Distinguished Research Award - Research & Innovation

Distinguished Research Award (established 1986)

The Distinguished Research Award is the highest honour conferred by Trent University for research and scholarly activity.

An award will be made annually to a member of the Trent Faculty, including Professors Emeriti, in recognition of significant contributions to knowledge or artistic creativity. Up to two awards may be given annually.

Evaluations will consider:

Substantive production of scholarly materials appropriate to the scholar’s discipline;
Significant contributions to research and scholarly activity as documented by organizations that advance research, professional technical committees, and/or professional, literary, and artistic associations;
Significant direct contributions towards the training of high qualified personnel (HQP);
Receipt of research funding, at levels appropriate to the scholar’s discipline.

All Trent University tenured faculty are eligible for the award. This includes tenured faculty from all programs, departments, and schools including professional schools and professors emeriti (within three years of retirement). Faculty must have been employed at least six (6) years at Trent to be eligible for nomination. (Note: Personal leave circumstances and sabbatical periods will be considered by the Selection Committee.)
Past recipients of the Award will not be eligible for further nomination.

The award will be adjudicated in two stages:

1. Nominations of eligible applicants can be made to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation by any member of the Trent community by December 10, 2025. These will include the name of the nominee and one paragraph outlining their eligibility.

2. Nominators will be advised by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation if they should proceed to compile the full nomination dossier, which is due no later than February 10, 2026.

Distinguished Research Award Terms of Reference

The 2025 Distinguished Research Award competition has closed.

2025 Distinguished Research Award Recipient : Dr. Marguerite A. Xenopoulos

The 2025 Distinguished Research Award honours Dr. Marguerite A. Xenopoulos, the Canada Research Chair in Global Change of Freshwater Ecosystems and a professor in the Department of Biology at Trent University. Professor Xenopoulos’ groundbreaking research in freshwater ecology has had a profound impact on the global scientific community, driving innovation in habitat restoration and ecosystem management. Prof. Xenopoulos has secured millions of dollars in funding for research, which has supported research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at Trent, and worked alongside government agencies, community organizations, and other research institutions to advance evidence-based conservation practices for freshwater. As the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Prof. Xenopoulos is working to improve inclusion in science publishing, which earned her the 2024 William Kaula Award from the American Geophysical Union.

Distinguished Research Award Past Recipients

2023 - Dr. Hugh Elton (Ancient Greek and Roman Studies)
2022 - Dr. David Patton (Physics and Astronomy)
2021 - Dr. Sally Chivers (English and Gender & Women's Studies)
2020 - Dr. Antonio Cazorla-Sanchez (History)
2018 - Dr. Erica Nol (Biology)
2017 - Dr. Stephen Bocking (School of the Environment)
2016 - Dr. David M. K. Sheinin (History)
2015 - Dr. Suresh Narine (Biomaterials)
2014 - Dr. Haroon Akram-Lodhi (International Development Studies)
2013 - Dr. Ian Storey (Ancient History and Classics)
2012 - Dr. Don Mackay (Chemistry)
2011 - Dr. Jacqueline Solway (International Development Studies)
2010 - Dr. Bryan Palmer (Canadian Studies)
2009 - Dr. Douglas Evans (ERS)
2008 - Dr. Stephen Katz (Sociology)
2007 - Dr. Jim Struthers (Canadian Studies)
2006 - Dr. Chris Metcalfe (Environment/Resource Studies)
2005 - Dr. Barbara Marshall (Sociology)
2004 - Dr. Leonard Conolly (English Literature)
2003 - Dr. Peter Dillon (Environment/Resource Studies)
2002 - Dr. John Topic (Anthropology)
2001 - Dr. Joan Sangster (Women's Studies)
2000 - Dr. Carlyle Smith (Psychology)
1999 - Dr. Alena Heitlinger (Sociology)
1998 - Dr. Michael Peterman (English Literature)
1997 - Dr. Tom Hutchinson (ERS/Biology)
1996 - Dr. Robert Paehlke (Political Studies/ERS)
1995 - Dr. Doug McCalla (History)
1994 - Dr. Ray March (Chemistry)
1993 - Dr. Paul Healy (Anthropology)
1992 - Dr. John Burbidge (Philosophy)
1991 - Dr. Gordon Winocur (Psychology)
1990 - Dr. Joan Vastokas (Anthropology)
1989 - Dr. John Fekete (English Literature/Cultural Studies)
1988 - Dr. Keith Oldham (Chemistry)
1987 - Dr. David Kettler (Political Studies)
1986 - Dr. John Gilchrist (History)