The Fellowship Program

1a. Applicant eligibility
Applicants to the 2024 Victor Snieckus Postdoctoral Fellowship program (‘The Fellowship’) must be Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada, and have obtained their PhD degree in synthetic organic chemistry from a Canadian university.

1b. Eligibility window for degree completion
Applicants must fulfill or have fulfilled all requirements for a PhD degree between September 15 in the year prior to application and September 30 of the year of application (inclusive).

1c. Host institution eligibility
The successful candidate may hold their Fellowship at any Canadian or international post-secondary institution conducting original research in organic synthesis. Fellowships at industrial institutions will not be considered.

1d. Other eligibility requirements:
Postdoctoral research must be in the area of synthetic organic chemistry. Applicants must not hold a tenure-track or tenured faculty position, nor can they be on leave from such a position. Applicants can submit only one application per competition year

Without exception, Victor Snieckus Postdoctoral Fellowships:

• are tenable only at the institution that supported the original application;
• must be taken up no earlier than January 1st and no later than October 1st following the year of application;
• may be held for a maximum of two year
• can only be held once in a lifetime.

A. Proof of completion of requirements for doctoral degree;
B. Official transcript(s) for all graduate courses;
C. Offer letter from the host institution / supervisor;
D. Portable document format (PDF) of your published articles;
E. Curriculum vitae;
F. Summary of graduate research project(s);
G. Contribution to Science and Society;
H. Research Proposal.

Sections E through H should not exceed 25 pages

Application Deadline:
The application must be received by the foundation not later than 8 pm (EST) on August 1 of the year of application.

• Documents prepared using word processing software can be combined into a single master document and subsequently saved as a PDF file.
• Free utilities are available for the merging of PDF files (see example here)

• Pages must be 8 ½” x 11″ (216mm x 279mm).
• Insert a minimum margin of 2 cm (3/4 inch) around the page (top, bottom and sides).
• Text spacing should be 1.5.
• Use a minimum font size of 12 point, black type. Do not use condensed/narrow font sizes, type density, or line spacing. Smaller text in tables, charts, figures, and graphs is acceptable, provided it is legible when the page is viewed at 100%.
• Photo-reduce the supporting documents if the originals are larger than 21.25 x 27.5 cm / 8.5″ x 11″.
• For documents prepared by the applicant: At the top of each page, indicate your name and the title of the document as it appears in the instructions.
• For documents prepared by the institution: These must be on institutional letterhead
• For multi-page documents, number the pages sequentially.
• The size of the document(s) cannot exceed 20 MB per document.
• Cited references should be included at the end of the appropriate sections using the ACS style guide for formatting (e.g. as in The Journal of Organic Chemistry)

Chemical Structure Drawing Specifications: Schemes should be completed using the ACS 1996 settings in ChemDraw or the equivalent in other drawing programs. The scheme below can be used as a template.

Provide a copy of your PhD diploma. If it has not been received at the time of application, provide an official letter from the University indicating that either:

1. The applicant has completed all requirements as of the date of application; or
2. The applicant will complete all requirements by September 30, of the application year.

The letter must:

1. Be completed by an official of the University (Registrar, Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Department Head, or other similar official);
2. Be signed by them, and indicate their printed name and the date;
3. Contain their direct contact information (phone and email).

• Please submit an official copy of your undergraduate transcript.
• Graduate transcripts: if the applicant has completed prior graduate level work in organic chemistry, e.g., M.Sc., please also submit transcripts for this program. Copies of graduate transcripts are acceptable at the time of application, however, successful candidates will be required to provide official transcripts directly from the educational institution before a Fellowship can be awarded.
• Submitted transcripts should include all graduate courses completed, including those outside of organic chemistry.

Applicants must contact institutions/supervisors that they think will be a good fit for them and their research. Applicants already affiliated with the proposed host institution may only do so provided they can justify remaining in the research environment. It is strongly encouraged that the applicant undertakes the research at a different institution.

Applications must be prepared in full collaboration with the potential host institution:
From the outset of the application process, applicants and their host institution should discuss:

• the details of the fellowship appointment
• any benefits offered to the externally funded postdoctoral researcher
• any financial obligations associated with the appointment (union dues, insurance premiums, etc.)
• the rights and responsibilities of postdoctoral researchers
• any other institution-specific policies that might apply to an externally funded postdoctoral researcher

The host institution must provide the applicant with an Offer of Employment that provides details on all of the above. Conditional offers will be accepted. That is to say, if the offer of employment is contingent on the applicant’s ability to secure funding outside of the host institution.

