News & Events

October 2, 2025

HQP Excellence Award Winners Announced!

The McDonald Institute Highly Qualified Personnel Advisory Committee (HQPAC) is launching the HQP Excellence Awards (HExA) program to recognize strong contributions of individual HQP (Highly Qualified Personnel) in three key areas: Research Achievement, Community Building/Leadership, Teaching & Science Communication.

Awards consist of a $1,000 honorarium.

Each category has multiple awards based on career stage, with applications open to Undergraduate Students, Master’s students, PhD students, and Postdoctoral Researchers (e.g. the Research Achievement Award will have one separate award for each of MSc/PhD/Postdoc).

Individuals should apply for awards on their own. If you know of someone deserving of one of these awards, please encourage them to apply. Your encouragement can give someone the confidence they need to apply!

 

Eligibility Criteria:

To be considered for an award, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant must have been enrolled or otherwise affiliated with a Canadian post-secondary institution at any point during the 2024/2025 calendar years
  • The applicant’s contributions must have benefited (or be likely to benefit) a portion of the Canadian Astroparticle Physics community beyond the applicant themselves.
  • The significant work or achievement must have occurred between September 1st 2024 and November 16th, 2025
  • Individuals will only be permitted to apply for one award category, so please choose accordingly.

Further details of the award categories are as follows:

 

Award Winners:

Research Achievement Award
For outstanding progress in thesis work, publications, or contributions to collaborative research.
MSc: Avani Bhardwaj, PhD: Nirmalya Brahma & Jeremy Savoie (tie), PostDoc: James Page

Community Building/Leadership Award
For fostering an inclusive, supportive, and engaged community (e.g., organizing events, mentoring, peer support).
MSc: Gabby Gelinas, PhD: Samin Majidi, PostDoc: N/A [application threshold not met]

Teaching & Science Communication Award
For excellence in TA work, science outreach, workshops, and/or educational video/podcast creation.
MSc: Kimia Ghanaatpisheh, PhD: Brian Krar, PostDoc: Pooja Woosaree

Undergraduate Excellence Award
For contributions in one or multiple categories listed above
Cheyanne Monk

 

Thank you to everyone who submitted an application, and thank you to our organizers and adjudicators for their time and attention in evaluating the applications. We hope this program continues and look forward to receiving your applications for the 2026 program!