SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship 2022-2023

[Mrazy]

Hello, everyone. I made the thread on SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship applications last year, and it was a great source of comfort and information during the process! The results for the 2022-2023 competition will be announced towards the end of February 2022. If you'd like to discuss anything here re: the application or results, please do so!  This is my second time applying. I wish you all the best luck!! 

[Chih-En]

It's my second time too. Fingers crossed!

[gleefullygloomy]

Good luck to you both! I know we are still a month and a half away from knowing anything, but here's hoping!

[Beals]

I'm applying for the first time. Currently ABD, applying to hold the postdoc at a uni abroad.

Based on last year (and, ya know, how SSHRC operates as an institution) we'll likely have to wait until early March ... but would be thrilled to be put out of my misery within the next 4 weeks instead!

[Mrazy]

Hi Beals, 

I applied last year, and they sent out the results electronically at the end of February, slightly staggered (they started sending out the results February 22nd or 23rd, and people received them whenever they were uploaded to their file). I received my decision letter February 25th. SSHRC will likely follow a similar schedule this time around! Good luck  

[Shannon parrott]

hello! does anyone know if a SSHRC postdoc can be deferred, and if so what sort of time frame(s) it can be?

 

Thanks!

[Beals]

On 1/20/2022 at 4:13 AM, Mrazy said:

Hi Beals, 

I applied last year, and they sent out the results electronically at the end of February, slightly staggered (they started sending out the results February 22nd or 23rd, and people received them whenever they were uploaded to their file). I received my decision letter February 25th. SSHRC will likely follow a similar schedule this time around! Good luck  

Hi Mrazy,

Thanks for the info! I thought we received letters via snail mail - so great that we can check online! Much more efficient! And hopefully we hear in Feb this year too!

[Mrazy]

On 1/20/2022 at 9:49 AM, Shannon parrott said:

hello! does anyone know if a SSHRC postdoc can be deferred, and if so what sort of time frame(s) it can be?

 

Thanks!

Hey! Here's the link for all of the regulations for holding the SSHRC Postdoc: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/Guides-Guides/TriRTA-TriBFR_eng.asp#deferment

Here's the section on deferring a start date: 

Deferment of start date

Before activating the payment of award, the start date may be deferred beyond the available start dates. The award value and duration will not be affected by the deferment, and an award recipient may apply for more than one type of deferment consecutively. The award recipient must select the new start date from the available start dates table. 

A deferment of start date may be requested for the following reasons:

• Parental or medical leave, and/or family-related responsibilities
  • The award start date may be deferred for up to three years
  • The leave may be taken in increments that add up to, but must not exceed, three years
  • Relevant supporting documents are required (for example, birth or adoption certificate, medical note)
  • A deferment greater than one year must be confirmed by submitting a new
    Request for Deferment of Start Date or Interruption of Award form on an annual basis; however, no new supporting documents will be necessary
• Relevant work experience
  • The award start date may be deferred for up to one year 
  • The deferment may be taken in increments that add up to, but must not exceed, one year 
• Relocation, visa application or academic calendar differences
  • The award start date may be deferred for up to two months, and an exception to the  available start dates can be requested

A Request for Deferment of Start Date or Interruption of Award form must be completed and sent to the appropriate program contact for approval.

[Amanda.A]

Thanks, Mrazy, for starting this thread. This year is my first applying for a SSHRC postdoc (committee 1). I've felt neutral about the application, until today. Now that it's results month I'm anxious/excited. Even though the chances are slim of actually receiving an acceptance it's hard not to get my hopes up. This month is going to be a challenging one. Wishing everyone the best of luck!

[HeatherCT]

Hi everyone! It's my first time applying too, feeling pretty nervous/anxious/excited.... I emailed SSHRC to confirm the results would be sent out electronically and received this as the reply:

"Thank you for communicating with us, results will be shared with candidates electronically. Once they become available( in late february), you will receive an email giving you directions on how to access the extranet website to view your results."

So we have a few more weeks to wait, as expected, but it seems like once the results are available we should be able to access them right away. Good luck to all!

[Amanda.A]

6 hours ago, HeatherCT said:

Hi everyone! It's my first time applying too, feeling pretty nervous/anxious/excited.... I emailed SSHRC to confirm the results would be sent out electronically and received this as the reply:

"Thank you for communicating with us, results will be shared with candidates electronically. Once they become available( in late february), you will receive an email giving you directions on how to access the extranet website to view your results."

So we have a few more weeks to wait, as expected, but it seems like once the results are available we should be able to access them right away. Good luck to all!

Thank you for sharing this information with us. Very good to know results will be made available electronically. So, about three weeks to go! 

[gleefullygloomy]

Glad to see some updates here - a bit nervous and kinda can't believe that it is almost here. I hope this isn't too nosy of a question, but I am curious where people will be taking their post-docs if they are successful?

