FRQ Anticosti Fellowship Program — Doctoral Stream - 2025-2026

1. BACKGROUND

The Société du patrimoine mondial Anticosti (hereinafter “the Society”) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), as part of its research program to address major societal challenges, have joined forces to launch a joint doctoral fellowship program to support research on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), geodiversity and biodiversity of Anticosti and societal aspects related to its inscription on the  UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023.

The Society, along with its partners – the Municipality of L’Île-d’Anticosti, the Minganie Regional County Municipality (RCM), the protected areas branch of the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), and the Innu communities of Ekuanitshit and Nutashkuan – is working to enhance the Anticosti World Heritage Site. This site is located within a network of protected areas on Anticosti Island made up of the Anticosti Biodiversity Reserve, Anticosti National Park, and two ecological reserves.

Anticosti is an exceptional natural laboratory offering many opportunities for high-quality research. The designation of Anticosti as a UNESCO world Heritage Site signals the beginning of unprecedented visibility for the island. This is therefore a pivotal moment for Québec to recognize the value of Anticosti and take a leadership role in developing Québec’s research capacity on the island.

To that end, the Society and the FRQ are seeking to foster the emergence of a new generation of scientists working on intersectoral research related to Anticosti Island and are proud to expand the fellowship program with the addition of a doctoral stream.

2. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

This program offers career prospects in research related to the resilience and sustainable development of UNESCO-recognized world heritage. In this way, the Society and the FRQ aim to:

• increase academic career opportunities that include research related to Anticosti;
• develop a critical mass of Québec research on the OUV of Anticosti;
• diversify the research produced about Anticosti Island;
• raise awareness among emerging doctoral researchers of the research potential offered by Anticosti, an exceptional open-air laboratory in Québec.

This stream is aimed at students who have already begun their doctoral work and wish to integrate a research component related to Anticosti as a UNESCO world heritage site. The fellowship consists of a $12,000 award supplement that can be used as a salary over a 12-month period, in addition to some of the costs of conducting field research in Anticosti, if applicable, to a maximum of $10,000.

2.1 Research themes

Research topics for the doctoral stream must be aligned with three key research themes: 1) The first mass extinction of life at the end of the Ordovician, 2) Biodiversity and geodiversity within the network of protected areas on Anticosti Island, and 3) Societal aspects for communities concerned.

It is possible to present a project on other themes related to Anticosti. These must be validated by contacting André Desrochers, Scientific Director for the enhancement of Anticosti as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (adesro@uottawa.ca), to assess feasibility.

First mass extinction of animal life at the end of the Ordovician  

The sedimentary succession on Anticosti is the world’s most complete and fossiliferous stratigraphic and paleontological record of the first global mass extinction of animal life at the end of the Ordovician. Theme 1 is central to the enhancement of Anticosti as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Biodiversity and geodiversity within the network of protected areas on Anticosti Island

The Anticosti Biodiversity Reserve, which accounts for 95% of the world heritage site, consists of a coastal strip more than 500 km wide around Anticosti Island, as well as the Pointe-Ouest and Pointe de l’Est sectors and the Rivière Jupiter watershed. The remainder of the site is covered by protected areas free of industrial activity, namely Anticosti National Park and the Pointe-Heath and Grand-Lac-Salé ecological reserves.

Societal aspects for communities concerned by the UNESCO World Heritage Site

Developed in conjunction with, and complementary to, Themes 1 and 2, Theme 3 aims to support research and development activities for communities concerned by the Anticosti World Heritage Site.

2.2 Expected outcomes

As this is a supplement aimed at integrating a new component into existing doctoral work, expected outcomes include but are not limited to:

• the addition of one or more research hypotheses to a chapter of the successful applicant’s thesis;
• the addition of a complementary comparative study to the successful applicant’s doctoral work;
• the publication of a scientific article related to the successful applicant’s doctoral work;
• any other addition related to the presentation of research results or a research-creation process as part of the successful applicant’s doctoral work.

In addition to their regular knowledge dissemination efforts, applicants are encouraged to make their research results accessible to:

• stakeholders involved in the resilience and sustainable development of Anticosti as a world heritage site
• the general public

through means including presentations, visibility on social media and media interviews in collaboration with the Society.

3. ELIGIBILITY

The following are eligible for this competition:

• Students enrolled in a doctoral program at a Québec university at the competition closing date.

Only individual applications will be accepted. Joint projects will not be considered.

To be eligible, students must also have the support of their research director, who must give consent via their FRQnet portal certifying that:

• the proposed project integrates well with the applicant’s workload and that it can realistically be completed in twelve months (e.g., compatible with their other tasks, complementary to their thesis work);
• the student is enrolled at a Québec university at the competition closing date.

4. APPLICATION

The e-form is available in the FRQ ePortfolio. To access the form, you must select the Nature et technologies sector in the FRQnet portal, regardless of your field or the chosen research theme. Go to Available competitions, Program: Training and internship awards.

Please refer to Section 3.6 of the CGR regarding the language of submitted forms and documents.

4.1 Required documents 

1) The electronic form with the following sections completed:

• A lay summary of the research project in light of the objectives and themes presented in Section 2 (maximum 500 words);
• Project description (maximum four (4) pages including references) with the following elements, in this order:
  • Research problem, perspective, methodology and objectives;
  • Links between the research project and a theme related to Anticosti;
  • Anticipated impacts in relation to the expectations presented in Section 2.2;
  • Implementation plan with timeline;
  • Demonstration that the proposed project is consistent with the applicant’s academic and personal career path. It is important to highlight the link between the existing doctoral work and the integration of the Anticosti-related research component;
  • Section describing the applicant’s degree of advancement in their doctoral program.

