Program Details
As McGill uses CRC Chairs for external recruitment, two internal awards, the James McGill Professor and William Dawson Scholar, were created in 2000 in parallel with the Canada Research Chair program to recognize the outstanding research contributions of academic staff members already at McGill University. The Deans were invited to submit the names of their nominees, along with the required documentation, to the Provost. The announcements of the first were made November 1, 2000. The total number of these awards is adjusted to equal that of the Canada Research allocation.
The James McGill Professor award recognizes a senior scholar’s status as outstanding and original researcher of world-class caliber and a leader in his or her field similar to that of the CRC Tier I. James McGill Professors must be tenured full professors. They hold the award for a seven-year term, renewable indefinitely.
The William Dawson Scholar award recognizes a scholar developing into an outstanding and original researcher of world-class caliber who is poised to become a leader in his or her field, similar to that of a CRC Tier II. William Dawson Scholars must be tenure-track assistant or associate professors. They receive the award for a five-year term, renewable once.
Assistant professors who are William Dawson Scholars must be granted tenure in order to have the award renewed. Tenure denial terminates the award. If the tenure process is not completed by the end of the first term, a one-year extension may be granted by the Provost. If this extension is granted, the candidate would only be eligible for a 4-year renewal.