Best of luck to you all!

[Beals]

I wanted to ask a similar (but more depressing) question, Gleefullygloomy!

If successful I will take the postdoc - though I still hope to find other (more lucrative and long term!) work before the postdoc starts (i.e., TT job). Though - if I apply to another postdoc scheme using the same project/supervisor/school and am successful ... can I hold both SSHRC and that other award? Scanning SSHRC's conditions it seems that I can (as long as its not Banting), and I think I've seen other folks hold both SSHRC and Killam.

I do want to know what ideas folks have regarding work if they're not successful? What other employment is everyone looking at as a backup? If I defend over the summer, as I plan to, but don't get SSHRC I plan to apply for international postdocs I'm eligible for (where I live now many postdocs apps open in Sept/Oct and the award starts in January for those successful), and in the meantime do contract lecturing and RA work (through which I would actually make more money than on a SSHRC postdoc - go figure).

As you can see from this post, my brain is spinning with all the different possibilities! Oh, the uncertainty of academia!

[gleefullygloomy]

2 hours ago, Beals said:

I do want to know what ideas folks have regarding work if they're not successful?

This is the big question I am sure is on all of our minds right now. I actually work in educational technology for my university while I am finishing my PhD, and I am pretty lucky in that there will be a permanent position there if I want it. That's a big if. While the field is interesting, my PhD has nothing to do with it and I would much rather get the post-doc and continue on. Also thinking of perhaps making a move into another discipline (Data Science) at a German university if this doesn't pan out. But it's all up in the air until SSHRC results come in.

[PhdMultilinguaEd]

I hate to start things off on a down note, but if anyone on here is also waiting to hear about a Banting, I got my results today and wasn't successful. Fingers crossed for better results for the rest of you who applied!

[PowerpuffGal]

Question about CGS-Masters award: If I didn't list a school as a potential host, could I still have them forward my application to another institution? I received admission to a school that I didn't list as an organization (I applied to 7 schools so it was difficult to pick 3 random ones). Any help/advice would be appreciated

[Mrazy]

On 2/8/2022 at 11:05 PM, gleefullygloomy said:

I hope this isn't too nosy of a question, but I am curious where people will be taking their post-docs if they are successful?

 

Not nosy at all! If I'm successful I'll hold my SSHRC postdoc at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the history department. 

And Beals - I'm constantly thinking about back up plans! It's not a wonderful plan, but if I'm unsuccessful I'll still finish my PhD either this semester or early in the summer. I plan to get a day job (something that pays decent so I can get on a better financial footing) and continue to teach part-time contract classes in my city, publish a few articles, and continue applying for jobs and postdocs. I'll re-evaluate later if I want to continue working towards an academia job or go alt-academia. Either way I know I'll continue researching, writing, and publishing! I love the field too much to walk away completely. 

[Mrazy]

2 hours ago, PowerpuffGal said:

Question about CGS-Masters award: If I didn't list a school as a potential host, could I still have them forward my application to another institution? I received admission to a school that I didn't list as an organization (I applied to 7 schools so it was difficult to pick 3 random ones). Any help/advice would be appreciated

I'm not sure - I don't see anything on the instructions page about it. I would send an email to fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca and ask!

[Beals]

19 hours ago, gleefullygloomy said:

I am pretty lucky in that there will be a permanent position there if I want it. That's a big if. While the field is interesting, my PhD has nothing to do with it and I would much rather get the post-doc and continue on. Also thinking of perhaps making a move into another discipline (Data Science) at a German university if this doesn't pan out. But it's all up in the air until SSHRC results come in.

Oh, it's wonderful that you have options! If you moved into Data Science, would that involve more education or is there a job in Germany you might have lined up?

 

10 hours ago, PhdMultilinguaEd said:

I hate to start things off on a down note, but if anyone on here is also waiting to hear about a Banting, I got my results today and wasn't successful. Fingers crossed for better results for the rest of you who applied!

Sorry to hear that! I hope you get better news when the SSHRC results come out!

 

3 hours ago, Mrazy said:

And Beals - I'm constantly thinking about back up plans! It's not a wonderful plan, but if I'm unsuccessful I'll still finish my PhD either this semester or early in the summer. I plan to get a day job (something that pays decent so I can get on a better financial footing) and continue to teach part-time contract classes in my city, publish a few articles, and continue applying for jobs and postdocs. I'll re-evaluate later if I want to continue working towards an academia job or go alt-academia. Either way I know I'll continue researching, writing, and publishing! I love the field too much to walk away completely. 

I think I'll do the same re: putting off the decision to enter alt-ac for a few years (ie trying exclusively for an academic job for a while). You sound very resilient with your many plans so I'm sure you'll be successful no matter what path you follow

[HeatherCT]

On 2/8/2022 at 10:05 PM, gleefullygloomy said:

Glad to see some updates here - a bit nervous and kinda can't believe that it is almost here. I hope this isn't too nosy of a question, but I am curious where people will be taking their post-docs if they are successful?

