Criteria for selection

Awards for specific research projects are made to full-time faculty members to support research work carried out by university students under their direction. The awards are funded by Imperial Oil Resources Limited and Imperial Oil, a partnership of Imperial Oil Limited and McColl-Frontenac Petroleum Inc ("Imperial Oil").

Award winners are chosen by Imperial Oil. The selection committee considers business relevance of the proposed research, opportunities for knowledge transfer and potential significance of results to the company. Preference will be given to self-contained research projects, although projects delving into a definitive segment of broader research will be considered.

Business Interest
Research should relate to the petroleum, petrochemical or energy resource development businesses or Imperial Oil

Significance
Anticipated results of the work should provide potentially significant benefits to society or expand knowledge of the discipline involved. Knowledge gained should have potential for practical application.

Originality
The proposed research should involve originality of topic, objective, or methodology rather than extension of existing research.

Research approach and methodology
The research plan should be achievable and of sufficient depth to foster confidence in the conclusions.

Capability and experience
The academic or industry-research record of the applicant and the significance of previous research should indicate a capability for well-conducted research and the probability of useful results.

Use of funds
The applicant’s proposed budget should provide for advanced training of graduate or undergraduate students. Where major use of a computer is contemplated, it should be itemized as an expense, if university practice so dictates. Likewise, where unique, rare or special materials or chemicals are required for the project, these costs should be included separately in the proposed budget. There is no provision for the purchase of general-purpose equipment. Rental or purchase of specialized equipment not available locally will be considered if this need is clearly identified and not at the expense of student involvement.