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CAFA Award Nominations - FAQ
Can I nominate someone for both the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award and the CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award?
Can I re-submit a nomination I made last year?
Does the nominee have to be a member of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA?
Does a nominee for one of the CAFA Awards have to have an extensive publication record?
What is a "contribution to the community beyond the university"?
Why do the Awards recognize "contributions to the community beyond the university"?
Why do you limit the awards to "research and scholarly activity"? Why don't you recognize teaching?
How important is teaching and service in deciding who receives an award?
Does the nominee have to sign the consent section of the awards application form?
Does the nominee have to be present at the CAFA Awards ceremony to receive the award?
Can I nominate someone for both the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award and the CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award?
No, each nomination must be for one Award only, but the CAFA Awards Selection Committee may, at its discretion, consider a nominee in both categories.
Can I re-submit a nomination I made last year?
Yes, but you must submit a new Nomination Form, together with a new Nomination Letter to the Selection Committee indicating that you wish them to reconsider the previous year's nomination. In addition, you should include any relevant new information for the Committee’s consideration.
If the original nomination was made more than a year ago, you must submit a completely new nomination package, including a Nomination Form, Nomination Letter, CV, and Letters of Reference.
Does the nominee have to be a member of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA?
Yes, if you are nominating an individual. If you are nominating a group, the majority of group members, including the primary researcher or team leader (if there is one), must be members of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA – that is, AASUA, AUFA, Calgary, or ULFA.
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How can I confirm that a nominee is a member of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA?
If you are uncertain, please contact the local academic staff association for more information.
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At what level of detail should the Nomination Letter and other nomination materials describe the nominee’s research or other scholarly activity?
The Selection Committee is comprised of association members from a variety of academic disciplines, so any detailed description of the nominee’s research or other scholarly activity should take into account that individual members of the Committee may not have the necessary background to follow overly technical explanations. As far as possible, the nomination materials should attempt to describe the nominee’s contributions in terms accessible to the informed layperson.
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Does a nominee for one of the CAFA Awards have to have an extensive publication record?
Not necessarily. The Selection Committee will use its discretion in assigning appropriate weight to publications.
The CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award is intended to recognize specific, recent contributions to the community beyond the academy by academic staff members at an early stage of their careers, perhaps before they have had time to compile an extensive publication record.
In the case of nominees for the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award, expectations of an extensive publication record are likely to be higher, but the Selection Committee certainly may find that a nominee has made an outstanding contribution to the community beyond the academy through his or her research, creative or scholarly work, without an extensive publication record.
For either Award, it is essential that the nomination materials should explain fully the nature of the nominee’s research, creative, or scholarly activity, and how it has made a contribution to the community beyond the academy.
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What is a "contribution to the community beyond the university"?
A "contribution to the community beyond the university" refers to the impact that the nominee's research, creative, or scholarly activity has had outside the academic world. This impact might be direct, as in a discovery or development of a new process or product of benefit to the public; or it might be indirect, as in scholarship which helps advance understanding of a public policy issue. It could also result from academic research or creative work undertaken in cooperation with or in support of a community project. Work in any discipline is eligible for consideration.
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Why do the Awards recognize "contributions to the community beyond the university"?
In creating the CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards, CAFA wanted to celebrate and publicize the impact on the wider community of the world-class research, creative and scholarly activities undertaken by academic staff at Alberta universities. The sheer range, scale and complexity of these activities has perhaps tended to limit public awareness of, and appreciation for, the major contributions these activities make to our community. The CAFA Awards are designed to help bring into better focus this important aspect of the work of academic staff.
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Why do you limit the awards to "research and scholarly activity"? Why don't you recognize teaching?
There already are a number of high-profile awards recognizing teaching. The CAFA Awards are aimed specifically at fostering public awareness and understanding of the research, creative and scholarly activities of academic staff members, and the many ways in which they benefit the wider community.
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How important is teaching and service in deciding who receives an award?
The CAFA Awards are primarily about research, creative and scholarly activities, but the Selection Committee may also consider other aspects of a nominee's professional life. So, it is advisable to include some information about teaching, service and other aspects of the nominee's professional life.
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Does the nominee have to sign the consent section of the awards application form?
Yes. Under the privacy laws, it is necessary for CAFA to obtain informed consent from individuals for the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information.
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Does the nominee have to be present at the CAFA Awards ceremony to receive the award?
Yes. Only to those people who are able to attend the CAFA Awards dinner and presentation in September are eligible to receive an Award. Before filing a nomination, please confirm that the nominee is available to attend the CAFA Awards dinner if he or she is chosen to receive an Award.