Best of luck to you all!

Not at all nosy! If successful, I'll be at Queen's University, Kingston. 

 

Re: plans if not successful: I just got a short-term contract with Global Affairs Canada, so if I don't get the postdoc I'll probably try to stay on there for awhile. I've been very on the fence about staying in academia. I love research, writing, collaborative projects, but am not as enthused about teaching and of course the precarity and uncertainty weighs heavily. So we'll see! I'm hopeful about the postdoc because I'm really excited about the project I applied with, working with my prospective supervisor, etc. For me, having a contingency plan has been really helpful for mediating my stress levels. I know my department has been really good at finding contract teaching work for newly finished PhDs in the past, so if anyone wants to go that route it might be a good idea to ask your chair. My prospective postdoc supervisor also said she would try to find some funds to hire me on a part-time postdoc if SSHRC doesn't pan out; maybe that's something else folks would want to ask about (contract teaching + part-time postdoc could pay the bills for awhile and look pretty good on a CV )

[HeatherCT]

On 2/9/2022 at 7:33 PM, Beals said:

I wanted to ask a similar (but more depressing) question, Gleefullygloomy!

If successful I will take the postdoc - though I still hope to find other (more lucrative and long term!) work before the postdoc starts (i.e., TT job). Though - if I apply to another postdoc scheme using the same project/supervisor/school and am successful ... can I hold both SSHRC and that other award? Scanning SSHRC's conditions it seems that I can (as long as its not Banting), and I think I've seen other folks hold both SSHRC and Killam.

I do want to know what ideas folks have regarding work if they're not successful? What other employment is everyone looking at as a backup? If I defend over the summer, as I plan to, but don't get SSHRC I plan to apply for international postdocs I'm eligible for (where I live now many postdocs apps open in Sept/Oct and the award starts in January for those successful), and in the meantime do contract lecturing and RA work (through which I would actually make more money than on a SSHRC postdoc - go figure).

As you can see from this post, my brain is spinning with all the different possibilities! Oh, the uncertainty of academia!

I'm not sure about whether you can hold multiple awards simultaneously, but maybe! I do know supervisors will sometimes "top-up" a SSHRC postdoc from their own research funds and you can contract teach while holding the SSHRC postdoc. I agree that the SSHRC postdoc really isn't very much money to live on at this point in our careers, especially since it's taxed. My friends who have taken full-time teaching contracts post-PhD make twice the postdoc salary! 

[Levet]

Hello, everyone. Good to be on this thread. It's my first time applying. I'm ABD and think the SSHRC is my best shot for funding next year (so far this season's been a stream of rejections from postdocs in the US and UK). So I'm feeling pretty anxious now that the results are looming. I applied to hold the SSHRC at the University of Guelph.

Wishing everyone good luck.

[Mrazy]

We're two weeks away from results, give or take. I'm definitely feeling the excitement and anxiety come in waves! I have my fingers crossed for everyone. And regardless of the results, it's been nice chatting with you all! 

For those finishing up their programs, what stage are you at? I have a mature draft of my dissertation, and am in the (hopefully) last round of edits before I submit to my full committee. I'm hoping to defend in early April, submit my final dissertation by the end of April, and graduate in the fall. *knock on wood* 

[Beals]

On 2/9/2022 at 2:05 PM, gleefullygloomy said:

I am curious where people will be taking their post-docs if they are successful?

Oh wow, I read that as IF, not WHERE. To answer the actual question you asked - my proposed host institution is a university in Australia!

On 2/12/2022 at 5:18 AM, Mrazy said:

For those finishing up their programs, what stage are you at? I have a mature draft of my dissertation, and am in the (hopefully) last round of edits before I submit to my full committee. I'm hoping to defend in early April, submit my final dissertation by the end of April, and graduate in the fall. *knock on wood* 

I've submitted a complete first draft to my supervisor a month ago, and hope to get comments back by the end of Feb. I really hope to defend in July/August, but I feel as if I can't bank on anything given how common timeline disruptions are (at any point, but especially in this pandemic context!). That said, my SSHRC funding ends in April, and I'm grumpy enough about paying tuition with no funding for the summer semester - I'd better defend then since I'll be super peeved at having to pay for two semesters!!!

[gleefullygloomy]

On 2/10/2022 at 5:40 PM, Beals said:

Oh, it's wonderful that you have options! If you moved into Data Science, would that involve more education or is there a job in Germany you might have lined up?

It would involve more education, but given how big Data Science is as a field right now, doing a 2 year MA (combined with my work experience which should help me) isn't such a bad trade off if I don't get a SSHRC at this point. I won't be giving up academia, just making a shift if that happens. Here's hoping we hear something in the next week or two!