Since 1965, the Killam Trusts have awarded more than 7,500 scholarships and fellowships to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty at Killam institutions across Canada.
UBC and the Killam Trusts
The Killam Trusts were established in 1965 by Dorothy Johnston Killam and Izaak Walton Killam for the benefit of The University of British Columbia, The Canada Council for the Arts, Dalhousie University, Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University, University of Alberta and The University of Calgary.
In the realm of higher education in Canada the name Killam is synonymous with financial support for advanced studies. Here at UBC that support is distributed in a number of ways, via doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, mentoring and teaching awards for faculty, recognition for outstanding emeriti, awards to graduate teaching assistants, faculty salary supplements, start-up funds for new initiatives and faculty research fellowships and prizes.
Since the Killam Trusts were founded, more than 2,000 professors, fellows, students and scholars have received support for their research and scholarship at UBC. This support that has been granted based on the criteria that a Killam scholar is one who has, or is likely to contribute to the advancement of learning or to win distinction in a profession.
Each and every Killam scholar brings individual and unique contributions to the world, creating and disseminating knowledge that has global impact.
My purpose in establishing the Killam Trusts is to help in the building of Canada’s future by encouraging advanced study. Thereby I hope in some measure, to increase the scientific and scholastic attainments of Canadians, to develop and expand the work of Canadian universities, and to promote sympathetic understanding between Canadians and the peoples of other countries.
Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Doctoral Scholarships
These fellowships are open to outstanding students from any institution and country, and are for full-time study and research in any field of study leading to a doctoral degree at UBC. The fellowships carry an annual stipend of up to $30,000 and, subject to satisfactory progress, are renewable for the second year. The fellowships also include a travel allowance of $2,000 for the tenure of the award. Candidates are selected from applicants in the annual Affiliated Fellowships competition. All doctoral applicants are automatically considered for the Killam Doctoral Fellowships, no separate application is required. Students wishing to be considered should contact the respective UBC department to find out the deadline for the Affiliated Fellowships competition (usually in September). Read more
2024/25 recipients
- Christopher Anderson, Digital Arts and Humanities
- Emily Black, Zoology
- William Chen, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Mary Cook, French, Hispanic and Italian Studies
- Jessica Dos Santos Marques, Applied Animal Biology
- Alexis Genereaux-Guidi, Electrical Engineering
- Jorden Hendry, Population and Public Health
- Gabrielle Ibasco, Psychology
- Kai Jacobsen, Interdisciplinary Studies
- Jordan Lovrod, Computer Science
- Olivia Helena Margoto, Mechanical Engineering
- Mahtab Matin, Nursing
- Kiarah O'Kane, Psychology
- Nicolas Perez-Estay, Geophysics
- Mathilde Rioux, Psychology
- Hannah Scurlock, English
- Aaron Skinner, Zoology
- Camryn Stang, Oceanography
- Morgan Towriss, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Vaishali Vasudeva, Forestry
- Victoria Violo, Psychology
- Haoyu Zhao, Human Development, Learning and Culture
Donald N. Byers Memorial Prize
In 2002, UBC created an endowed prize in memory of former Killam Trustee, Donald N. Byers. The prize is awarded to the highest-ranking Killam Doctoral Fellow in the annual Affiliated Fellowships competition. The award is made on the recommendation of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Affiliated Fellowships adjudication committee.
Recipients:
-
2023: Victoria Wardell, Faculty of Arts
-
2022: Jennifer Baron, Faculty of Forestry
-
2021: Anne-Cécile Delaisse, Faculty of Medicine
- 2020: Ronald Nadler, Allard School of Law
Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards
In recognition of the valuable role that teaching assistants play in our undergraduate programs, the university annually awards teaching prizes to UBC Teaching Assistants. The prize includes a certificate and $1,000. Successful candidates will have met criteria that result in a high level of respect from undergraduate students and academic or course supervisors.
