Date/Time
Date(s) - 16/06/2025
All Day

• Notify ROADS of Intent to Apply – ASAP
• Draft LOI due to ROADS – May 28, 2025
• Final LOI due to ROADS – June 11, 2025
• ROADS forwards LOI to NSERC – June 16, 2025

• French session: May 20th, 10:00 – 11:30 am (ET)
• English session: May 20th, 12:00 – 1:30 pm (ET)

• Supports investigator-initiated individual and team interdisciplinary projects that broadly integrate or transcend disciplines to advance knowledge in natural sciences and engineering (NSE).
• Reviewed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee.

1. answer NSE research questions that are best addressed through interdisciplinary approaches;
2. advance NSE disciplines through cross fertilization and new ways of thinking about research questions; ideas and frameworks; approaches and methods; platforms, tools, and infrastructure; people, partners and trainees; and,
3. provide leading-edge NSE training for highly qualified personnel (HQP) in interdisciplinary research environments.

• Single applicant: up to $50K/year
• Applicant + 1 co-applicant: up to $75K/year
• Applicant + 2 or more co-applicants: up to $100K/year
• 10-20 grants expected for 2026 competition.

• Both individuals and teams can apply.
• The applicant and any co-applicants must meet NSERC eligibility requirements for faculty.
• Only one Discovery Horizons grant per individual (as applicant or co-applicant).
• Cannot hold both a Discovery Grant and Discovery Horizons grant simultaneously.

• An eligible proposal must have the primary objective to advance knowledge in NSE and must integrate or transcend disciplines in ways that would significantly benefit from peer review by a tri-agency interdisciplinary review.
• Indigenous research is welcome and should involve meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities in research activities.

• Promote inclusion of underrepresented groups.
• Address sex, gender, and diversity in research design in the proposal.
• EDI considerations should be developed into the rationale for the composition of research teams, including trainees.
• For more information, refer to the application instructions and the NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research.

• Grant applications that involve conducting research that aims to advance a sensitive technology research area will not be funded if any of the researchers involved in activities supported by the grant are currently affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support from, a named research organization.

• If interested in applying, contact Ryan Heyden (heydenrw@mcmaster.ca) ASAP.
• Initial draft LOI due to ROADS by May 28, 2025. Applications received after this date may not receive a full content review.
• Final draft LOI due to ROADS by June 11, 2025.
• ROADS forwards LOI to NSERC by June 16, 2025.