NSERC prizes - Herzberg

About the award

The Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering is awarded annually to an individual whose body of work, conducted in Canada in the natural sciences or engineering, has demonstrated persistent excellence and influence. It celebrates Canada's most outstanding scientists and engineers, raising public awareness about the major contributions that Canada's top researchers make to science and technology, and to improving the lives of Canadians.

The NSERC Herzberg Medal

In addition to the medal, the recipient is awarded a grant of up to $1 million to use for personal university-based research or to direct in some related way, such as the establishment of scholarships or research chairs in their name at Canadian universities. The monetary award is distributed over a five-year period. Research grant funds paid to recipients of this prize are subject to the Tri-agency guide on financial administration.

If the recipient already has an NSERC Discovery Grant (DG), that grant is increased up to a maximum of $200,000 for each of the five years. The value of the Herzberg award is added to funds already scheduled through the DG program. In cases where the grant is currently greater than $150,000, the recipient will receive an additional $50,000 top-up to the grant for the five years of the Herzberg award.

A recipient who does not hold an NSERC DG may direct the full $200,000 to university research endeavours, such as scholarships.