Funding opportunity: Impact+ Canada Research Training Fellowships (Fall 2026 cohort)

I am recruiting highly motivated PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to join my group at the Université de Montréal (Canada).

Our research sits at the interface of plant developmental biology, biomechanics/solid mechanics, quantitative imaging, 3D image analysis, and computational modeling, with the goal of understanding how growth, mechanics, and feedback shape developing tissues and organs.

A new funding program, the Impact+ Canada Research Training Fellowships, supports recruitment of international candidates as well as Canadian citizens returning to Canada, working in national priority areas including:

• advanced digital technologies (including AI, quantum technologies, cybersecurity)
• health (including biotechnology)
• clean technologies and resource value chains
• environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic
• food and water security
• democratic and community resilience
• advanced manufacturing and materials
• defense and dual-use technologies

Fellowship amounts

• PhD: $40,000/year for 3 years
• Postdoc: $70,000/year for 2 years

The application process is expected to be very simple and must be submitted by the host supervisor. The success rate should be high for candidates who meet eligibility criteria, but internal quotas apply, so early contact is strongly recommended.

Timeline (supervisor-submitted)

At this stage, the official forms are not yet available. For an initial pre-selection step, I must submit (by February 4):

• candidate name
• host supervisor name
• project title

The complete application will then be submitted by the supervisor by February 16, and will likely include a short project description and a brief statement of expected impacts for Canada aligned with program priorities.

How to apply / express interest

If you are interested (or would like to discuss potential projects), please contact me as soon as possible (ideally before January 31) with:

• a CV
• a brief description of your research background and interests

Contact:
al.routier@umontreal.ca
Anne-Lise Routier-Kierzkowska
Associate Professor & Canada Research Chair, Plant Cell Biophysics
Université de Montréal (Canada)