The awards, given annually since 1996, send the important message to students (both undergraduate and graduate) that UBC values teaching and seeks to recognize teaching excellence at our university. Read More
2023/24 winners
- Shane Atienza, History, Faculty of Arts
- Emma Betz, Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science
- Emily Cadger, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
- Hallie Dau, Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
- Fraser Douglas, Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Christina Draeger, Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science
- Matthew Fliss, Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
- Pedro Villalba González, Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science
- Sina Halvaei, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Brooke Hoppstock-Mattson, Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science
- Hsuan-Che (Brad) Huang, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, Sauder School of Business
- Giovanna Lucci, Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education
- Nisha Patel, Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry
- Jessica Quinton, Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry
- Thristan Taberna, Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Busra Turgu, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (GTA in Faculty of Science)
- Meet Upadhyay, Materials Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Olivia Wu, Dietetics, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
- Francis Yuen, Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Previous years' winners are listed on the VP Academic website.
Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
These fellowships are offered to candidates who have shown outstanding ability in any field of academic research and who wish to pursue postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia. Applicants must have obtained a PhD degree from a university other than UBC within 24 months of the anticipated fellowship start date and may be citizens of any country. The fellowships are awarded for two years, subject to review at the end of the first year, and include a stipend of $50,000 per annum and a travel and research allowance. Candidates must be supported by both a UBC department and a UBC tenure-track faculty member for the entire proposed 24 months of the fellowship. Prospective applicants should contact their proposed UBC department first. Read more
2024/25 recipients
Lane Atmore, Anthropology - Jyotirmoy Barman, Geography
- Xander Huggins, Resources, Environment and Sustainability
- Helen Shiyang Lu, Audiology
- Cailie McGuire, Kinesiology
- Ashutosh Singh, Physics & Astronomy
- Chaoqun Wang, Applied Animal Biology
Killam Postdoctoral Fellow Research Prize
The Killam Postdoctoral Fellow Research Prizes are awarded annually for excellence in research. Established in 2011, the Killam PDF Prize is in memory of Izaak Walton Killam and his wife, Dorothy Johnston Killam, who together created the Killam trusts. Two prizes in the amount of $5,000 each are awarded to fulltime Postdoctoral Fellows at UBC in recognition of outstanding research and scholarly contributions while at UBC.
2024 recipients
- Catriona Hippman (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
- Jonathan Basile (English)
Killam Awards for Excellence in Mentoring
These awards recognize one senior and one mid-career faculty members' outstanding ability to create effective working relationships and constructive interactions that offer appropriate guidance, feedback, and support, and involve encouragement, openness, trust, and mutual respect. The awards will be awarded based on the quality and extent of mentoring of graduate students. Preference will be given to faculty members who have displayed sustained mentorship activity over many years involving many students. The recipients are announced at a Fall convocation.
- Sara Shneiderman, Anthropology
- Marina von Keyserlingk, Applied Animal Biology
Killam Teaching Prize for Graduate Instruction
The winner is announced each spring and honoured by the Provost and VP Academic at Spring Congregation in May. List of winners
UBC Killam Faculty Research Fellowships
These fellowships are open to all full-time tenure-stream faculty members, who wish to devote full time to research and study in their field during a recognized study leave. The award is based on special distinction of intellect with due regard for sound character and personal qualities. Preference is given to relatively junior applicants who are 14 years or less past the receipt of a doctoral degree. The fellowship provides a maximum salary award of $15,000 for a 12-month period ($7,500 for 6 months), and a travel and research supplement of up to $3,000 for a 12-month period ($1,500 for 6 months). Up to ten fellowships are awarded annually. List of winners
Guidelines and application form for the UBC Killam Faculty Research Fellowships are available from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.
UBC Killam Research Prizes
Each year, up to ten Killam Faculty Research Prizes, in the amount of $5,000 each, are awarded to full-time tenure-stream faculty members in recognition of outstanding research and scholarly contributions in all fields of research (i.e. five for the types of scholarly activity associate with NSERC and CIHR and five for the types associated with SSHRC and the Canada Council). At least three prizes in each of the groups are allocated to senior faculty (those who have held their final degree for more than 12 years as of the closing date for nominations), but typically at least one prize is also awarded to junior faculty (those who have fewer than 12 years). List of winners
Guidelines and application form for the UBC Killam Research Prizes are available from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.
UBC Killam Teaching Prizes
The Killam Teaching Prizes are awarded annually to faculty members in recognition of excellence in teaching. Established university-wide, the prizes are adjudicated within faculties under procedures defined by the faculties and approved by the Office of the Provost and Vice President Academic.
Dorothy Johnston Killam and Izaak Walton Killam
