Graduate Research Awards for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation 2015-2016

-Report of the 2015-2016 Graduate Research Awards for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Award Winners Seminar - Ottawa, February 26, 2016

-Recipients of the 2015-2016 Graduate Research Awards for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-proliferation.

COMPETITION DETAILS

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Graduate Research Awards for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation are offered by The Simons Foundation and the International Security Research and Outreach Programme (ISROP) of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD).

The 2015-2016 competition has been revised to simplify the application process and increase the value of the cash awards.  A total of four awards of CAD$5,000 are available to Canadian Master’s and/or Doctoral candidates to support the research and writing of an academic paper responding to a specific Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament (NACD) topic. Awards also include travel support to Ottawa where successful candidates will present their completed papers during a special event at DFATD Headquarters on February 26, 2016.

            Deadline for applications:                           December 14, 2015
            Selection of four award recipients:            January 18, 2016
            Presentations at DFATD in Ottawa:            February 26, 2016

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications should be sent to Elaine Hynes at The Simons Foundation by email to: ehynes@thesimonsfoundation.ca by the close of business (PST) on December 14, 2015.

Your application must include:

  • Your resume, including proof of citizenship status.
  • A complete official transcript of your grades (electronic copies of official transcripts are acceptable).
  • An academic paper (1,500 words, MLA format) responding to one of the specific Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament topics shown below.
     

ELIGIBILITY:

The competition is open to Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants currently enrolled in a graduate programme at a university in Canada.  Previous recipients of a Graduate Research Award are not eligible in order to expand the community of Canadian scholars working on non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament (NACD) issues.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Applications will be reviewed by an Expert Review Panel made up of three experts and academics working in this field who will recommend four award winners for final approval by representatives of The Simons Foundation and ISROP.  Successful candidates will be notified on January 18, 2016.

PRESENTATIONS AT DFATD:

Award winners will be invited to present their papers at a special event hosted by DFATD at DFATD Headquarters in Ottawa on February 26, 2016 and will be asked to produce a PowerPoint deck for their presentation.  The cash awards will be presented at the GRA event in Ottawa and a report, including the papers presented, will be published online by The Simons Foundation. Please note that attendance at the GRA event in Ottawa is a mandatory requirement of the award.  Approved domestic travel, accommodation and meal expenses will be provided by The Simons Foundation.

TOPICS for 2015-2016

Master’s Candidates:

1.  What role could Article 36 of the Additional Protocol (I) of the Geneva Conventions and the requirement for weapon reviews play in addressing new and emerging technologies, such as lethal autonomous weapons systems? 

2.  Space Security and Cyber Security: What are the common issues and challenges associated with cyber security and space security?  What types of solutions could be offered to these challenges?

Doctoral Candidates:

3.  Improving Canada’s counter-proliferation architecture: what policy proposals/legislative amendments could be developed to close Canada’s remaining counter-proliferation gaps?

4.  Which approach is more likely to achieve a world without nuclear weapons – the immediate negotiation of a Nuclear Weapons Convention  OR  pursuing a step-by-step process to negotiate and implement complementary legal instruments and political agreements, like the NPT, the CTBT, an FMCT, etc.?

Suggested reading lists for each topic are available upon request.  To receive a copy, please contact Elaine Hynes at The Simons Foundation by email to ehynes@thesimonsfoundation.ca or at telephone number 778-782-7779.


The primary objective of the Graduate Research Awards is to enhance Canadian graduate 
level scholarship on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation issues.