• The applicant must submit PDF copies of all published articles resulting from their graduate research.
• Only accepted articles (published or ASAP) will be accepted for the application. Do not include “Submitted” articles. These can be indicated in the “Publications” section of the CV.

Please submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV), which must include the following sections:

1. The applicant’s current contact information, education, and work history.
2. List of publications, presentations and patents or patent applications. Publications should be formatted according to the ACS style guide (e.g. The Journal of Organic Chemistry).
3. Honours and Awards
4. Names of three (3) references, one of which should be your supervisor. Include their current contact information (address, email, phone number).
5. Note: The CV should be prepared according to the guidelines in Section 3 and must not include graphics

Please provide a concise summary of your graduate research projects

1. This document must be prepared by the applicant and may NOT be copied from publications.
2. Highlight in this section challenges that were faced and how problems were solved during your research.

These questions are meant to assess the candidate’s impact not only in research but in the areas of teaching, community building, and contributions to society. In keeping with the legacy of professor Snieckus, the successful candidate will embody not just outstanding scientific work,
but also exemplary interpersonal skills as demonstrated through efforts to connect with and inspire undergraduate students, build community within the lab, and promote science and, in particular, the importance of your research beyond the lab.

10a. Your contribution to research and its significance in the field
Based on your research and teaching experiences:

1. Indicate how you have contributed to the advancement of the field (max. 300 words).
2. Using examples from your research briefly describe your key intellectual contributions and ideation to your project(s) (max. 300 words).

10b. Your contribution to science and society

1. Indicate your most significant effort(s) to promote science during your graduate work
   (teaching, volunteer work, tutoring or other) (max. 300 words); and
2. Describe, in your own words, the importance of teaching in organic chemistry (max. 300 words); and
3. Explain what motivates you to do research in organic chemistry and what your vision is for what your research might bring to society (max 300 words).

10c. Extracurricular Activities and Interests
Describe your interests outside of science. Besides science, what are you passionate about?
(max 300 words)

The research proposal consists of the follwing sections, which should be included in a single document in the order shown.

11a. General Information

• Title
• Abstract: Summarize, (max. 300 words) the research proposal.
• Host Institution Name
• Host Supervisor
• Expected Start Date

11b. Keywords
Provide descriptors/keywords to describe your research proposal (max. 15 words).

11c. Research proposal
Please provide a detailed description of your proposed research, addressing the following elements:

• the objectives of the proposed research program
• the research questions and/or hypotheses
• the theoretical approach or framework
• the position of the proposed research within the context of current knowledge in the field
• the position of the proposed research within the context of ongoing work by the proposed supervisor
• an explanation of the novelty and potential significance of the proposed research
• the methodology (including timelines) and the rationale for choosing it
• an outline of any plans for collaboration
• the contribution that the research will make to the advancement of knowledge
• any ethical considerations pertaining to the research
• the plan to disseminate the findings and/or enhance the potential for impact

The research proposal must be an original research project in synthetic organic chemistry. It must be written by the applicant only and with the understanding that it will be reviewed by a selection committee.

• The fellowship is not transferrable.
• The fellowship is valid at the host institution for one year.
• Satisfactory progress must be demonstrated before the end of the first year.
• Proof of satisfactory progress may be in the form of an offer letter from the host institution indicating that employment will be extended for a second year (See Section 7).
• If satisfactory progress is not demonstrated, funding will be discontinued.
• Upon proof of satisfactory progress in the first year, the fellowship may be renewed for one additional year.

At the end of the award period a presentation of the work achieved during the fellowship must be given to the fellowship committee. The committee may additionally request that the presentation be given to a wider audience in the scientific community (e.g., virtual meeting with former recipients, experts in the field from academia and/or industry), and this presentation may be recorded.

The presentation must be given no later than one year after completion of the fellowship.

The presentation should emphasize the following points:

• The original goals of the project;
• Any changes to the goals as a result of the advancement of the project;
• The work achieved and any issues encountered and how they were addressed;
• Impact of the work on the field;
• Reference to any publications resulting from the work; and
• Possible future directions for the work.