Master's Personnel Awards for Black Scholars

Through this award, Heart & Stroke is seeking to increase the representation of best-in-class Black researchers across heart and brain health research fields in Canada. By removing financial burdens, the awards aim to enable outstanding students to focus on their studies, undertake a program of research, and engage with mentors as part of their training and development.

The recipient must estimate the proportion of the proposed heart and/or brain research that falls under the four (4) health research themes as defined by CIHR. 

Theme 1. Biomedical Research Research with the goal of understanding normal and abnormal human function, at the molecular, cellular, organ system and whole-body levels, including the development of tools and techniques to be applied for this purpose; developing new therapies or devices which improve health or the quality of life of individuals, up to the point where they are tested on human subjects. Biomedical research may also include studies on human subjects that do not have a diagnostic or therapeutic orientation. 

Theme 2. Clinical Research Research with the goal of improving the diagnosis and treatment (including rehabilitation and palliation) of disease and injury; improving the health and quality of life of individuals as they pass through normal life stages. Clinical research usually encompasses research on, or for the treatment of, patients. 

Theme 3. Health Services Research Research with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health professionals and the health care system, through changes to practice and policy. Health services research is a multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviours affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately Canadians’ health and well-being.

Theme 4. Social, Cultural, Environmental and Population Health Research Research with the goal of improving the health of the Canadian population, or of defined sub-populations, through a better understanding of the ways in which social, cultural, environmental, occupational, and economic factors determine health status. 

Value

• Masters $25,000 per year for 2 years

Important Dates

Eligibility

• Applicants must self-identify as Black.
• As of the application deadline date applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or Protected Persons under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
• At the time of submission, applicants must either
  • be enrolled in a full-time Master/Doctoral program at an eligible Canadian institution, or 
  • have applied for full-time admission to a Master/Doctoral program at an eligible Canadian institution, or
  • are intending to reclassify (transfer) from a Master’s to a Doctoral program at eligible Canadian institution, with a start date of no later than September 1, 2024. 
• Applicants must have an identified research supervisor based at an eligible Canadian institution where the research will be undertaken.
• Applicants must submit, from the institution, written evidence of being enrolled as a full-time student in a Master’s program prior to funds being released.
• Applicants who began their Master's Program before June 30, 2021 are not eligible without documented Institutional permitted leaves from the program. 
• As of September 1, 2024, applicants must have at least 12 months remaining in their program and no greater than 24 months from the start date of their program. 
• Partial Master's Personnel Awards for less than one year of funding are not available.

Further details and application guidelines can be found on the Heart & Stroke Foundation, and Brain Canada Foundation website