Wladimir A. Smirnoff Fellowships

* Click here for English

The Wladimir A. Smirnoff Fellowship is a joint initiative of the Société d’entomologie du Québec (SEQ), Quebec Society for the Protection of Plants (QSPP) and Natural Resources Canada – Canadian Forest Service (NRCan – CFS).

Each $3,000 scholarship is awarded to a student who pursues graduate studies in the fields of forest entomology or forest phytopathology in Quebec.

  • The deadline for application is April 25, 2025 .
  • Award winners will be announced no later than May 30th, 2025.
  • Awardees will be required to commit to presenting their research at a minimum of 2 dissemination events organized by the awarding organizations: 1) Formal award ceremony (oral presentation via videoconference in June 2023); 2) QSPP or SEQ annual conference, as an oral presentation (highly recommended) or poster.

NOTE: Award winners of Wladimir A. Smirnoff Scholarships of a previous year may apply for a second scholarship (maximum of two scholarships per graduate cycle). These applications will then be evaluated on the same basis as those of other applicants.

Eligibility criteria

The applicant must:

  • Pursue, in the academic year following the application, for at least one semester, full-time graduate studies at a Québec university;e ou 3e cycle dans une université du Québec;
  • Be a member or become a member of the Société d’entomologie du Québec (SEQ) or the Quebec Society for the Protection of Plants (QSPP); (Become a member of the SEQ or the SPPQ by clicking on the links)
  • Ensure that these studies relate to forest entomology or forest phytopathology (development of new pest control, prevention and detection approaches, development of application technologies for biological pesticides, improvement of knowledge of the ecology and physiology of pests, development of decision-support tools for pest management, etc.);
  • Have the support of a research director for the project;
  • To be authorized to work in Canada and have a social insurance number.

Selection criteria

As an indication, here are the selection criteria that are taken into consideration:

  • Quality of the candidate’s academic record
  • Letter of interest
  • Value and originality of the proposed project
  • Relevance and potential impact of the project
  • Logistical and financial feasibility of the project

Registration instructions

You must submit your application by e-mail to candidatures@boursessmirnoff.ca .
Please indicate " Smirnoff Fellowships " in the e-mail subject line.

You must attach, in a single PDF file, all the following documents in the order indicated :

  1. The registration form fully completed
  2. A letter of interest (maximum 300 words)
  3. A copy of proof of authorization to work in Canada
  4. A copy of all academic transcripts and diplomas (undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees, if applicable)
  5. A letter of support from your research supervisor
  6. A description of the research project of a maximum of 8 pages including the following elements :
    • Project description (4 pages maximum)
    • Research work plan, schedule and budget
    • Institution attended within the framework of the project
    • Contact information of the research director
    • Contact information of co-directors or scientific partners

All documents must be submitted by April 25, 2025, or your application may not be considered.

Good luck!