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The Impact Award

McMaster Faculty of Social Sciences Impact Award

Impacts are long-term research outcomes that take the form of changed thinking, behaviours, and policy.  

The Faculty of Social Sciences Impact Award recognizes outstanding research impacts, knowledge mobilization, and/or outreach activities. Initiatives will have facilitated the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the social sciences research community. The award is given to an individual or team whose research has had important: 

  • intellectual or academic impacts and/or 
  • community, cultural, social, and/or economic impacts 

No type of impact will be prioritized over the other.  

Winners receive a prize of $1000.

Michelle Lynn Dion headshot

Impact Award Winner

Dr. Michelle Dion

Congratulations to Dr. Michelle Dion of the Department of Political Science, winner of the 2025 McMaster Faculty of Social Sciences Impact Award.

Information Box Group

Past Winners

2026 – Dr. Clifton Van Der Linden, Department Political Science
2024 – Dr. Jim Dunn of the Department of Health, Aging & Society
2023 – Dr.Victor Satzewich, Department of Sociology
2022 – Dr. Ann Fudge Schormans, School of Social Work
2021 – Dr. Lisa Kaida, Department of Sociology
2020 – Dr. Gary Dumbrill, School of Social Work and Dr. Arthur Sweetman, Department of Economics
2019 – Dr. Chelsea Gabel, Department of Health, Aging & Society, Indigenous Studies
2018 – Dr. Michael Veall, Department of Economics 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Impact Award, a nominee must be a member of McMaster University’s Faculty of Social Sciences with a teaching or tenure-stream appointment.

Self-nominations are eligible.

Application Timeline

Notice of Intent: Monday March 9, 2026. Please send an email to Nour Wassim wassimn@mcmaster.ca by 4:00 p.m. that includes the name of the nominee.

Full Nomination: Monday March 30, 2026. Full nominations due to: Nour Wassim, wassimn@mcmaster.ca

Results to be announced: May 2026

To Apply

Notice of Intent: Monday March 9, 2026

Please send an email to Nour Wassim at wassimn@mcmaster.ca by 4:00 p.m. that includes the name of the nominee.

Full Nomination: Monday, March 30, 2026

Please send an email to email to Nour Wassim at wassimn@mcmaster.ca by 4:00 p.m. and must include the full nomination package outlined below. 

  • A maximum two-page letter justifying the nomination 
  • The nominee’s McMaster CV 
  • Optional: maximum 10-page free form supplement. Information included in the supplement can include, but is not limited to: relevant activities not demonstrated in the CV, additional explanation of the significance of research, links to online materials, images, links to video material, posters, reports, testimonials from knowledge users etc.

Evaluation Criteria

The Selection Committee will evaluate the candidates’ nominations using the following criteria: 

  • Evidence of contributions within the nominee’s fields of research, including, but not limited to, scholarly literature, and other knowledge mobilization contributions, such as commissioned reports, professional practice, public discourse, public policies, products and services, experience in collaboration, etc.; 
  • Evidence of influence and impact on research and societal outcomes.

Adjudication

This award will be adjudicated by a selection committee constituted by the Dean of Social Sciences and Associate Dean Research. 

If you have any questions, please contact email to Nour Wassim wassimn@mcmaster.ca.