Do you know a York University faculty member who is shaping the future of research, scholarship and community engagement?
The Senate Committee on Awards is now accepting nominations for the 2026 President’s Research Awards – three of York University’s highest honours celebrating research excellence, innovation and leadership.
These awards spotlight exceptional contributions with two disciplinary clusters applicable to the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award and the President’s Research Excellence Award:
- engineering, science, technology, health and biomedicine; and
- social sciences, arts and design, humanities, business, law and education.
Award categories
President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA)
For full-time faculty members within 10 years of their first academic appointment, PERLA celebrates individuals who have had a notable impact on their field(s) and made a significant contribution to advancing the University’s international reputation for research excellence while significantly and positively contributing to one or more aspects of the York community’s intellectual life.
The PERLA will be conferred to two researchers annually, one from each disciplinary cluster. In cases where there is ambiguity regarding the appropriate cluster, the nominee may include a rationale.
President’s Research Impact Award (PRIA)
This award recognizes full-time, active faculty members whose body of research or scholarship has translated into a notable impact on communities, individuals, public policies or practice beyond academe, or translated successfully into impactful commercial or other applications, while significantly and positively contributing to the University’s research culture and reputation.
President’s Research Excellence Award (PREA)
This recognition honours senior full-time faculty at the rank of professor with distinguished scholarly achievements who have had a notable impact on their field(s) and made a significant contribution to advancing the University’s international reputation for research excellence while significantly and positively contributing to one or more aspects of the York community’s intellectual life.
The PREA will be conferred in alternating years between the two disciplinary clusters. The 2025-26 PREA will be open to cluster 1: engineering, science, technology, health and biomedicine. In cases where there is ambiguity regarding the appropriate cluster, the nominee may include a rationale.
Nomination details
Nominators are encouraged to highlight the nominee’s production of scholarship or creative contributions through public service and community engagement, scholarly publication or the production of works of art.
The criteria and nomination forms are available on the Senate Committee on Awards webpage.
Nominations are due Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 4:30 p.m. and should be submitted via MachForm on the Awards webpage. Questions may be directed to the committee secretary at jpratt@yorku.ca.
York University strongly values diversity and equity within its research community and encourages nominations of those who are under-represented.
For full descriptions on each award, visit:
President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award
President’s Research Impact Award
President’s Research Excellence Award