Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s 15th annual Pursuit Awards international competition is now accepting applications.
This prestigious competition recognizes PhD students and recent doctoral graduates from around the world for their outstanding contributions to childhood disability research—enabling personalized versions of a good life across the lifespan for all individuals with childhood-onset disabilities, acquired injuries and developmental differences, their families and communities.
Over the years, the Pursuit Awards have celebrated some of the most promising young minds in the field—researchers who have, for instance, explored how physical activity can benefit youth with neurodevelopmental conditions, or developed tools to help families make informed decisions for children living with brachial plexus birth injury.
Award details
The top three candidates, selected by an esteemed panel of scientists, staff and family leaders, will be announced at a ceremony held during the annual Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) Symposium on November 25-26, 2025.
- 1st place: $3,000 CAD
- 2nd place: $2,000 CAD
- 3rd place: $1,000 CAD
The Pursuit Awards is made possible by the generous contributions of The Ward Family Foundation, Holland Bloorview Foundation donors, and the Bloorview Research Institute.
Learn more: https://hollandbloorview.ca/research-education/bloorview-research-institute/awards-events/pursuit-award
Application Process for the 2025 Pursuit Award
Eligibility
The Pursuit Awards are open to applicants from around the world. You are encouraged to apply if your PhD research focuses on pediatric disability, and you are a:
- Current PhD student (less than six months away from defense); OR
- Postdoctoral trainee (within one year of receiving PhD); OR
- Recent graduate (within one year of receiving their PhD).
Criteria
Finalists will be evaluated on:
- Academic excellence, including academic training, experience, and awards of distinction
- Research potential, including originality, critical thinking, innovation, and the ability to influence practice, policy or research in childhood disability
- Knowledge translation, including efforts to engage partners, disseminate findings, and collaborate across disciplines
- Research productivity, including the quality and quantity of publications and presentations
Finalists are expected to pre-record their presentations for the annual BRI Research Symposium which will take place on November 25-26, 2025. It is expected that finalists are available to participate in the event.
How to apply
To apply for the 2025 Pursuit Award competition, please fill out the attached application and submit to BRISymposium@hollandbloorview.ca by Friday, August 29, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST
Email Subject Line Instructions
To help us manage applications and inquiries efficiently, please use one of the following subject lines when contacting us:
- For applications: 2025 Pursuit Award Application – [Your Full Name]
- For questions: 2025 Pursuit Award Query – [Your Full Name]
Thank you for your interest–we look forward to receiving your application.
The Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) is hosting a few valuable events in June to help you progress through your degree: a Hybrid Dissertation Boot Camp (June 17-19), a Hybrid Research Article Boot Camp (June 25-26), and a number of online workshops. Please see below for further details (eligibility criteria, application form, and registration links) for these offerings.
GCAC Hybrid Dissertation Boot Camp for Doctoral Students: June 17-19, 2025
The GCAC’s three-day Hybrid Boot Camp from June 17-19 is meant for doctoral students who are ready to write or progress on their dissertation. You may choose to attend the boot camp either in-person or online, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm each day.
Completing a dissertation is a priority for doctoral students, although finding focused writing time can often be a challenge. The GCAC’s Dissertation Boot Camp is a synchronous program that offers structure and guidance for three full days of writing and writing-related activities. You’ll be required to set aside other demands on your time for these three days, giving you the opportunity to make significant progress on your writing. Each day of the camp includes structured blocks of writing time as well as opportunities to learn process-related strategies for building momentum in your writing that will last beyond our virtual time together.
Applications are due by end-of-day, Monday, June 9.
Click here for Dissertation Boot Camp details, eligibility criteria, and the application form.
GCAC Hybrid Research Article Boot Camp: June 25-26, 2025
The GCAC is hosting a two-day Hybrid Boot Camp on June 25-26 for graduate students who are ready to write their research article in a structured, focussed environment. This boot camp will be held on the St. George campus and simultaneously online, from 9:30am – 5:00pm each day.
The GCAC Research Article Boot Camp is designed to provide U of T graduate students with uninterrupted time and a distraction-free space to focus solely on your writing. With instructor-led training sessions, you will get the much-needed support and advice to help start, make progress, or complete your research article.
Applications are due by end-of-day, Tuesday, June 17.
Click here for Research Article Boot Camp details, eligibility criteria, and the application form.
Lab2Market Launch Ontario is a transformative four-month program supporting ten Ontario-based entrepreneurial students and research teams in turning innovative ideas into scalable, technology-driven ventures. Designed for ambitious individuals ready to form, build, and grow their businesses, the program combines the hands-on support of the local Ontario innovation hub with the national credibility, resources, and reach of the national Lab2Market network.
