McCalla Professorships

The McCalla Professorships are named after Dr. Arthur Gilbert McCalla. A renowned agriculturalist, researcher, and academic leader, McCalla was the first Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. The McCalla Professors are outstanding academics who have made (and continue to make) significant contributions to the integration of teaching and research, and educational leadership. The professorship gives candidates an opportunity to further combine their teaching and research in ways that are mutually beneficial. For example, academics may propose a project that uses their disciplinary research to enrich their teaching in innovative ways and/or study the effectiveness of their novel teaching and learning methods. 

Any Continuing member of the professoriate at the University of Alberta (Categories A1(Schedule A - Academic Faculty Member; Schedule B - Faculty Service Officers (FSO) Member; Schedule C - Librarian; Schedule F - Administrative and Professional Officers (APO) Member); A2.1 Career, Term 12, Terms Recurring (Schedule D - Academic Teaching Staff (ATS) member)) may apply; normally, recipients will have achieved the rank of Associate Professor or equivalent.

Professorships are tenable at the University of Alberta for twenty-four (24) months beginning September 1. A McCalla Professorship can only be awarded once in a faculty member’s career. 

Note: Applications are now closed. 

Selection Guidelines

As outlined in the UAPPOL Application and Selection Procedure, the following was considered in the development of the adjudication criteria below:  

  • Evidence of a career commitment to teaching excellence, integrating research and teaching, and educational leadership
  • Innovation in the project or planned activities
  • Impact of the project or planned activities on student learning and alignment with the institutional strategic plan(s).

ADJUDICATION CRITERIA

McCalla Professorships aim to provide outstanding academics with funding for initiatives related to the integration of teaching and research and provide a venue for educational leadership through the McCalla Professor Group. The adjudication committee will consider the following criteria when reviewing phase 1 application:  

Required elements

  1. Impact of teaching (not all sub-criteria may apply)
    1. Commitment to teaching excellence throughout a career at the University of Alberta
    2. Course development efforts: examples of the (re)design of new courses (why change was needed, what was done, what is unique about the change and what is the evidence for its effectiveness?)
    3. Strategies showing reflection and change over time (why change was needed, what was done, rationale behind the changes, evidence for their effectiveness, a description of the learning outcomes)
    4. Creativity in teaching that enhances learning and engages students.
    5. Broad range of teaching at undergraduate and/or graduate levels in various settings (such as labs, studios, clinics, traditional classrooms, non-traditional classrooms, supervision, mentorship, land-based learning, experiential learning etc.).
    6. Intersections among applicant’s research program, community engagement, and teaching.
    7. Impact of student supervision/mentorship
      1. Speak to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars supervised and share description of their career trajectory. If applicants do not have access to graduate students or postdoctoral scholars, they may describe how they engage in mentoring students at the undergraduate level
    8. Impact of leadership/mentorship (not all sub-criteria may apply)
      1. Engagement in leadership and/or service activities
      2. Support provided to the advancement of colleagues
      3. Descriptions of how/if these activities link to the applicant's disciplinary research and/or teaching
      4. Contributions of activities to students, peers, and/or the University of Alberta
      5. Establishment of collaborations
  2. Engagement with the Indigenous Strategic Plan
    1. How do you engage with Braiding Past, Present and Future: University of Alberta’s Indigenous Strategic Plan or the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action (2016)?
  3. Engagement with equity, diversity and inclusion
    1. How do you engage with the institutional commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion?
  4. Project or Planned Activities Description
    1. Innovation in the project or planned activities
    2. Impact of the project or planned activities on student learning and alignment with the institutional strategic plan(s).

NOTE: Funds in the amount of $20,000 (total) will be available for approved projects and activities.  These funds may be used for a variety of purposes and in a combination of ways, (e.g., hiring a graduate teaching or research assistant, travel to conferences, partial payment of a post-doctoral fellow, or to give the professor time for the project with release from other duties). No portion of the award may be taken as salary.  Funds are held by the University and spent as outlined in the approved application and in accordance with University of Alberta policies and procedures. The Provost and Vice-President (Academic) may request the return of unspent funds following completion of the Professorship.

The university communities are encouraged to support applications for these awards as part of our commitment to inclusive faculty excellence.

APPLICATION Process

Note: Applications closed April 8, 2024

Phase 1
The multi-modal submission for consideration for the McCalla Professorship shall include: 

  1. Narrative CV (maximum 7 pages)
  2. Project or Planned Activities Description and Budget (maximum 2 pages)
  3. Names of 3 references (including, but not limited to: students, supervisors, colleagues, community-at-large members, etc.) 

NOTE: The adjudication committee will contact the references of the long-listed applicants

TEMPLATE Narrative CV, Budget & References (Awards for Faculty Excellence McCalla)

Modality Formatting Guidelines
Using a chosen submission modality* (e.g. video, text, multimedia, etc) and language** please follow the guidelines below when completing your application: 

Text: adherence to the following guidelines ensures reader accessibility: 

  • Typed, single space
  • Calibri, 11 point font
  • Standard letter size (8x11)
  • 1-inch margins 
  • Accessible PDF document

Video: there is no minimum requirement (maximum 5 minutes)

NOTE: The Digital Scholarship Centre offers support for the creation and production of multimedia resources, including access to a new media studio, assistance with video production, and free consultations with knowledgeable staff. 

* If we haven’t yet thought of the way in which you would like to submit your Phase 1 application, please let us know at faculty.excellence.awards@ualberta.ca.

** Translation services are available upon request at no cost.

Phase 2

All applicants will be contacted following the Awards for Faculty Excellence Adjudication Committee adjudication meeting. Additional materials supporting the application reflecting the applicants teaching, research and service may be solicited from the long listed candidates.

Please contact faculty.excellence.awards@ualberta.ca should you have any difficulties with your submission.

SELECTION PROCESS

Awards for Faculty Excellence Adjudication Committee

The quorum for the Committee shall be that only one member may be absent from any meeting where decisions are made. Its proceedings are to be confidential.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training 

The University of Alberta will provide training on equity, diversity and inclusion-including instructions on limiting the impact of conscious and unconscious bias-to all individuals involved in the adjudication process.

Announcement of the Award

The appointment will be formally recognized at the annual Celebrate! Teaching. Learning. Research event.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

A final report on the McCalla Professorship is due within three months of the end of the Professorship.

There is no template for the final report. A brief summary (up to 4 pages) highlighting the McCalla project activities and the outcomes realized during the Professorship is sufficient for final reporting purposes. An electronic copy of the report should be sent to the Vice-Provost (Learning Initiatives) at faculty.excellence.awards@ualberta.ca.