Special Awards + Criteria

If you are an organization or individual interested in sponsoring a special award at the ERSF, please contact our Awards Chair at awards@ersf.ca

Behavioural Science Awards

1. Behaviour Science Award (Psychologists’ Association of Alberta)

  • Open to Senior projects (Grades 9-12).
  • This award will be given to the best senior project demonstrating insight into the psychological study of behaviour, emotion and/or cognition. If no senior project is suitable, the prize may be awarded to an appropriate junior or elementary project at the discretion of the judging committee.

2. B.K. Sinha Behavioural Sciences Research Award (Birendra K. Sinha)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to a project that investigates the behaviour of whole organisms, organisms that demonstrate behaviour publicly, not organisms that show responses to simple physiological or chemical stimuli. Plant behaviour is not included. Examples of acceptable topics include color perception in chipmunks or dancing in bees.

Biology Awards

1. Fortis Femella Health Sciences Award (Mackenzie Martin)

  • Open to Junior and Senior projects (Grades 7-12).
  • This award is given to a project that explores, promotes, advances and/or addresses girls’ health (mental, physical, etc.) or the development of girls.

2. Human Biology Award (Alberta Society of Gastroenterology)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to the best human biology project.

3. Professional Biologists’ Award (Alberta Society of Professional Biologists)

  • Open to Elementary projects (Grades 4-6).
  • The winning project must relate to research in biology.

4. Vision Science Award (Alberta Association of Optometrists)

  • Open to all grade levels.       
  • This award is presented to the best project relating to eye health or vision.

Chemistry Awards

1. The ACPA Alberta Chemist Award (Association of the Chemical Profession of Alberta)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award cannot be awarded to a project that will be receiving another major award in chemistry (i.e., a project that will be receiving the ACPA Rick Dillen Memorial Award, the Alex Taylor Award in Senior Chemistry, or the CIC Edmonton Section Award in Chemistry). 

2. The ACPA Rick Dillen Memorial Award, sponsored by the Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association (Association of the Chemical Profession of Alberta)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is for the best project in chemistry (including, but not restricted to, chemistry in the petroleum industry). 

3. CIC Award (The Chemical Institute of Canada – Edmonton)

  • Open to Elementary projects (Grades 4-6).
  • The winning project must have specific chemical content and show knowledge of the presenter, show enthusiasm for chemical aspects of the project, and show originality of presentation.

4. Taylor Memorial Senior Chemistry Award (Alex Taylor Estate)

  • Open to Senior projects (Grades 9-12).
  • This award is given to the best senior chemistry project. 

Environmental Science Awards

1. The Al Rashid Mosque Environmental Science Award (Al Rashid Mosque)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to the best project that relates to environmental studies.

Engineering Awards

1. ASM Material Science Award (ASM International – Edmonton Chapter)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to the project that best exemplifies the use of engineering materials and/or the application of materials science.

2. IEEE Award of Excellence (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Northern Canada Section)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to a project related to IEEE’s fields of interest, including: electrical and electronics engineering, software engineering, information and communications theory, or the fundamental physics upon which the above are based.

3. Petroleum Society Educational Trust Fund Award (SPE Canadian Educational Foundation)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to the best project related to the petroleum industry (oil, gas, or environment).

Math & Stats Awards

1. Mathematical / Statistics Award – EL, JR, & SR (Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta)

  • One award open to each of Elementary (Grades 4-6), Junior (Grades 7-8), and Senior (Grades 9-12).
  • This award is given to the best project related to mathematical and statistical sciences in each age division (elementary, junior, and senior).

Physics Awards

1. E.H. Gowan Physics Award (E.H. Gowan Estate)

  • Open to all grade levels.
  • This award is given to a project related to physics.

2. Kruger Memorial Senior Solar Energy Award (Jim Kruger Estate)

  • Open to Senior projects (Grades 9-12).
  • This award is given to a project that is practical and innovative, has adapted non-specific equipment to new uses, is cost effective with good results for minimum cost, or is energy efficient. If no suitable senior project is found this award may be given to a junior project.

3. RASC Astronomy Award – EL & Jr/Sr (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada)

  • One award open to each of Elementary (Grades 4-6) and Junior/Senior (Grades 7-12).
  • This award is given to a project related to astronomy that scores well on the general judging form. Examples include planetary geology, lunar observations, and satellite technology.

Sustainability Award

1. Dow Canada Sustainable Future Award

  • Open to Junior and Senior projects (Grades 7-12).
  • This award will be given to the best junior or senior project using science or demonstrating technical innovations into the elimination of waste and the continual use of resources. This can include sustainable food production, managing our environment, providing safe drinking water and promoting human and environmental health, and others. Projects that use chemistry to solve issues or analytical chemistry to assess and measure global challenges are an asset.