The program offers teams tailored curriculum, mentorship, and coaching from successful entrepreneurs & industry experts and $10,000 in funding [details here].
Join us for one of our two remaining info sessions as we dive into the program details, expectations, and application best practices [register here].
Applications close May 25th, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Unsure whether you are ready to apply for Lab2Market Launch? We’ve got you covered — check out our upstream programs [Lab2Market Validate Foundations] and [Lab2Market Validate]. These programs offer researchers the opportunity to critically test and evaluate their ideas and its business potential, and both are currently accepting applications as well.
Don’t hesitate to contact me at jane.tsai@torontomu.ca if you have any questions about the various Lab2Market programs.
Identify, Assist, Refer is an online training that helps you know how to recognize and support someone going through a mental health challenge, whether it be a friend, classmate, family member or study buddy.
This month, Health & Wellness is giving away three $50 gift certificates (to either Amazon, Uber or Instacart) to UTSG students who complete the 30-minute Identify, Assist, Refer mental health training. All you have to do is:
1. Head to iar.utoronto.ca
2. Complete the training
3. Enter your U of T Email for your chance to win.
Enter by May 31!
To mark a decade of innovation and impact, the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research (TRCHR) is proud to open nominations for the Best Cardiovascular Science of the Decade Awards (2015–2025). These prestigious awards will honour the most influential research published over the past ten years in three distinct categories:
1. Basic Science Paper Award
2. Clinical Science Paper Award
3. Translational Science Paper/Invention Award
This is an opportunity to recognize landmark contributions from within the TRCHR community. Applicants are encouraged to nominate peers (or yourself) for this distinguished recognition.
Nominations close: June 15, 2025
Winners will be announced at TRCHR’s 10th Annual Heart Failure Symposium
Submit your nomination and learn more here: tedrogersresearch.ca/best-cardiovascular-science-awards
We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the third Temerty Faculty of Medicine Research Showcase, which will take place on Friday, July 11 from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM at the Bahen Centre for Information Technology (40 St. George Street). We aim for this event to bring together research-based upper-year undergraduate students, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff from the various graduate and clinical departments across the Temerty Faculty of Medicine for a day of networking, collaboration, and learning.To register for this FREE event, click below!
Event Program
Keynote Presentation: An invited speaker will showcase their work and facilitate an engaging question & answer segment following their talk.
Research Symposia & Poster Sessions: At registration, trainees and postdoctoral fellows are invited to submit poster abstracts. The top 12 abstracts will be selected for presentation during symposium talks at the event. Please note that we require that you complete both theregistration and abstract & panel submission forms by Tuesday, June 10 at 11:59 PM. Prizes will be given to top presenters!
PI Talks: This engaging session aims to provide attendees with a discussion of research methods, experimental design, troubleshooting strategies, and more.
Career Coffee Chats: Attendees will be matched to 3 professionals based on the attendees’ sector preferences at registration. Attendee spots will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be limited to ensure productive conversations with our guests.
Mentorship Panels: At the end of the showcase, we will host the following two mentorship panels that allow attendees to hear from trainee and mentor figures from their aspiring field:Applying & getting into graduate and medical schoolNavigating a post-graduate career in industry.
Registration will close on or before Friday, June 10 at 11:59 PM, pending ticket availability. Should you have any questions or require additional information, please visit our website or reach out to us at temerty.research.showcase@utoronto.ca.
Best regards,
The Temerty Faculty of Medicine Research Showcase Organizing Committee
Event Name: 5th Annual Black Graduate Students’ Association (BGSA) Conference
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Multi-Faith Centre, KP208, 569 Spadina Crescent, Toronto, ON
The Black Graduate Students’ Association (BGSA), in collaboration with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) U of T Graduate Chapter, is pleased to present our 5th Annual Conference. This year’s theme, Leadership & Innovation, will highlight research that challenges conventional thinking and showcases leadership across academia, industry, and beyond.
The conference will feature keynote addresses from Dr. George Dei and Dr. Chidozie Ojobor, including a featured talk titled “The Audacity to Innovate – Courage, Conviction and the Will to Solve Hard Problems.” In addition to the keynote sessions, the program will include rocket pitches, oral and poster presentations, and a panel discussion on leadership.
We invite graduate students from all disciplines to submit abstracts and register to attend.
Key Deadlines & Links:
🗓️ Abstract Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM
🔗 Submit Your Abstract Here
🔗 Register for Conference Here
For any questions, feel free to reach out to us: bgsa@studentorg.utoronto.ca