traveltip

Hi again, everyone. Just wanted to let you know that my official Vanier letter arrived in the mail on Thursday, April 30 (yesterday). It was dated April 17 but not mailed (postmarked) until April 27 for some reason. If you haven't gotten yours yet, it should arrive soon. The announcement yesterday in Ottawa was fine, basically as expected -- brief remarks from Chad Geffield (SSHRC President), Gary Goodyear (Minister of State for Science & Technology), Laurent Beaudoin (former President and CEO of Bombardier; selection committe chair), and three Vanier recipients (one each from SSHRC, CIHR and NSERC who all spoke very well). That was followed by an hour-long wine and cheese reception and a chance to meet and greet. I'm glad I was able to go, but I think those of you from further away who decided not to attend made the right decision -- it would have been an awful lot of traveling for a very short event. And you'll get the funding regardless of whether or not you attended! The list of 166 winners is posted on the website. Here's how they break down by school (where the award will be taken up): Toronto 34 British Columbia 17 Alberta 12 McGill 11 Montreal 11 Laval 8 McMaster 8 Waterloo 7 Western 6 Simon Fraser 6 York 6 Ottawa 5 Manitoba 4 Quebec a Montreal 3 Saskatchewan 3 Guelph 3 Queen's 3 Carleton 3 Sherbrooke 2 Calgary 2 Brock 1 Concordia 1 Dalhousie 1 Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal 1 HEC Montreal 1 Memorial 1 Ryerson 1 Trent 1 Lethbridge 1 Victoria 1 Windsor 1 Laurier 1 Congratulations again, and best of luck to those of you still waiting to hear about SSHRC doctoral awards.

Hi willnl and kaoru: I know, it's a long way to go for a short reception. If I were as far away from Ottawa as you, I doubt I'd go either. But whether you're there or not, you've got the funding -- and the honor of the award! Congratulations again!

Congrats, you guys! That's awesome news. I would imagine that the "announcement" would include a reception -- it seems appropriate since they're trying to launch these awards in style, right? I'm going, in any case. This is one of those "big deal" life moments that I might regret not being a part of down the road, I think. Again, talk to your faculty of graduate studies or department about funding -- mine is covering all my travel costs, which I'm really grateful for. anthro student: I know what you mean about it feeling a little like a high school party. Haha. I think they probably had limited space/resources and decided to send invitations to those with research projects that would most easily appeal to the media and the public (i.e. "practical applications" projects) in order to justify the program in some way. That said, my own research is in the arts/humanities, with rather abstract implications for the broader public, so maybe that disproves my own theory... In any case, best of luck and I hope you hear soon!

UPDATE: It's been confirmed (off-the-record) by those very high up at my school's faculty of graduate studies: if you received an invitation, you will be receiving a Vanier. Apparently winners from NSERC knew this already, but SSHRC hasn't sent us our acceptance letters yet. Not all Vanier winners received invites to the reception, however, so there is still a chance that your application may have been successful until you hear otherwise. Apparently, invitations were sent to a representative cross-section of scholars from the diverse fields that Vanier supports. If you were invited, think seriously about going to Ottawa for the reception - it should be great! My faculty of graduate studies is assisting with travel costs; yours might, too, since it's a huge honor for the school as well. Best of luck, everyone!

I'd say check with your grad studies department first thing on Monday morning, as they likely have more info. This looks like a big-deal national announcement made in Ottawa, so the universities have likely been informed of the results already but told to keep quiet until it becomes official on Thursday. Explain that you have an invitation and would like to go, but only if you know you will be receiving an award. There's a good chance that your grad studies department may even foot the bill for your travel, since it's a huge honour and you'd be representing them. Definitely ask. That's my two cents' worth. My gut tells me that only award winners have been invited... so congratulations if that's the case!

My faculty of graduate studies' external awards department has said announcements will be made April 30 (Thursday). Coincidentally, that's the same day that the Vanier scholars will be announced in Ottawa. Perhaps they are trying to release all the information at the same time (?). Not sure if that means that letters will be mailed on the 30th, or if they will be mailed a day or two before so as to arrive on Thursday. In any case, results are imminent; the end is in sight! Best of luck, everyone!

thepoorstockinger: Exactly! I can't imagine them inviting people to come all that distance at the last minute only to be told "sorry you didn't get one." Although I guess the consolation might be a regular "Bombardier" CGS, which is still a huge deal! That's not been officially confirmed yet, though, to my knowledge... so there is still a chance that Vanier nominees could walk away empty-handed, right? I hope not. kaoru: I'm a little closer to Ottawa than Edmonton, but you're right: it's asking a lot of us without a guarantee of anything. I'm going to contact my grad studies department ASAP to see if they know what's going on. SSHRC tends to communicate things like this to them before us, right?

Just got an e-mail from SSHRC -- a matter of minutes ago -- inviting me to attend the announcement of the first Vanier Canada Graduate Scholars at a reception in Ottawa on Thursday afternoon, April 30. It's the first I've heard from SSHRC/Vanier, and there is no mention of my application status. Can we assume that only successful applicants received invitations to this reception? Did anyone else get this e-mail? Are you going? Ottawa is a long way away on such short notice, but it's kind of a big deal -- and exciting if this means what I hope it means...!