The Early Career Excellence in Research Award, established in 2019, has been renamed in honour of History Professor Emerita Dr. Renée Soulodre-La France. The award will now be known as the Renée Soulodre-La France Excellence in Research Award (Early Career), with the same criteria as the Early Career Excellence in Research Award.
Dr. Soulodre-La France says she is very heartened and moved by the honour, especially as she believes it "signals that the critical importance of recognizing the extraordinary research capacity at King's continues to be advanced."
"My goal as a faculty member and administrator at King's was to facilitate our colleagues' pursuit of their far-reaching knowledge production. Their excellence in research, even from very early in their careers, has and continues to enrich their fields of study and many of them are acknowledged both nationally and internationally. I hope that this award encourages and stimulates King's faculty to continue this pursuit of excellence throughout their careers," she says.
Dr. Erin Hannah, Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Politics and International Relations, brought the motion from the Research Activity Committee forward to Faculty Council for approval on February 7, 2024. Dr. Hannah said that Dr. Soulodre-La France's career "epitomized an unwavering commitment to fostering research excellence."
Dr. Hannah said that Dr. Renée Soulodre-La France was widely regarded as a visionary Associate Dean who exhibited an impassioned dedication to advancing and supporting research throughout her tenure.
"Her pivotal advocacy and relentless support for scholarly pursuits left an indelible mark on the institution and the broader academic landscape. Renaming the award in her honour is a fitting tribute, symbolizing recognition for the profound and enduring impact she wielded in championing research at King's," said Dr. Hannah.
In a note to the Faculty Council, Dr. Antonio Calcagno, Professor of Philosophy, said that as a faculty member and Chair of the Department of History, Dr. Soulodre-La France "maintained the importance of research for teaching and student development and helped introduce to the College the possibilities of student co-involvement in faculty research. It was her time as Associate Dean that marked a significant shift in King's academic culture and practices. It was her mandate to create structures and mechanisms that would not only highlight the outstanding research and national and international scholarly collaborations of King's faculty and staff, but she also created, chaired and guided the Research Activities Committee (RAC)."
Dr. Calcagno also noted that Dr. Soulodre-La France pushed for King's to become an official member institution of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). (Dr. Calcagno is a Fellow of the RSC.) He also referenced how Dr. Soulodre-La France mentored and supported junior faculty in their applications to the RSC.
"It would be fair to say that without Renée's leadership and hard work, the large and effective research culture we have here at King's would not exist, nor would its connection to our teaching and pedagogy be front and centre," says Dr. Calcagno.
The Early Career Excellence in Research Award was established to recognize a faculty member in the early stages of their professional lives who has earned distinction for themselves and King's as a result of the outstanding characteristics and significance of their research.
The first recipient has been selected and will be introduced at the Knowledge Exchange and Impact Awards Gala on March 27, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the Garron Learning Lounge, as part of King's Research Week. Registration is required to attend the Gala. Please contact the Research Office to register.
