Postdoctoral

Eligibility: Postdoctoral scholars (PDS) must have completed their doctoral degree within the last five years to be eligible for a BRAIN CREATE fellowship. Parental leave is not counted as part of the five-year period. Funding cannot be allocated to a PDS remaining in the laboratory where they received their PhD. The research project must involve the development of neurotechnologies and have the potential for commercialization in the short or long term. Neurotechnologies are broadly defined and include methods, devices, molecules, and drugs to monitor and/or augment brain and key physiological functions. Key physiological functions may include cardiorespiratory control, cerebrovascular regulation, autonomic control, attention, learning, and sleep. The primary supervisor must be a full member of the HBI. Funding prioritizes projects involving a BRAIN CREATE team member. The number of trainees funded by HBI and/or BRAIN CREATE for an individual PI is capped at three, but some flexibility is permitted at the discretion of the HBI Education and BRAIN CREATE Directors. Summer students do not count towards this maximum. Application must normally be made prior to, or within nine months of, onboarding.

Terms: Each PDS will receive a minimum annual stipend of $50,000 per year plus extended health and dental benefits. The BRAIN CREATE fellowship is $25,000/year with the host laboratory committing at least an additional $25,000/year confirmed in a letter of support by the supervisor. If the applicant holds or gains additional funding from internal or external sources, BRAIN CREATE will match the supervisor’s contribution 1:1 up to the original value of the BRAIN CREATE award, with some restrictions.¹

The fellowship is subject to Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) deductions, and income tax as per the regulations of the Government of Canada. Mandatory employer paid expenses include extended health and dental benefits, CPP, EI, WCB, and the employer compliance fee for international PDSs. These account for an additional 25% (approximately) and are the responsibility of the supervisor.

The purpose of this fellowship is to recruit PDSs working on neurotechnologies who will be highly competitive for internal and external awards on the basis of their academic performance and research program. Thus, PDSs holding this fellowship are expected to apply for internal and external awards or grants for which they are eligible, including those from provincial or national agencies. PDSs who are successful in obtaining other funding must immediately inform BRAIN CREATE administration (braincreate@ucalgary.ca) and the HBI Operations Coordinator (hbi.education@ucalgary.ca) to enable readjustment of BRAIN CREATE funding.¹

PDSs must be able to commit to the BRAIN CREATE Program Requirements.

BRAIN CREATE fellowships are renewed each year. Renewal is contingent upon: 1) annual review of progress, including participation in activities as outlined in the BRAIN CREATE Program Requirements; 2) evidence of applications for internal or external scholarships; and 3) supervisor acknowledgement of satisfactory progress under the terms of the fellowship.

^{1 The BRAIN CREATE award program is based on a 1:1 fellowship (award) to stipend (supervisor) funding match ratio, not to exceed the maximum value of BRAIN CREATE award. If the postdoctoral scholar holds or gains additional funding from internal or external sources, BRAIN CREATE funding will be adjusted to match the supervisor’s contribution 1:1 up to the maximum annual fellowship amount of $25,000/year, to a maximum salary of $60,000/year. Funding in excess of this amount may be provided at the supervisor’s discretion. When the tenure of the external award is less than that of the fellowship, at the end of the external award’s tenure, the BRAIN CREATE fellowship will be reinstated and paid out to the end of the original tenure date.}