The CSEE Early Career Awards (ECA) recognize outstanding accomplishments and promising future research potential in ecology and evolution by scientists early in their careers. The evaluation committee was extremely impressed with the overall quality of applicants for the 2018 awards, so the process was both gratifying and difficult. This year’s recipients of the ECA were Stephen de Lisle (Postdoctoral Scholar, Lund University; Ph.D. University of Toronto) and Patrick Thompson (Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia; Ph.D. McGill University). Congratulations to Stephen and Patrick!

Stephen de Lisle

Postdoctoral Scholar (Lund University); Ph.D. University of Toronto

Stephen is an evolutionary ecologist interested in understanding how ecological processes drive evolutionary change within and between species. In particular, his research focuses on organisms with separate sexes to understand how and why selection and adaptation differ between males and females of the same species, and how the resulting evolution of sex differences influences both ecological communities and the dynamics of deep-time macroevolutionary diversification. In order to connect process and pattern across these disparate timescales, his research uses a wide range of approaches including ecological field experiments and surveys of wild populations, evolutionary quantitative genetics, and phylogenetic comparative methods.

Patrick Thompson

Postdoctoral Fellow (University of British Columbia); Ph.D. McGill University

Patrick Thompson is a community ecologist who seeks to understand the processes that maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in changing environments. His research integrates theory and empirical methods in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to study how changing land scape connectivity, food-web interactions, and adaptation combine to shape current and future communities. By developing and testing theory on how these processes interactively affect how communities respond to environmental change, his work advances our understanding of how communities operate and seeks to inform strategies for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the face of global change.

Deadline for receipt of all application materials: 26 January 2018

Award Description: The CSEE Early Career Awards recognize outstanding accomplishments and promising future research potential in ecology and evolution by scientists early in their career. Awards will be given to two candidates each year. They consist of a 10-year membership to CSEE/SCEE, $500 cash award, up to $1000 allowance for travel and accommodation to attend the CSEE meeting in Guelph, ON, in July 2018, and an invitation to give a keynote lecture at the annual meeting.

Eligibility: Applicants must be active researchers in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology who received their doctorate within five years of the application deadline, not including time taken for parental leave (i.e., one year of parental leave extends the eligibility period to six years post-Ph.D.). Candidates need to be Canadian citizens, or landed immigrants, or have completed their PhD at a Canadian University, or be currently working at a Canadian University.

Application/Nomination Procedures: Candidates may apply directly or may be nominated.  Established researchers are encouraged to nominate outstanding young scientists.  Nominations must contain all of the following supporting materials in the stated order: (1) a curriculum vitae, (2) a summary of research accomplishments (maximum 2 pages), (3) a 2-page statement of research plans for the next 5 years, (4) three recent publications, (5) names and addresses of 3 referees (including the nominating scientist where applicable) who will provide supporting letters. The 3 letters of reference should be sent separately from the candidate’s nomination package. All nomination materials and reference letters must be sent as PDFs to the chair of the CSEE Awards committee, Mark Vellend (mark.vellend@usherbrooke.ca).

Time lines: The deadline for receipt of all materials including letters of reference is 26 January 2018. The recipients will be notified of the award in early March and they will receive their award at the following annual meeting.