Description
The Boris P. Stoicheff Memorial Graduate Scholarship is awarded to a graduate student who has demonstrated both research excellence and significant service to either the optics (Optica) community or the physics (CAP) community. The scholarship is awarded jointly by the CAPF and the Optica Foundation, with the administration and presentation of the scholarship rotating between the two societies. A $3,000 scholarship is awarded annually in the currency of the awarding society. The scholarship is awarded by the CAP in even years.
Background
Evaluation Criteria
Nomination Procedures
Previous Scholarship Recipients
Any questions regarding the nomination process should be sent to programs@cap.ca.
Return to the main CAP Scholarships Page
Background
In 2011, the CAP Foundation (CAPF) and the Optica Foundation (then the OSA Foundation) partnered to establish the Boris P. Stoicheff Memorial Graduate Scholarship as a memorial to Boris P. Stoicheff, an eminent, internationally renowned laser spectroscopist who also served as President of the Canadian Association of Physicists (1983-84) and the Optical Society of America (1976).
The joint CAPF/Optica Foundation scholarship will be awarded to a graduate student who has demonstrated both research excellence and significant service to the optics community (when administered by The Optica Foundation) or the physics community, not just optics (when administered by the CAP). The scholarship is awarded jointly by CAPF and the Optica Foundation, with the administration and presentation of the scholarship rotating between the two societies. The first scholarship was presented in 2012 by the CAPF.
About the Stoicheff Fund
The 2011 campaign goal was for the CAPF and the Optica Foundation to collectively raise at least $40,000 USD to establish the Boris P. Stoicheff Memorial Scholarship honoring Dr. Stoicheff’s legacy. Such a tribute is particularly appropriate since, of all his accomplishments, Dr. Stoicheff was most proud of the more than 25 graduate students who had the privilege to work with him. The Canadian leg of the campaign was coordinated by then CAP President Henry van Driel. Due to the generosity of CAP members and friends of Dr. Stoicheff, the goal was exceeded, allowing for the establishment of an annual scholarship of $3,000, awarded alternately by the CAPF* and the Optica Foundation. The prize is awarded in the currency of the administering society.
* (Canadian charitable registration #83562 7134 RR0001).
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Printable Donation/Pledge Form
Evaluation Criteria
The scholarship honours a graduate student who has demonstrated both research excellence and significant service to the optics community. Evaluation of each application will be based on the documentation submitted in the application package and areas of focus will include, but not be limited to, the following:
- The candidate’s record of achievement and excellence in academics and research
- The candidate’s record of service to the physics community
- The quality of their current research plan
- Honours, citations and awards, and other recognition of their progress
- (In Optica awarding years) quality of the accepted submission to the Optica Annual Meeting
Nomination Procedures
Eligibility Requirements
Each applicant must:
- Be a student member in good standing of the awarding society (even years: CAP; odd years: Optica)
- Be an accepted, registered or enrolled full-time graduate student studying astronomy, electrical engineering, medical physics, optics, photonics, or physics (in Optica’s awarding year chemistry will be added to the criteria). (NOTE – the applicant cannot have already submitted their thesis; i.e. started the process for defence of thesis)
- Have at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal that is recognized by the awarding society (NOTE – the applicant does not need to be listed as the lead author) OR have made at least one conference presentation at a scientific meeting recognized by the awarding society (see the CAP list below).
- (In Optica awarding years) Have an accepted submission, in the year of the award, at the annual meeting of the Optica Annual Meeting.
- Demonstrate community service, which may include but is not limited to: leadership in a student association or other student organization at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Nomination Components
Each applicant must provide:
- (In Optica awarding years) A copy of the abstract or paper submitted to the Optical Annual Meeting.
Description of community service activities (written by applicant). - A statement explaining the area of research (written by applicant).
- Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Citation for one publication in a peer-reviewed journal (see eligibility statement above) OR the name/date and abstract related to a conference presentation at a scientific meeting recognized by the awarding society (see CAP list below).
NOTE: The application system is currently being updated to include an area to submit this information; if you submit your application before this is available, please include the information in the comments box and e-mail the pdf of your conference abstract to programs@cap.ca for uploading on your behalf. - Latest university transcripts.
- Two letters of recommendation. At least one of the letters should be from the applicant’s supervisor and should include a statement confirming the applicant’s status as an accepted, registered or enrolled full-time graduate student, the applicant’s anticipated date of defence, as well as a brief description of the applicant’s research program. At least one reference should speak to the applicant’s academic performance. Both references should comment on the applicant’s potential for leadership and/or for making a significant contribution to optics or physics. NOTE: Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the CAP Program Manager (programs@cap.ca) by the application deadline date.
Application/Selection Process
- Applications are solicited and collected by the awarding society and are only valid for the scholarship competition year for which they are submitted.
- A selection committee of 3-5 members established by the awarding society reviews all eligible applications and selects the winner. The committee should include a representative from the non-awarding society, who will serve as the Chair of the selection committee in the next year.
- The scholarship is presented to the winner during the annual meeting of the awarding society (even years: CAP Annual Congress; odd years: Optica Annual Meeting) should the recipient be in attendance; otherwise it will be shipped to them. Winners will receive a joint CAPF/Optica certificate and a scholarship cheque or EFT transfer of funds issued by the awarding society in the currency of that society.
Council-approved Canadian Professional Science Societies
The following are the eligible societies at which an applicant’s presentation may have been made to apply for the CAP’s Stoicheff scholarship:
- Biophysical Society of Canada
- Canadian Association of Physicists
- Canadian Astronomical Society
- Canadian Geophysical Union
- Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
- Canadian Organization for Medical Physicists
- Canadian Society for Chemistry
The CAP’s online application process can be accessed by logging into Member Services (https://crm.cap.ca) and selecting “Recognitions System” under “CAP Services”.
Although the CAP’s nomination system currently has an English-only interface, nominations may be submitted in either English or French. The CAP is committed to ensuring that applications submitted in either official language are treated equitably. Furthermore, the CAP commits to ensuring that those evaluating awards will have a thorough understanding of the impact of bias to take it into account while reviewing nominations.
Previous Scholarship Recipients
Click here to view previous years’ scholarship recipients.
Any questions about the scholarship should be directed to programs@cap.ca.
Return to the main CAP Scholarships Page
