Definition
According to FRQ rules, regular members can only be university researchers, clinical university researchers or college researchers1.
Regular members must apply to renew their membership every 3 years, explaining why they wish to belong to the center and what collaborative research they carry out that meets the objectives of the center's research axes.
Application procedure
To apply as a regular member of the group, the candidate must be involved in a project already financed by funds external to Geotop (NSERC, FRQ, etc.) in collaboration with at least one regular member of the center, at the time of application.
The candidate must provide the following documents to the coordinator:
- A cover letter;
- An up-to-date CV (Canadian common CV or other) showing funding, HQP training, publications and collaborations within Geotop;
- A letter of support from two regular Geotop members detailing how the researcher's membership will benefit the group;
- They must give a seminar open to the Geotop community, presenting the researcher's research, how it fits in with the objectives of the center's research axes, and what future collaborations would be desirable with other regular members.
Membership applications must be sent to the solignac.sandrine [at] uqam.ca (Geotop coordinator). The final decision is taken by the members' assembly by electronic vote.
Requirements
To maintain their regular member status, the following requirements must be met:
- Regular members must carry out research activities in one of the group's research areas, in collaboration with at least one other regular member, and at least two other regular members in the case of Geotop Innovation collaborative projects.
- During an FRQ term (6 years), a regular member must co-supervise at least one master's or doctoral student with another regular member.
- Regular members must be involved, on a rotating basis, in the group's community services and participate in its activities. All regular members must participate, in person or online, in Geotop's annual researchers' meeting and, in person, at least once in the annual Geotop Students Meeting over a two-year period.
- Regular members are invited to participate in and/or develop knowledge mobilization and transfer actions to enhance the center's scientific output.
- Regular members must clearly display their affiliation (primary or secondary, at their discretion) with Geotop, as required by the FRQ, in their publications and at invited seminars at national and international conferences.
- Members must acknowledge FRQ funding, as required by the FRQ, and, where applicable, Geotop funding in the “Acknowledgements” section of their publications.
1These definitions of regular members of a strategic cluster are taken from the FRQ website.
University researcher: Person who: a) receives a salary: i) as a regular professor or a contracted professor, in a university recognized by the FRQ to manage funding, ii) as a full-time researcher, with a PhD., in an institution recognized by the FRQ to manage funding that is a CIUSSS, a CISSS or a university affiliated public institution within the health and social services network; AND b) is affiliated with a Québec university in which he/she is qualified to act as the sole supervisor of graduate students* and independently lead research projects.
The following also qualify for university researcher status: Individuals at the beginning of their career who meet criterion a) and are awaiting qualification for criterion (b) from their institution; Individuals who are retired from a recognized institution who no longer meet criterion a) and who continue to pursue research or supervision activities in the institution, from which they have obtained a formal commitment.
Clinical university researcher: Persons who: a) receive a salary for a full-time or part-time position at an institution recognized by the FRQ to manage funding; AND b) are affiliated with a Québec university in which they are qualified to act as the sole supervisor of graduate students1 and independently lead research projects; AND c) hold a professional degree in human health, followed by at least two years (or the equivalent) of research training; AND d) hold a valid license to practice in Québec. The following also qualify for clinical university researcher status: Individuals at the beginning of their career who meet criteria a) and c) and are awaiting qualification for criterion (b) from their institution; Individuals who are retired from a recognized institution who no longer meet criterion a) and who continue to pursue research or supervision activities in the institution, from which they have obtained a formal commitment.
College researcher: Person who has a master’s degree and who is employed in the equivalent of a fulltime position in the college-level institutions recognized by the FRQ to manage funding and/or in the Québec college centres for technology transfer (CCTT). Individual program rules may include more specific criteria. College researchers must also possess the professional autonomy required to supervise research projects and hold: i) a position as a college-level institution professor, OR ii) a position as a CCTT researcher, OR iii) a position in a college-level institution in which at least 75% of their time is dedicated to research activities.
*An individual is qualified to act as sole supervisor when relevant authorities in the university with which he/she is affiliated authorize him/her to co-supervise graduate students and to provide sole supervision for the writing of a thesis or dissertation. This accreditation should be interpreted as recognition by the university of the individual’s autonomy in this regard.