Walter C. Sumner Memorial Foundation Fellowships

The Walter C. Sumner Memorial Foundation awards approximately 40 fellowships per year to students at the participating universities. The fellowships may be distributed unevenly among the participating universities. Preference will be given to those born in Nova Scotia, followed by those born in any of the other Atlantic Provinces.

Candidates must be nominated by one of the participating universities. Recommendations for the award of fellowships will be made to the Foundation by a selection committee of senior scientists who are not from the participating universities. Students who are applying for the fellowship must:

1. Be engaged in or about to start doctoral studies in either Chemistry, Physics, or Electronics (including Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). If a participating university is unable to supervise a research area of interest to an applicant from that university, he/she may submit an application to the Foundation with an explanation/justification to be allowed to study at another university while holding a Walter C. Sumner Memorial Fellowship. Alternatively, a participating university may recommend a candidate for a fellowship but, being unable to find a supervisor for a project, may send that candidate to a university where the research can be undertaken;
2. Be a Canadian citizen;
3. Be domiciled in Canada, although at the time of application, a candidate may be studying outside the country;
4. Hold a degree from a Canadian university other than the one at which the doctoral studies will be conducted during the tenure of the fellowship;
5. If only a degree at the Bachelor’s level is held, the applicant must have at least two years’ experience in either teaching or industry in the chosen field of study; and
6. If awarded a Canada Graduate Scholarship, a participant must inform the Walter C. Sumner Foundation.

Fellowships will initially be for one year, but may be extended for a second year. Second year applicants do not have to submit an application form, but will be required to submit the following documentation:

• the research completed,
• any papers in press or published,
• an official transcript showing results of any course work
• papers or posters presented
• any other relevant information

In addition, the student must submit a letter from their research supervisor, indicating that in their view satisfactory progress has been made by the student. This letter must also be signed by the Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies for the applicable university. Finally, the letter must disclose whether the applicant has been awarded a Canada Graduate Scholarship for his/her second year of study.