John Charles Polanyi Prizes
In honour of the achievement of John Charles Polanyi, recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Government of the Province of Ontario has established a fund to provide annually up to five (5) prizes to outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers who are continuing to postdoctoral studies or have recently started a faculty appointment at an Ontario university. The John Charles Polanyi Prizes are available in the areas broadly defined as Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economic Science.
More detailed information about The John Charles Polanyi Prizes (external link, opens in new window) .
$20,000
March 2, 2026
(PDF file) Application form (in English) (external link)
(PDF file) French application form (in French) (external link)
A complete application requires:
• an application form completed by the applicant;
• the applicant’s curriculum vitae (updates to which will not be accepted after submission);
• a one-page summary of the applicant’s doctoral thesis, written by the applicant;
• a brief statement of the research or scholarship to be undertaken during the period of the award, prepared by the applicant and not to exceed two pages (one additional page is allowed for diagrams, bibliography, etc.);
• a non-technical summary of the statement of research or scholarship, written by the applicant and not to exceed 500 words;
• confidential letters from four assessors; at least two of the assessors must not have had any prior personal or professional association with the applicant (e.g., as a supervisor, a member of the applicant’s supervisory committee, or a co-author) and ideally are not at a university at which the applicant is, or has been, a student or an employee.
The Toronto Met YSGPS internal committee will forward recommended candidates together with their applications to the Council of Ontario Universities for further review.
More information can be found at the Council of Ontario Universities webpage (external link)
Submit an electronic copy of all required documents in a single PDF package to Natasha Mills – natasha.mills@torontomu.ca by the posted deadline.