific papers arising from the PhD research and constituting publication of thesis material are considered as part of the award review.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the PhD Dissertation Award:
- The nominee and their PhD supervisor must be current members of the Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS) and must have held CNS membership for at least one year prior to receiving the award.
- The nominee must have successfully defended their PhD thesis no more than 15 months prior to January 31, 2027. For the 2027 award, the thesis defence must have taken place on or after October 31, 2025.
- Nominees may indicate any formal leaves, interruptions, delays or other circumstances that affected the duration of PhD studies.
Nomination Deadline
Nominations are due February 1, 2027 by 11:59am ET and must be submitted through the Online Award Nomination Tool.
Nomination Package
A complete nomination package must include the following:
Reference Letter
A reference letter of no more than 2 pages from the PhD supervisor or another member of the supervisory committee describing the nature and significance of the work for which the nomination is being submitted.
Curriculum Vitae
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the nominee. The CV must follow the current Tri-agency CV format developed jointly by CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.
Applicants should use the official Tri-agency CV template and instructions most relevant to, or aligned with, their research area.
PhD Research Abstract
An abstract of the PhD research of no more than 250 words.
Publications Arising from the PhD Research
Provide a list of publications arising from the PhD research, organized under the following categories:
- Published: Peer-reviewed articles published as part of the PhD dissertation.
- Submitted or Under Review: Manuscripts included in the PhD dissertation that have been submitted or are currently under peer review.
- Supplementary Publications: Additional peer-reviewed publications completed in conjunction with the PhD research.
Application Review
Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application by the deadline. CNS staff will review applications for eligibility and completeness before they proceed to adjudication.
Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not proceed to review.
Selection & Award
An anonymous review committee appointed by a CNS Awards Co-Chair will review all eligible nominations and recommend a recipient for the PhD Dissertation Award.
The recipient will receive:
- a plaque;
- a monetary award;
- a complimentary ticket to the Awards Ceremony; and
- the opportunity to deliver a PhD Dissertation Award Lecture during a CNS-hosted webinar.
The plaque will be presented during the CNS Annual Conference, where the nominator will be invited to introduce the recipient.
Please see the conference program for details on award presentations.