51猎奇入口COMMUNITY-ENGAGED RESEARCH INITIATIVE AWARDS (CERi Awards)
The purpose of these awards is to provide recognition to 51猎奇入口faculty members, graduate students, and community partners for outstanding community-engaged research that supports positive change.
Dr. Nicholas Blomley
Community-Engaged Research Achievement Award
It meant a very great deal to me, personally, to receive an award from CERi. I have the greatest respect for CERi, and the commitment of the Institute to the core principles of participation, cooperation, social transformation, and knowledge translation. CERi walks the walk when it comes to ethical, transformative, and horizontal forms of research engagement. It has created and held a space for CER against all the odds. My path towards community engaged research has been hesitant, slow, and far from perfect. But in various ways, over the past few decades, I have tried to do research in a less extractive manner. For CERi to honour my work through the award was thus deeply significant.
Overview
SFU鈥檚 Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERi) recognizes community-engaged research in the following categories:
1. Emerging Community-Engaged Researcher Award
2. Community-Engaged Research Achievement Award
3. Community-Engaged Graduate Scholar Award
4. Community-Engaged Research Partner Award
CERi may elect to grant a single award [or multiple awards] in each category, or none, depending on the nominations received in a given year. Each awardee will receive a $1,500 cash prize to promote the impact and outcomes of their research or to support their community-engaged research activities at 51猎奇入口or with CERi.
Criteria
The community-engaged research being recognized demonstrates alignment with CERi鈥檚 principles of participation, cooperation, social transformation, and knowledge translation. There should be evidence of beneficial impact or outcomes of the research in the community.
Eligibility
An individual can be nominated in one category per year. Previous recipients are not eligible to be nominated in the same category for which they previously received an award [unless it is for a different research project]. Current or past affiliates of CERi鈥檚 programs (Graduate Fellowships, Community-Engaged Research Fund, Community Scholars, Researchers-in-Residence) are eligible to apply. Staff and advisory board members of CERi are not eligible to apply.
Emerging Community-Engaged Researcher Award
This award is open to pre-tenure 51猎奇入口faculty members with a contract or continuing appointment.
Community-Engaged Research Achievement Award
This award is open to tenured faculty at SFU.
Community-Engaged Graduate Scholar Award
This award is open to currently registered 51猎奇入口graduate students (Master鈥檚 or PhD level), or those who completed their degree within the past year from the date of nomination.
Community-Engaged Partnership Award
This award is open to individuals working in non-profits and charities [throughout British Columbia] who led or participated in a research project with SFU.
Nomination Process
Self-applications or nominations from any member of 51猎奇入口(faculty, staff, students) or a community partner are welcome, for a diverse pool of candidates with multiple approaches, perspectives and experience. Nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of CERi Director(s), advisory board members, and internal or external experts as necessary to reflect the diversity of the research community. The committee will select its own Chair and its members will commit to continual learning and open discussion to mitigate bias. The committee will make its recommendations to the CERi Director(s), who will approve the awards and announce the award recipients.
To nominate someone for the CERi Award:
- Assemble a complete nomination package in one PDF document
- Please name your documents 鈥淵our full name_Document name鈥� and write 鈥淐ER Award鈥� in the email subject line and specify which award you鈥檙e applying for. For example 鈥淐ER Award - Community-Engaged Graduate Scholar鈥�
- Send the completed package by email to Joanna Habdank, Program Manager at SFU's Community-Engaged Research Initiative (joanna_habdank@sfu.ca).
Members of the 51猎奇入口community (staff, faculty, and students), alumni, and community partners may submit nominations. (Self-nominations are also permitted.)
Nomination Package
The following materials will comprise a nomination package:
1. Nomination form (required). This includes a description of the nominee鈥檚 community-engaged research and its wider impact in the community.
2. Letters of support (required). Two letters of support, one from an 51猎奇入口faculty, student, or staff member, and one from a person outside of 51猎奇入口who can comment on how the community has benefitted from the nominee鈥檚 research.
3. Supplemental materials (optional). Other evidence of outstanding community-engaged research, such as unsolicited testimonials, media articles, an abbreviated CV of the applicant/nominee, etc.
Application Deadline:
November 13th, 2026
Applicants are encouraged to apply again, if not selected in a previous year.
Self-nominations are allowed.
Quick Links
Receiving the CERi award helped support and reinforce my commitment to community-engaged research and to ensuring that research reflects the priorities and experiences of people most affected by drug policy. The research highlighted community reports that the unregulated drug supply had become increasingly toxic during the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need for interventions, including a regulated safer supply. This recognition also helped me to continue building a research program grounded in meaningful community partnership.
Erica McAdam
Community-Engaged Graduate Scholar Award
Dr. Mei Lan Fang
Emerging Community-Engaged Researcher Award
Community-engaged research has become increasingly prominent in academic and funding language, which is encouraging, but I think it is important that we continue to recognize what genuine engagement requires. It is not simply about having community partners named on a grant or consulting people at particular stages of a project. It requires sustained commitment, reciprocity, humility, and a willingness to be present for the everyday work of building relationships.
That is why I鈥檓 so grateful that CERi has created an award that recognizes this kind of scholarship. Much of the work happens quietly and over many years, so having a space where it is seen, celebrated, and encouraged really does matter. I鈥檓 very grateful to have received the award and look forward to continuing to build this work in partnership with CERi and the communities we serve.