2) Official transcript for the current degree program (see important notes in Section 4.2 for details)

3) An abridged CV (maximum 2 pages), prepared according to the format indicated here (skills, expertise and achievements relevant to the project).

4.2 Important notes related to official transcripts

Any transcripts that are missing, unofficial, not certified as a true copy, or out-of-date will render the application ineligible.

Copies of all academic transcripts for the current degree program are required, which may include transcripts from exchange programs or courses (equivalencies), where applicable.

If no transcript is issued, the applicant must provide:

• A letter of explanation from the institution (registrar’s office or equivalent administrative body). The letter must state the reasons for the missing transcript. The FRQ reserves the right to verify the validity of the reasons given;

OR

• If the applicant is unable to obtain a letter from the university, a letter of explanation written by the applicant, endorsed by the department director at the host institution, explaining the absence of the transcript.

Transcripts and, where applicable, the grading system in effect should be scanned and saved in a single PDF document. They should be in vertical orientation and arranged in chronological order, starting with the most recent. Your PDF document must not have any read protection or special configurations.

What makes a transcript official may differ from one academic institution to another. Nonetheless, to be deemed official by the FRQ, each transcript must:

• Be issued by the university institution in question;

AND

• Include elements indicating that it is an official transcript for that academic institution.

This may be the seal or stamp of the issuing institution AND/OR the registrar’s signature AND/OR the notation “Official Transcript”, etc.

THE PRESENCE OF A WATERMARK will not render a transcript unofficial, as long as it meets the requirements specified above.

If there is any doubt about the authenticity of a transcript, the FRQ reserves the right to verify with the applicant or the institution concerned.

A transcript delivered in a sealed envelope by the registrar’s office can be opened and its contents scanned.

4.3 Important notes related to submitting the application:

• All required documents must be included with the application for it to be considered eligible. Documents that are illegible or low-resolution or do not make it possible to determine eligibility will be rejected.
• All official documents submitted in a language other than French or English must include a certified translation. Any other documents submitted in a language other than French or English must include a basic translation.
• No appendices or documents other than those required will be shared with the evaluation committee. Applications cannot be updated after the competition deadline.

5. FELLOWSHIP PERIOD AND AMOUNT

5.1 Value of the fellowship

The fellowship has a value of $12,000 and a supplement of $10,000 to support the research project.

The supplement is intended to cover eligible expenses directly related to the research project (Section 8 of the CGR) and is administered by the managing institution of the supervisor identified in the application form.

An additional amount equivalent to 27% of the supplement awarded (the $10,000 to support the research project) will be paid directly to the managing institution to cover indirect research costs.

The fellowship may be held concurrently with other doctoral scholarships, as the amount and duration are equivalent to an award supplement paid in three instalments. More specifically, it may be held concurrently with:

• merit-based scholarships from Canadian funding agencies (e.g., Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA), etc.;
• merit-based scholarships from Québec funding agencies such as the FRQ, the Conseil de recherches en pêche et agroalimentaire du Québec (CORPAQ), etc.;
• scholarships from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) or the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) for the same project;
• scholarships from departments and agencies of the Québec and Canadian governments other than those listed above;
• scholarships from the private sector and universities.

5.2 Duration of the fellowship

The fellowship is for a period of 12 months and must begin on the date indicated in the award letter. The fellowship start and end dates may be changed subject to approval by the FRQ and the Society of a documented change request sent by email to the FRQ program manager. The proposed change must meet all eligibility requirements and may not change the nature of the fellowship as initially evaluated by the FRQ.

5.3 Support and follow-up

Successful applicants will carry out their project under the supervision of their thesis director.

At the same time, the Society’s scientific leadership will provide follow-up to maximize the research potential of the Anticosti-related component, especially if the proposed project includes field work.

5.4 Reporting

A report describing the outcomes of the research project and a financial report in connection with the $10,000 supplement, the format of which will be communicated in due course, must be submitted to the FRQ at the end of the fellowship period.

6. APPLICATION EVALUATION PROCESS

Eligible applications will be submitted for scientific evaluation by committee members appointed in accordance with the FRQ rules in effect. To be recommended for funding, an application must receive an overall score of 70% or higher.

Evaluation criteria:

Academic record and background: 25%

• Research ability (experience and scientific achievements)
• Level of excellence of the applicant’s academic background in terms of grades, scholarships and awards
• Ability to share knowledge and engage in public dialogue

Quality of the project in light of the program objectives and themes presented in Section 2: 25%

• Clarity, quality and relevance of the project
• Project feasibility and realistic timeline

Potential for integration of the fellowship project into the applicant’s academic and personal career path in conjunction with the completion of the applicant’s degree: 40%

• Level of integration and anticipated impact on the applicant’s doctoral work (see Section 2.2)
• Applicant’s degree of advancement in their doctoral program
• Added value for the applicant’s career

Potential benefit for stakeholders involved in the resilience and sustainable development of Anticosti as a world heritage site and the general public: 10%

7. IMPORTANT DATES, ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS AND START OF THE FELLOWSHIP

January 21^st 2025 from 12 to 1 pm EST: webinar in French – link to register

February 20, 2025 at 16:00 EST: application deadline

February-March 2025: evaluation of applications

April 2025: announcement of results

Before July 2025: start of the fellowship

These rules apply to the2025-2026 fiscal year.

8. OPEN ACCESS DISSEMINATION POLICY

Peer-reviewed publications resulting from the research made possible by this fellowship must be released in immediate open access (without embargo) under an open license, in accordance with the FRQ Open Access Dissemination Policy (revised in 2022).

9. CONTACT

For the FRQ:

Émilie Rochette

Program Manager

Directorate of Major Societal Challenges

Office of the Chief Scientist of Quebec

For the Society:

André Desrochers

Scientific Director for the enhancement of Anticosti as a UNESCO World Heritage Site